People who stay at programming jobs for 'social validation' are some of the worst programmers - but generally look good on paper and do well in interviews. The

People who stay at programming jobs for 'social validation' are some of the worst programmers - but generally look good on paper and do well in interviews. The type of people who want to be perceived as smart, etc. Don't enjoy it intrinsically. Of course they make other moronic decisions like stay at a job. The job was the first moronic decision. I know a guy like this who's dream is to have a yoga studio, but that's perceived very differently than a Director of Software Engineering. He totally has enough money (and passion) to do it well. You can't force people to be happy.