In my younger years my obsession with programming was complex. It was partly an escape, partly a reveling in the godlike powers bestowed upon me by the machine.

In my younger years my obsession with programming was complex. It was partly an escape, partly a reveling in the godlike powers bestowed upon me by the machine. I think both aspects were unhealthy, and were effective at keeping me from dealing with the more complex realities of developing and maintaining a balanced lifestyle, especially in my social life. I still enjoy writing code, but I could never imagine a return to this extreme focus unless something was out of place elsewhere.