[curun1r]

Also, sometimes you don't make enough for early retirement because...gasp...you don't prioritize money over everything else. Some of us have tried to use our talents to do things that are socially responsible. Whether it's doing something in the non-profit space, working on a company that targets the underprivileged, something to do with the environment or anything along those lines, not everyone is comfortable invading people's privacy to serve them ads.

So, yeah, some of us are still working because we had the naivete to want to make the world a better place.

[shmat]

Good for you. We need more people to work on these kinds of problems. I admit that I was not altruistic. In my defense, I've given a lot to charities over the decades.

[euvitudo]

One thing I learned being a band parent is that the parent's direct involvement during events (being there in person) is much more valuable and appreciated than any money given.

[mikekchar]

And sometimes (equally ...gasp..) because you just want to work on interesting problems with people you like -- and those jobs didn't pay out the big bucks.

It's amazing to me that so many people think that the point of a tech job is to walk away with a boat load of cash.