[parennoob]

Isn't this the case for almost all professions though? Take cosmetologists for instance. In the town where I live, a person who cuts hair gets about $15 for about 20 minutes of work. Guaranteed job (because people always have hair that they want cut or dyed), a flexible work schedule, and more social cachet than being a stuffy programmer, since they are "hair stylists".

Or consider doctors. $200k+ is a pretty standard salary for a doctor, plus people look up to them in an almost godlike way. In my state, nurse practitioners are also allowed to call themselves "Dr. X", so the social cachet applies to them as well.

Can you imagine the reaction if there were "Everyone should learn to cut hair!" or "Everyone should learn basic medicine" movements? Then why code?

[Tangent] If anything, I think there should be an "Everyone should learn how to cook movement" in the US. Might help with the rising obesity and related complications.

[tamana]

Subtract rent and supplies and taxes and downtime from that $60/hr. Being a non-celebrity "hair stylist" doesn't have much cachet.

Cutting hair is a once a month need, and it is physically very challenging to cut your own hair. Almost everyone learns how to shave themselves, though, they don't rely on a pro every week.