The text discusses the issues with a promotion-oriented culture in tech companies like Google and Facebook, where engineers focus more on reaching the next level rather than product improvement or user satisfaction. It highlights that aligning promotion criteria with business objectives is challenging, leading to prioritization of projects that may not be beneficial for the product, users, or even personal growth. The text also mentions inefficiencies caused by "perf-season" and how startups tend to drift towards a promo-culture as they grow. It suggests ideas on how to avoid this culture shift, inviting readers to share their thoughts.