>When i'm expected to be in the office every day, given funny looks if i pack up my shit at 5pm, asked where i was if i didnt eat lunch at my desk, then quite frankly, i generally leave the contract early.

This is doubly right on.

I am the opposite of the original questioner: I like the high stress environment where I feel like we're all pulling hard on some intense goal+. BUT I like it when we're a team thus I don't care if someone is leaving or coming when they are; I just care that if I toss a ball their way they'll know what to do with it and if someone tosses a ball my way I will know what to do with it. That we're all working to get the job done -- which is no excuse for bullshit monitoring each other.

The other doubly right on: again, I'm not a contractor but I've hired plenty and they don't pretend to be committed to our large goal, only what they signed up for. And that's totally fair. A contractor (generally has to) has to hustle for business but has an easier time firing a customer they don't like.

+ original question was a good one and I was interested in the replies even though I don't seek out the same thing.