A well written piece. I achieved financial independence and left the rat race. Very glad I did before I got guillotined like many of my friends. While sometimes I miss being around smart people, I never want to see the inside of a giant corporation building again. I hope Ole Trøan finds peace in his post-Cisco life.

> And of course the exclusion. Inside a group, then outside it. People I ate lunch with went quiet. The chats went quiet. I became a story other people told carefully.

This is why I don't rely on workplace being the place where friendships happen. Whenever I feel like there's friendship growing, I add that person on some app, and then we meet outside of work. In that way even if we part ways professionally, we can still be friends privately. I spam people with game screenshots, pics of food, and racist rants. I invite them to gatherings and outings.

I live in Germany and right next to the highest point of the (European) Netherlands, it's only a 5k walk and you barely notice the elevation change. It's not necessarily underwhelming but definitely not overwhelming, in fact it's just whelming - so I'm glad OP got more out of the experience.

That was weirdly and unexpectedly vulnerable, which is nice I suppose.

Would've been even nicer without glorifying substance abuse, but, well.

Strangely, mushrooms are illegal in NL, but truffles are not.

I love psychedelics! I use LSD recreationally every few weeks or so. I believe it's related to psilocybin (from magic mushrooms) by also being a tryptamine. Always love hearing about good experiences.

The Netherlands isn't that flat. Its highest point is Mt.Scenery at 870m.

its a power thing isn't it...organised collectives have way bigger influence than individuals...and the most successful organised collective is the business company... nowadays some of them more powerful than nation states... individuals subject to company objectives and other individuals empowered by their position in a company...a vote is no longer the expression of liberty...we are under the whims of corporations... companies are the true sovereign, go, incorporate, pay Irish taxes, and give the middle finger to ur government