To find an explanation of the process I would really just look at the number of programmers working in any given year. There are many times more new programmers

To find an explanation of the process I would really just look at the number of programmers working in any given year. There are many times more new programmers starting professionally in 2015 than 1985 while mechanical engineers, lawyers and poets get produced at a roughly even rate. That in itself creates a huge skew, there are fewer 50-something programmers because 1985 produced fewer programmers. I think a lot of the concern/focus on the youthful "fetish" in the industry is this kind of an illusion. In the early 70s, Rockstars were by definition in their 20s. These days, if you are looking for rock mega stars who can fill arenas anywhere in the world, you will find rockstars of all ages. In fact, rockstars like Mick Jagger (70s), Steven Tyler (60s), Prince (50s) are more likely having had decades to accumulate fans. It turns out that the 27 year old rock god cliche was a product of the fact that it takes time to make a 60 year old and no one was making rockstars in 1929.