Of course, but this is probably true on some level about nearly every sport or physical activity. Sports probably provide interesting models for individual and tribal innovation, and something resembling a fairly clean meritocracy... before a culture gets layered on top of that which puts up nasty guard rails and biases.
I don't think we have to worry about SV emulating that, it already resembles that model quite thoroughly. Fortunately I do think the conversation about how to resolve what distracts from merit in our industry is at least in the beginnings of happening.
I don't think it's reasonable to say that nothing to learn from or even emulate about an (admittedly deeply) flawed culture.
Note that sports didn't really aspire to be a meritocracy before professionalism. The most meritocratic sports combine inclusiveness with professionalism i.e. a lot of people can enter the sport and the best are recognized as such. Programming often favors amateurism[0] like open source, side projects and being "the right kind of nerdy", while at the same being elitist in regard to things like education.
I also think a lot of the problems in regard to equality are latent effects of many who got started in the early days of the personal computer did so because of their dad [1] (and that gender roles where much stricter at the time).
[0] Which isn't necessarily about skill, while it do tend to change the meaning of skill.
I don't think we have to worry about SV emulating that, it already resembles that model quite thoroughly. Fortunately I do think the conversation about how to resolve what distracts from merit in our industry is at least in the beginnings of happening.
I don't think it's reasonable to say that nothing to learn from or even emulate about an (admittedly deeply) flawed culture.