>> My best understanding is that they aren't skills, they are hardwired abilities.
And isn't it the most amazing coincidence that those who are thus exceptionally gifted are uniquely placed to benefit from the demand for those very abilities in an extravagantly lucrative profession?
I mean, imagine what would happen if everyone could program! Where would those six-figure salaries go then?
And isn't it the most amazing coincidence that those who are thus exceptionally gifted are uniquely placed to benefit from the demand for those very abilities in an extravagantly lucrative profession?
I mean, imagine what would happen if everyone could program! Where would those six-figure salaries go then?
That was the exact point that I was making.
There is no coincidence. It is economics 101. In a free market, the salary is set by the laws of supply and demand. If people who can program are in short supply and create lots of value, the supply/demand curves will meet at a high price point. That is good for programmers. If everyone could program, then the price point would be lower and programmers couldn't collect those salaries. Programming has low explicit barriers to entry AND high salaries. This could not continue without implicit barriers to entry of some sort.
How low are the explicit barriers? I personally know several programmers who were homeless teenagers, later received GED degrees, and are self-taught in programming. These are mostly highly paid professionals. (One that I know decided as an adult to go back and pursue university now that she could. She's only 30 - by the time she's my age I'm confident that she'll also be a highly paid professional.)
Let's continue with economics 101. When you move a person from a non-programming job to a programming job that pays more, it is obviously good for that person. It is also good for society as a whole - that person is doing something more productive. It isn't so good for other programmers, though, because it reduces their salary.
Speaking personally, I grew up in poverty. My life is much better than I feel I deserve, or than I need. I also like seeing the lives of others around me improve.
Therefore I have encouraged many to take up programming, and spent untold volunteer hours answering questions from people who want to become better programmers. I have zero interest in limiting who gets to program.
For a political example I completely oppose H1B programs in their current form. I think that we should allow free immigration for competent people AND once they arrive we shouldn't restrict them from finding the best job that they can. The current quota system which provides incentives for companies to swear up and down that they are paying a competitive wage, while in fact they are paying under the market price, and then trap the people that they import in jobs that don't make full use of their talents.
And isn't it the most amazing coincidence that those who are thus exceptionally gifted are uniquely placed to benefit from the demand for those very abilities in an extravagantly lucrative profession?
I mean, imagine what would happen if everyone could program! Where would those six-figure salaries go then?