The post discusses the challenges and nuances of on-call responsibilities faced by engineers, particularly those working in Site Reliability Engineering (SRE) roles. User comments reflect diverse experiences with on-call practices in startups versus larger companies. Key concerns include poorly defined on-call duties, the misalignment of financial incentives with operational realities, and the resultant burnout experienced by engineers. Many commenters stress the necessity of treating on-call as an opportunity for operational improvement rather than a punitive experience. The conversation highlights the need for better support and recognition of the challenges engineers face during on-call rotations, along with evolving company practices to mitigate burnout.