As a result of the extensive layoffs in the tech industry lately, many tech workers have been experiencing identity crises as the illusion of tech exceptionalism fades. For decades, big tech companies like Google and Meta continued to make large profits while paying their workers handsomely and offering unique perks to attract and retain talent. Many workers had become accustomed to these perks and glamorous lifestyles, and now are grappling with the sudden loss of such benefits. The economic disruption in the tech sector has revealed that tech workers are not immune to layoffs or downturns in the US economy.
See "After years of generous pay and perks, tech workers grapple with layoffs across the industry and loss of identity ", Asia Martin, Business Insider, February 20, 2023