A couple of people I have seen with have gone so far as to insinuate that the reason programming is to hard for most people, is because we design our languages

A couple of people I have seen with have gone so far as to insinuate that the reason programming is to hard for most people, is because we design our languages to be too hard, just to keep people away from programming, and to secure our jobs. That's like saying building engineers erecting a skyscraper in New York design their blueprints to be complex and confusing to keep other people away and secure their jobs. That's totally ridiculous. Anyone with this line of thinking is truly ignorant of the complexities and considerations required to carry out certain real world jobs. To be a "programmer" means you can effectively communicate with, and manipulate a machine. The more direct your communication, the more you are considered to be a programmer. Microsoft became one of the most successful software companies in the world because their Windows operating system allowed anyone to become an effective operator of their own computer. If you can only manipulate, but not communicate with a machine you are an operator, not a programmer. Programming the machine has not become any less complex because of the Windows GUI; it's just the complexity of managing the computer is handled by the operating system. The reason nerds will always be better at programming/technology is that we actually have an interest in the complex details of underlying technology, and putting in the time to learn. Some will even write their own operating system as Linus Torvalds did, just for the heck of it. If you are someone who can't program, but wants to, roll up your sleeves and learn. Don't start making excuses diminishing the talent and skill actual programmers/engineers have attained because of your own shortcomings. That's insulting.