[inconceivable]

the sense of frantic feature building is normal for a high growth startup. feeling constantly behind is also normal. a high growth startup is not a loving, nurturing, comfortable place. it's a mad dash for money and everyone is going to be pushing as hard as they humanly can, both in terms of work but also in terms of pushing others.

you're on the right track with the detaching yourself, but that can only get you so far. at the end of the day you still need to deliver things that sell. having people who don't know what the fuck they're talking about demand all sorts of wild shit from you is normal.

in the end, it's just difficult. you're being compensated with money and equity - if those aren't up to snuff, negotiate for more. if that doesn't work, you need to make the decision to stay or leave. there's a chance they give you what you want when you threaten to leave - and then you will have some leverage. but just realize this is not ever going to be a walk in the park. millions of dollars are on the line, people are not going to behave rationally because they see you as the limiting factor between them and their riches.

[neon_electro]

this is not the culture human beings should support or tolerate at their workplace

[inconceivable]

my comment is descriptive, not prescriptive. i doubt anyone even knows the difference anymore because of all the smarmy posturing these days.

"this rock is hard, and has sharp edges. it will cut you."

"no! that is terrible! rocks should be soft, with round edges! how dare you! nobody should accept rocks that are hard and sharp! that's dangerous! why do you support dangerous things?!"

[ganbatekudasai]

No it's not, it's a false equivalence. What the original commenter described has way more pathologies than "startups are hard", and it does not smell like success to me. To pick up on your analogy, it's more like a rock that has been drenched in poop by someone, and you're supposed to use it to cut your food. There are other sharp rocks around, and most of them are not covered by poop, so you might be able to cut your food with it without getting a terrible disease and puke all food out again in the process.

[inconceivable]

okay, so your position is that he should leave because everyone is too mean. that's valid.

[ganbatekudasai]

Don't put words in my mouth. OP mentioned significant equity and the possibility to be acquired, without any details. This could both provide them with something to show after enduring all the suck, as well as with a real chance of changing management. If the question was to join the company, or no equity was at play (including if there's either no realistic chance of that equity being worth something, or if the equity does not lose its value for OP after quitting anyway), then yes, likely best to leave immediately.

Simplistic phrases are not going to help in complex situations with lots of details.

> because everyone is too mean.

No, because it sounds like a business bordering on dysfunction. You should know the difference.

[inconceivable]

> because it sounds like a business bordering on dysfunction

yeah, that's what a startup is.

[convolvatron]

its not even a good way to maximize output