[__derek__]

Reaching for an "extreme" label is the issue here. What you've described in the blog post is lower opportunity costs. That is compatible with but doesn't imply desperation or a lack of alternatives: neither applies to the "revenge" founders or the folks foregoing $200k+ salaries, for example. In fact, both are able to take the risk because of solid-but-not-extravagant alternatives (wealth from prior exit and highly-compensated jobs, respectively). That's what separates both from the VPs pulling down million-dollar comp, who face much higher opportunity costs for the exact same potential reward.