[joezydeco]

So let's turn it back to Hacker News for a moment.

You're slaving away in a startup, working insane hours and getting paid way less than what you're worth. There's equity in there somewhere. Maybe. You've finished up another 12 hour day and there's the wife glaring at you at the kitchen table: "When is this job going to get us somewhere? Why can't we be doing/having <x> like your friend Bob who works at <consulting firm y>?"

The social status thing makes sense. And you're working your ass off to try to make that next step up, or cash out, or whatever.

So what do you tell her in return?