"For most of my career, I've been told (and I believed) that I would probably get forced out of a hands-on individual contributor role as I aged."
Programmers are in a bubble. Head over to the local grocery store. The person bagging your groceries is 63. There is no retirement plan for him - as well as most Americans. These "old" people will end up working until 70, on their feet. If I can find someone to pay me to write CRUD apps all day in whatever hipster framework, I am fine with that, no complaints here. Beats working at HomeDepot.
A bubble as in we are not cognizant enough to recognize the benefits of investing in our skills and education so that we aren't bagging groceries at 63, or a bubble as in we should not expect our current ratio of compensation vs skill to hold out forever?
I had an office mate whose dream was to retire to the tools desk at HD.
While brutal, there is something to working later from a health perspectice. When I was young, retirees played tennis and golf but I dont see as much of that in my cohort.
Programmers are in a bubble. Head over to the local grocery store. The person bagging your groceries is 63. There is no retirement plan for him - as well as most Americans. These "old" people will end up working until 70, on their feet. If I can find someone to pay me to write CRUD apps all day in whatever hipster framework, I am fine with that, no complaints here. Beats working at HomeDepot.