I think it's easier to cope with this tension if you embrace the other parts of your life that are meaningful, as OP is alluding to. It's a lot harder for a co

I think it's easier to cope with this tension if you embrace the other parts of your life that are meaningful, as OP is alluding to. It's a lot harder for a company to manipulate someone if they have alternate ways to derive meaning and emotional support. For me, this involves always having a side project that's fulfilling. I think this sincere desire for unexploitable meaning is why a lot of engineers try to start startups.