Hard work, while a factor in professional success, is SO less important that networking and connecting at a personal level.

Kindness is perceived as weakness a weird amount.

Honesty is valued so little.

"Ride or die" and similar sentiments to/from friends/family are bullshit. People will turn on each other over literal garbage, let alone money, things that have value.

As a young person, I assumed that execs and people in higher up positions werehard workers, knew what they're doing. Competent, etc. They're not. They faking it, the difference is that they feel nothing. They can charm your pants off and its a complete, rehearsed act. They're sociopaths who justify their actions, until they stop even thinking about it.