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Meanwhile, your 12 hours days have lead to loss of free time with your lifelong friends, girlfriend, bad health, missing travel, social, sporting and community/

Meanwhile, your 12 hours days have lead to loss of free time with your lifelong friends, girlfriend, bad health, missing travel, social, sporting and community/political opportunities...Just look at the feeling of something greater that so many of the Obama 2012 geeks felt when they were dragged out of their startup open plan offices and made to be part of something greater (whatever your politics). All the startup "teams" I've seen and worked with have never come close to replacing my real friendships, no matter how hard HR departments tried... It's sad that at a time when we are increasingly disconnected that the startup mentality has used this for it's own purposes (not always cynically ofcourse but the effect will probably still remain.) Nothing, never, ever can beat the friendships, teamwork and sheer joy of talking and having fun with friends of mine who I once served with in the military etc. Perhaps it was the most cynical of all organisations but the friendships where the most true...people who you know would be there for you, no matter what, including most of the people in charge of you - NCO's, officers etc (yeh some are bad but most are good a really care - they are not just playing a game)

gee_totes 13y ago
The differences in military vs. startup organizational friendship may have to do with what is on the line. In the military, the organization is a matter of life and death. In startups, the organization is simply a matter of profit and loss. I've had similar experiences in the activist world... nothing builds camaraderie like being tear gassed and arrested together.
- roryireland 13y ago
  Also, I understand the activist world, as have been part of it myself sometimes... It's the way startups feel like such a cynical transaction these days...Initially it seemed like such a liberating thing, now it's more of an emprisonment for many - shuttered away from those people and things that really matter.

gee_totes 13y ago

The differences in military vs. startup organizational friendship may have to do with what is on the line. In the military, the organization is a matter of life and death. In startups, the organization is simply a matter of profit and loss. I've had similar experiences in the activist world... nothing builds camaraderie like being tear gassed and arrested together.

roryireland 13y ago
Also, I understand the activist world, as have been part of it myself sometimes... It's the way startups feel like such a cynical transaction these days...Initially it seemed like such a liberating thing, now it's more of an emprisonment for many - shuttered away from those people and things that really matter.