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I'm 50 and still programming. Programming is all I know how to do. If that was taken away from me, I would just rot to death. I don't want to be anything else, and I refuse to be forced to do something I don't want to do. I'll learn to farm and support myself that way.

So, is it still preferable for the manager to not hire anyone and let the work sit undone rather than to be forced to work with a detestable "older" worker?

Perhaps the government should start giving disability status to people because they are over 40.



> I'm 50 and still programming. Programming is all I know how to do. If that was taken away from me, I would just rot to death.

Interesting statement. Someone recently told me the biggest problem with US Presidential Candidate Yang's Universal Basic Income plan is that people who have had a successful career in one field their whole life often do not want to learn a new career even if you help them financially while they transition. For reference, the discussion was about winning an election more than solving a problem.

It's very interesting to hear the above statement from someone in tech vs a different industry. Reminds me how similar people across all industries are when often some of us tend to feel unique for some silly reason.


>people who have had a successful career in one field their whole life

It's not only being successful, but also being happy with the characteristics of software dev work.


I'm not sure I can think of a harder field to jump into in middle age than farming.


They probably meant farming on a backyard gardening level, I know plenty of people who got into it in middle age, particularly Mormons who try to be relatively self-sufficient. Not sure about the backyard size needed to actually support yourself though.


> I'll learn to farm and support myself that way.

With the climate apocalypse, that's becoming less and less likely.


Actually if everything folds in completely the way the alarmists are telling us it will, being able to grow your own food will be the only thing that will save you.


Yes. But being able to grow your own food is what's becoming less likely.


Just like all the other predicted climate apocalypses the past 50 years. For a group that should be good at picking up patterns they sure are slow to pick this one up...




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