Are we giving neurons too much credit here?

Honestly, I see founders having more agency than that. The narrative that VCs force this grind is convenient, but plenty of founders choose that pace themselves, often before they even take a dollar. I've watched teams chase hypergrowth because it's the Silicon Valley script, not because a term sheet demanded it. Some of the healthiest founders I know intentionally bootstrapped or took capital from investors aligned with slower, sustainable scaling. The pressure isn't just external, it's often a cultural choice we make and perpetuate.