I witnessed this firsthand. I worked for a decent sized public company but large gov contractor in DC. Super smart people, I was learning a ton. Then the lay

I witnessed this firsthand. I worked for a decent sized public company but large gov contractor in DC. Super smart people, I was learning a ton. Then the layoffs started. In honesty, mostly OK decisions but a few really bad key ones. Then I watched the super smart people see the writing on the wall and leave, mostly to Google. Then I felt stupid, if all the smart people left what did that make me? Well, it made me a big fish in a small pond, and I probably learned little of value over the next couple years, until I inevitably left too. The company now is a sad shell of what it once was. I guess this type of story is all too common.