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Comment by mikhael28 | Hacker News Reader

I’ve read this before, and while an entertaining thought experiment, I’m not sure there is anything really actionable here. Maybe just be mindful that people are trying to exploit you.

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Not true! This was actually a life-changing read for me. I stopped being the rock-star developer and turned to quiet quitting before quiet quitting became a thing thanks to this. I'm not joking. No more over-time, far less stress, more time with family, and no more burn out. I have no regrets.

Congratulations :)

I would say the same of Rene Girard’s writing. It’s a lens to try to make sense of the world, not a method.

Not all companies are like this. Some small companies have good leaders. Cherish them if you find one.

Part 2 gets into that.

https://www.ribbonfarm.com/2009/11/11/the-gervais-principle-...

As you say, it's worth knowing what shit can happen but that doesn't mean everyone in leadership is a sociopath or that it's unwise or losing to accept a paycheck.

It can be unwise to start a business and lose all your money which does happen to people.

The terminology on the three groups is used very loosely. The “psychopaths” put their own interests on top, the “clueless” put the company on top and the “losers” are the ones who opt for a low-risk, low-reward strategy. Risk goes up as you move up on the pyramid as well, but lots of current C-levels use the company to buffer the downsides while keeping the upsides for themselves. It’s a bit sociopathic, but there are endless layers of self-delusion happening on all levels.

This is also an “average” company set in a specific culture. Outliers exist and different cultures will also reflect in the power dynamics.

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