The behavior of some of the author's colleagues is incredibly embarrassing, and the behavior of some of the author's managers is just reprehensible. I hope that the more reprehensible behavior is simply an indicator of the problems of unexperienced founders/leaders. I know the nature of these anecdotes is not uncommon, but there does seem to be a clear line between the discomfort associated with office-sponsored drinking events and outright harassment.

The larger discussion has merits, but I do think, for better or worse, startup culture is just a reflection of our alcohol focused social culture (and in full disclosure, I enjoy it). Startups are different in that they often blur the line between professional and social. This can certainly be problematic, but it's also one of the most significant reasons that I enjoy working at startups much, much more than traditional businesses.