Startups are just like any venture into starting your own business: its hard. But, your article talks about 'working at a startup' as if interchangeable with 'founding a startup', when, obviously, its not. I agree with your tribe membership reference, but, its almost more like being in a bad relationship when you think about the employee.<p>Lots of young fresh developers are drawn to startups because of the pingpong tables and 'free' meals, potential equity in the business, and the coolness of being at a startup. They get a salary that isn't as much as they could be making at an established business, but they get all those perks, and they might even be able to own part of the business one day. They have to work long hours and get no vacation and have limited resources (sometimes having to use their own personal computer!) because the business is a startup and working at a startup means its exciting and you're going to take over the world and everyone will know about you, but, really, you don't have time to have a life. You're forced to write really bad code to get a feature out fast because the investors want to see something, anything, which means refactoring for a better future is out of the question because they just need to sell the startup to a big firm ASAP.<p>Its hard to keep a straight face around a developer that just moved to New York City talking about the cool new startup they just got a job at, quoting their salary (which is far below average) and pitching like a business person why their company is different than all of their more established competitors. I'm not trying to say 'straight face' as in laugh at them, I mean 'straight face' as in "you're about to fall off the cliff into bitter bitter land like me and I'm sorry!" especially when they talk of catered lunched and dinners and events and such because all it means if they feed you is that they don't want you to leave the office.<p>So, yes, I agree with you that startups are difficult. I just thought the employee's perspective is valid in this case too.