The reason is that tech leadership is doing what I described. Making clear to involved stakeholders that this is not normal and can't be expected every time. As parent commenter has seen, it doesn't happen automatically.

Yeah, I keep hearing that, but - over 10+ jobs - have never experienced it.

Maybe I screen out those jobs in my searches. Or they screen me out :)

My bigger point is that there are many different SW engineering worlds even in SV. You, and everyone you know, may be in the one you describe.

But there are other and better ones out here. One caveat: You may have to "level up" to join some of them.

I believe you misunderstood my comment. I am not disagreeing with you. There are organizations that properly value people's time and make sure that overwork is both rare and rewarded. I'm lucky enough to work in one. But, even in those organizations, it doesn't just happen by itself. The management in your company is working hard to keep leadership in check and communicate your value. Because if they don't, organizational inertia will result in your team getting more and more work (or losing resources to do your existing work), no matter how great your company is.

It's not magic, it's good leadership and management.