It's a shame, because this can put a damper on free-flowing creative ideas. Friendships are sometimes based on trust and who is worthwhile to be allys with. This causes a feeling of paranoia and formality. After work drinks are rare, as people are precious about their reputations. It's a sink or swim feeling most of the time, coupled with hive-mind thinking. >Valve is essentially a popularity contest, where you will do well if you have lots of friends and prove yourself to be intelligent and do good work.
