I can't cut-and-paste this New Yorker article, which is perhaps just as well

Nicholas Lemann's examination of the entry level culture at McKinsey (reached through a link from Felix Salmon) is one of those pieces that needs to be read in full if you want to understand the state of American business. The New Yorker apparently unlocked the story because McKinsey has been in the news lately, but I think the real importance here goes well beyond the scandals.