There is definitely a pop-culture around programming - but specifically around web application programming; the culture of "web developers" often reminds me a l

There is definitely a pop-culture around programming - but specifically around web application programming; the culture of "web developers" often reminds me a lot of high school social dynamics. What I've found is that the older and more experienced programmers, such as yourself, have graduated out of that social vMeme and embraced their craft as a "problem solving" one - not one specific to web development, or mobile apps. I identify more with incisive problem solving than I do with a specific area of problems - while I professionally make my money in the realm of distributed systems and web applications; I also enjoy (and apply) quite a bit of my own learning in the subjects of: * Psychology * Maths * Carpentry * Mechanics (I use much of what I know about fixing/building cars in the building of my software!) * Writing * Many others &c... So, yes, while I agree there is a pop-culture I wouldn't necessarily say that it is defining of the individual. I built my own business specifically because it was so difficult for me to find a job writing software in Python and Erlang - the status quo was (and other than Ruby On Rails) and still is PHP in my industry. I define my move from running a consulting business building "web apps" to building a high-tech startup, where the "web app" is just 10% of solution to the problem we are solving, as my graduation from pop-culture programming to the more general "problem solving" culture.