When I was a kid I thought the greatest thing in life would be to program computers, create interesting programs, meet interested people and programmers, and de

When I was a kid I thought the greatest thing in life would be to program computers, create interesting programs, meet interested people and programmers, and delve into interesting problems. This in turn would solve problems and make things easier. A generation has been indoctrinated into thinking that our devices define us. That by getting on a device and posting, programming and delivering products somehow our lives would be more unique and amazing. So I spent my early 20s programming and doing just that. Programming everything there was to program. Doing all the things I ever dreamed of as a 16 year old kid stuck in generative meta-circular recursion. Being a hacker, I guess you could say, and having all of these "polymorphic insights" that I was sure would add up to a life of meaning. The result was a profound lack of satisfaction, and a severe existential dread at perhaps never delivering anything of practical use. I was lucky to settle up, quit work, and find a passion in traveling and touring which drives me toward working on bigger problems than myself, that might help humanity in some way. But I fear that the vast majority of people my age are still stuck in that mindset, having never to unplug and leave their systems. Hoping and praying that this next version of a program will finally give them that satisfaction beyond filling 3 minutes in posting an update on a chat conversation.