Brain drain

My brother is leaving his job at the end of the year at a prestigious firm. This marks the fourth person I know to leave their "real" job this year with no real plans for their next step. His complaints are the same as everyone else.

1) No time for yourself or family
2) Unrealistic expectations in an increasingly bureaucratic and isolating corporate culture
3) No feeling of contributing to society through work

It is interesting to see that everyone I know who has quit their jobs graduated towards the top of their respective class in college and in graduate school. The doors of "prestigious" firms and career tracks open to the brightest people in a class. Unfortunately, the downside to these opportunities is that they are often found in firms and businesses that do not nurture the intellects that come through the door. I propose that the result is that the smart people think over their situations and get out, leaving people behind who are insensitive to the real problems of the business culture because, after all, those who are left behind have succeeded. Why would they tear down the ladder that they managed to climb (even if it was due to the more talented people leaving)?

Where does this leave the dedicated students at the tops of their classes? I believe they must take their decision of where to accept their first job offer more seriously than simply choosing the highest paying or most prestigious position immediately following graduation. The cost of doing otherwise may be early burnout and a change of career path when, in actuality, it may not be the career that is a problem but the culture in which that person was forced to first train for his or her career.