I'm not surprised. If you grow up as a computer nerd all your life with few recognizable achievements, and suddenly a Big Tech company dangles in front of you $100k or more, very few people can say no, especially if you also grew up from a relatively poor background.

I think it's actually something unique about Americans. When I started my company, I wanted our slogan to be "Helping each other, together". I very quickly realized that no one in the US actually responds to a saying like that. The vast majority simply doesn't "get" it.

Sadly it makes it harder to find a job as a software engineer in which I can work for a company or in a position making a positive impact on the world (as amorphous as that may sound).

Any interaction that I've had with a recruiter when considering looking.

Me: "I'm not interested in working on ad tech or a bank, etc. I'm interested in privacy companies, green technology, conservation, etc."

Recruiter: "I have a job with Investment Bank X that I think may be interested in."

Can I interest you in a React / Typescript role for Rent Seeking 2.0?

The Culture of Narcissism by Lasch or Democracy in America by de Tocqueville might be of interest to you.

Only if you assume that "the common good" in this country isn't a mirage (which tech workers are more likely to see, IMHO).

That phrase is roughly equivalent to how large corporations thank "essential workers" during the pandemic. It's marketing. It's an excuse to underpay and leave workers without sufficient support.