I generally prefer to use the phrase "age-related employment difficulties" rather than flat out "age discrimination" when talking about silicon valley. I absol

I generally prefer to use the phrase "age-related employment difficulties" rather than flat out "age discrimination" when talking about silicon valley. I absolutely do not doubt that there is plenty the latter, but a bigger issue is the general culture that, as the article puts it, "might as well be scientifically designed in order to make adults with kids and a mortgage run away screaming". I do think these sorts of articles and stories about the experience of being middle aged win silicon valley re important, because young people do need a counterpoint to the almost relentless message that there is a shortage of software developers and that what the US really needs is more young people going into CS. What they need to hear is that in San Jose, registered nurses earn a bit more than software developers (122k/yr median vs 116k), and dental hygienists in SF earn only a bit less. Lawyers in San Jose, in spite of all the talk of a glut, earn a median of 185K a year. No, it isn't paradise in these fields, the grass is never totally and perfectly green on the other side. But we need to understand how rational the aversion to software development careers really is when you consider the options available to highly educated, focused, intelligent young people. Of course, plenty of people still do ok as they cross the 40, 50, 60 year threshold. However, in many fields, there is nothing remarkable about this. Lawyers and dental hygienists don't tell stories on job boards about they guy over 40 they know who managed to stay relevant. Many young people considering a career or college major are increasingly aware of what goes on, this is yet another reason why they avoid this field or abandon it quickly and early in their careers.