[qqqwerty]

Well the only reason someone would not want a big raise is because they would be worried that it would put them higher up on the chopping block if/when layoffs come around. So that criteria kinda self selects for under performers.

But you can absolutely have folks who meet criteria 1 and 3 who are very skilled. Programming self selects for introverts, so it shouldn't be a surprise that not everyone wants to be a manager. And at some point in your career, you realize that taking on more responsibilities without the subsequent promotion results in more work and more stress for little benefit.

> There are plenty of important, fulfilling, well-compensated careers in which you don't need to grow, learn, and expand. Software development is not one of them.

This may have been true 5-10 years ago. But I think most devs now realize that constantly churning your tools in search of the newest shiny thing is a great way to add unnecessary work and stress to a project. It is entirely possible to get experience with 1-2 tech stacks and make a career out of it.