I think eventually, most people just choose what kind of clownfuckery they're willing to tolerate. I've worked with startups/small shops and F500s and at least at this stage of my life, I would readily choose the drudgery and petulance of the latter over the instability and dehumanization of the former (I will concede that this could be my bad luck and not an essential characteristic). I haven't gone down the consultancy path or entrepreneurship because as you say, it's a different kind of stress that I don't care for.