You're onto something here talking about cargo culting and received wisdom. Ideas like founder mode spread because it fits a pattern a lot of people see. That

You're onto something here talking about cargo culting and received wisdom. Ideas like founder mode spread because it fits a pattern a lot of people see. That's how an idea gains traction. But once an idea gains traction, especially one that comes from a successful founder, it will inevitably be adopted by the multitudes seeking success—some significant portion of which will lack the maturity and judgment to understand where the idea might not apply. There's a reason that founder mode is a contrast to the way Airbnb worked in the recent past, despite continuity of the founding team over that timespan. Context is everything, even for the best ideas.