Couldn't agree more. I'm closing 40s before realizing this unfortunately and I've wasted 15 years chasing corporate ghosts. 5 at my first employer (physics-related), 10 at my current one. As I lack leverage (initial wealth) I found myself drifting towards ever increasing low-balled positions and there was little I could do except suck it up and learn. My learning time for this shit expired 15 years ago already, unfortunately. Pretty much I feel I have little to lose at this point in revealing my true nature: I'm out for money, I know how to make them and furthermore, after I made them I know what to do with them. Knew it all along.
Funk knows, but one thing I can tell you, these guys are smart. So I'd bet on a 97.5% unrecognized smarts vs 97.5% spies from the competition.