Culture is fine in the office, but enforcing outside activities is inappropriate.
E.g. previous company was full of young, attractive, single people and they loved to go out together. Fine, but I shouldn't be dinged for being older, married, and not very attractive and not being comfortable with bars and hot tubs. (Especially when any sort of friendliness towards young women is lasered in on, and not worth the professional risk)
> Culture is fine in the office, but enforcing outside activities is inappropriate.
Let me put it this way. If the job description expects it to be out of office and YOU chose to work for THAT job, then it's fair game to fire you should you choose not to live up to the spirit of the description.
But it shouldn't be forced upon you if it's not part of the job description.
Overall though I don't think it's much of a problem. Most companies are, like you said, they leave the participation to be optional and everyone is cool with it.
E.g. previous company was full of young, attractive, single people and they loved to go out together. Fine, but I shouldn't be dinged for being older, married, and not very attractive and not being comfortable with bars and hot tubs. (Especially when any sort of friendliness towards young women is lasered in on, and not worth the professional risk)