> Some day most of you will get over the dollar-induced Stockholm Syndrome that seems universal among junior developers
We aren't working hard because we just want money. We want to save up enough money so that we can retire at 55 and stop working. Then we can start spending all our time complaining that the software industry is going in the wrong direction.
Because in any other industry, the effort:earnings ration isn't nearly as good, so we'd have to work into our 60s before we could do that.
> We want to save up enough money so that we can retire at 55 and stop working.
If that's what anyone takes away from my jeremiad, then I actually think that's pretty great. Except ... why not 45? Maybe if more people could use software development as a quick route to something else that created more personal satisfaction and/or social value, that would actually be a good outcome. A bit more "it's just a job" and a bit less "it's my holy calling" is a necessary ingredient in that formula.
Not everyone here works for FAANG companies in silicon valley. Retiring by 45 is possible in much of the rest of the country but one has to go hard to do it.
For myself, I simply wanted to be free from financial worries and financially independent. I hit that at 35, and yes, I'll probably be able to retire by 45, but I'm a bit too frugal for my own good. For someone living a more 'balanced' lifestyle I think 50 or 55 is a fine goal.
We aren't working hard because we just want money. We want to save up enough money so that we can retire at 55 and stop working. Then we can start spending all our time complaining that the software industry is going in the wrong direction.
Because in any other industry, the effort:earnings ration isn't nearly as good, so we'd have to work into our 60s before we could do that.