In my 20+ year career I've been on the interviewer side more than the interviewee side. I've hired dozens of people, never took more than 30 mins to make a decision, and never recommended a false positive. Hiring/interviewing/managing is not my primary role, it's something I do occasionally as a side-task. It's possible and I do it myself.
Imagine for a moment if the interview process you describe actually went both ways. Have you ever seen an interviewee demand their hiring manager perform some mock management scenarios for them as part of the interview process? Of course not, because that's insulting and ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as doing the coding interview performance art.
Hiring managers/interviewers often perceive themselves as being in a position of power, which is why they feel comfortable demanding ridiculous rituals of subjugation. It's very jarring for them to not be in a position of power, when an interviewee perceives themselves as their manager's moral and intellectual equal.
Imagine for a moment if the interview process you describe actually went both ways. Have you ever seen an interviewee demand their hiring manager perform some mock management scenarios for them as part of the interview process? Of course not, because that's insulting and ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as doing the coding interview performance art.
Hiring managers/interviewers often perceive themselves as being in a position of power, which is why they feel comfortable demanding ridiculous rituals of subjugation. It's very jarring for them to not be in a position of power, when an interviewee perceives themselves as their manager's moral and intellectual equal.