[yodsanklai]

Sorry to say that, but this sounds a bit like a fantasy. I think the vast majority of Google employees don't see themselves as particularly brillant or special. Even there, lots of people have imposter syndrome.

Actually, I've found this is a constant in life, whatever you achieve, you end up in a situation where you're pretty average among your peers. You may feel proud to get into Google for a few months, and then you're quickly humbled down.

[neilv]

Understood, but I meant to ask about the more general problem -- not specific to Google, only prompted by that quote.

(Also, to be clear about my examples: I don't think Google is fabricating their dissertation research, nor do I think Google is genocidal.)

If you're suggesting there's a lot of humility, yet "But we can do it!" still works, that's great, and I'd be interested in more nuances of that.