Working in tech used to be fun, not because of the cold brew kegs or ping-pong tables, but because it felt like we were moving toward something together.
If you were around between 2012 and 2020, you know the energy I mean. Those years felt electric. Every new product launch felt like the future arriving early. Jobs were everywhere, optimism was contagious, and for a moment, you could almost believe you were part of something that mattered.
And honestly? I did believe it.
We bought into the dream that tech could change the world. And for a while, it really felt like it might.
From “we’re changing the world” to “we’re changing the slide deck”
Somewhere along the way, that energy fizzled. Post-2020, the tech world has been a very different place.
Now, when I talk to friends or peers, the mood is heavy. People aren’t trying to “break into tech” anymore. They’re quietly (or loudly) looking for ways out.
Instead of dreaming about what could be built, we’re calculating our stock o…
