That makes sense. FYI I deleted my comment because I didn't feel like it added anything.
I think you would actually like SF - there are a lot of companies building real software, and if there's any smugness, it's that you can work at what you love, make more money than the Wall St. folks, and do it in a t-shirt and shorts.
I appreciate that you took the time to write, I understand where you're coming from a lot better.
I worked for two startups that were duds (in different ways) but I like the idea of startups. I like what we can do as technologists, but have much less affinity for a lot of what we actually do. There's so much, across the industry, that is just waste.
The problem of the wrong people making decisions is almost certainly ancient. Shakespeare called it "the insolence of office" (Hamlet). I like the idea that people can stand up and try to change it. Unfortunately, I don't see VC-istan as being that. From what I've seen (which is not everything) I'm not inspired.
I think you would actually like SF - there are a lot of companies building real software, and if there's any smugness, it's that you can work at what you love, make more money than the Wall St. folks, and do it in a t-shirt and shorts.
I appreciate that you took the time to write, I understand where you're coming from a lot better.