Tell that to the many SF tech workers optimizing for profit.

Not optimizing for profit is a very privileged position to be in.

Are people with poor backgrounds supposed to think that selling some ads is worse than having your family suffer? I can make a third as much and maybe do something better for society, but what happens then if the industry collapses?

I'm not coding killer drones. I'm working for an ad company.

I don't disagree with you, if anything I'm in a similar camp.

The incentives just so happen to end up supporting features like the ones this post refers to.

I am an SF tech worker. Lots of companies here selling pickaxes.

Twilio, for example, doesn’t need engagement. Last I heard they were swimming in money.

Oh I agree that there are companies selling pickaxes and not doing business realm of Facebook and Google (if we are sticking to the subject of ads). However, hopefully anecdotally, just go take a look a metrics and sentiments from tech employees on Blind.

If Google is paying more than Twilio, there will be droves of people grinding to get in.

Selling pickaxes for companies building engagement human traps? :)

How far are you not afraid to look?

Someday I need to write a blog post patting myself on the back for never having worked for Google.