SV is also a meat grinder: the participants are well aware of that (maybe except during the early days of Google or non-GCP Google orgs). SV participants are highly ambitious folks who want to get paid more and deliver "impact" (whatever that means). It's an ego contest.

It's just that the participants always paint rosy pictures to the point that Media buys it and sells it.

I have to disagree, they are relevant. SV needs bodies for the various profit grinders and a way to put pressure on other elites. Wastefully discarding somewhat functioning humans isn't ideal.