Programming is special because of the outsized speculation still occurring and the willingness for tech firms to ignore regulations and morality to defeat entrenched players. The amount of money this approach can capture is staggering.

Programmers, even those of us working outside of the valley, therefore demand high wages - ultimately because of amoral unicorns and deceptive business practices. The demand outstrips supply, making programmers in other roles overvalued as well. This leads to a sense of entitlement, and a perception among programmers that we are somehow superior by virtue of our chosen career and the skills that accompany it.

This in turn leads to outsized egos, unreasonable tolerance of bad behavior, and toxic culture.