one time in a team meeting someone said that new joiners needed to "prove themselves" before fitting in. this was after i watched a few people get ignored while pitching ideas. it was in the office in new york, a thursday afternoon. you could feel the divide, and the vibe shifted. the cliques were obvious. it was heavy, like some were on a higher rung. most left the meeting frustrated. i didn't push back then. it felt pointless when the culture was so set