That's very interesting, and I'm sincerely glad that you're happy. In the U.S., the value system is (was, at least) about personal ambition, talent, and action which determine if one "should be able to get very rich".

There's no shame in wanting to work for a company and focus on a work-life balance. Americans (again, traditionally) celebrate(d) those with higher ambitions and achievement. In Silicon Valley and the startup world (many of whom are on HN), the entrepreneur/founder vs. employee issue can be very sensitive.