Do you think that in the hypothetical absence of the formal education system, the vacuum would be filled by the collaboration of a likeminded community? Social communication among groups with common interest is easier now than it has ever been, particular across vast geographies. This is a least one positive effect of social media, notwithstanding all its negative societal impacts.
Motivation and likeminded students who put in effort for years.
Programming happens to be very addictive but this is rarely the case in other types of work.