I can not overstate how broken the NYC culture was in the 1980's and how normal this all would have felt. You would be a sucker if you ran a business without an

I can not overstate how broken the NYC culture was in the 1980's and how normal this all would have felt. You would be a sucker if you ran a business without an angle. The angle is what made business fun, it was the clever part, your moat. Also getting paid, especially at a young age, made you feel incredible (I was 14 when I started "Screwy Louie's" an electronic biz since I admired Crazy Eddie). In those days money === status. Status was more important than people. And being labeled a "snitch" or "rat" was a sure way to destroy your status. If you ever find yourself in a bad culture, you simply need to leave, especially if you are young. Culture has a powerful momentum but that momentum reduces with each person who opts out.