I am not as in love with that quote as you are. I'm not a fan of the term, but also, it screws with the tone. You know it's janky writing when the reader stops and rereads to make sure they just read what they think they read.
That's why I enjoyed it so much. PG puts thought into every word of these essays. If I know him well enough to have an opinion, that sentence was crafted as much for its contents as for its tone, and that's what made it so awesome. Any disgruntled founder saying it would have been status quo. PG saying that in an essay is just pure entertainment to me.
I think he liked the alliteration too much to give it up.
Masters/minions also would have worked.
I was trying to think of an alternative myself and didn't strike on one.
...and without the terribly sexist undertones, at that.
I really wish Paul had not used that word. "Bitch" is a deeply sexist word, even when it is applied to males. I realize its use has gained a certain currency and there is a corresponding desensitization to it, and I think this is highly regrettable. To me it's as offensive as "nigger".
Perhaps even especially when it's applied to males. It's a deeply ugly word.