I am not sure where it is coming from exactly. I’ve been around for other major downturns, this is the first I recall at least where there’s almost like a “What Would Ebenezer Scrooge Do” mentality that has taken over amongst technology leaders. A lot of people I thought I respected are tweeting things like you have to put family second if you want to succeed, or people who don’t work every weekend should be fired (or even apologising to someone if you ask them to work on the weekend is a capitulation), that sort of thing. Unnecessary cruelty around layoffs, to send a message, seems like another.

I agree that work isn’t family and that it’s a business first, but recently it seems like causing or experiencing suffering is being seen as a kind of proof of commitment. I don’t think that path ends well.