[PhasmaFelis]

It varies. Some years back, I interviewed at a San Diego startup that was flying in a dozen people a week, with a $300 reward just for showing up, to go through a five-day interview process, at the end of which perhaps one or two would be offered the chance to work for them...for $50k a year. In San Diego.

Most of their employees lived together, 2-4 to an apartment, because they couldn't afford solo housing.

The CEO gave a speech on the first day where he explained that they paid poorly on purpose, because they wanted people who cared more about striving for excellence (or some such buzzword) than petty concerns like money or stability. And people ate it up.

So, yeah, some startups are totally run like ridiculous cults that prey on starry-eyed young tech grads. I'm sure there's many that are sane and reasonable, too. None of them have paid me to vacation in California, though.

[blisterpeanuts]

"some startups are totally run like ridiculous cults..."

I'm open to the possibility that this is true, but you've only presented one example, though certainly an egregious one. Got any more?