I really relate to the author's story and I don't see it as them claiming to be superior to their coworkers. I read it instead as a story about silicon valley

I really relate to the author's story and I don't see it as them claiming to be superior to their coworkers. I read it instead as a story about silicon valley companies tend to focus a lot on image over substance. They crate these overwrought hype machines made to market to investors and customers, but then use the same techniques to sell to their employees as well. Every silicon valley startup has a story about how they're saving the world with their product, when in reality it's just another business that's trying to extract value out of some market. As an employee I appreciate when a company doesn't demand that I drink thier cooperate kool-aid just to work there. A company that understands that I am there to do a job and exchange my time and knowledge for money. Maybe I've just gotten as cynical as the author over time, but as someone who has been in this industry for 20 years, I don't want to spend extra time at work doing non-work things. I want to get something useful done and go home. I bring value in my skills and experience, and if you work with a company that can't recognize that and wants to put all employees through the same junior exercise of corporate orientation then as the author said, that's a red flag.