[bryanlarsen]

They can't because there are huge factories in China that can produce widgets cheaper than they can, because there are farmers with million dollar combine harvesters that can produce food cheaper than they can, et cetera.

We live in an industrial economy. Most people can create more value for the economy by working for somebody else and/or don't have the safety net that allows them to take the risks necessary to start their own business.

[richcollins]

Software developers make $100+ an hour. The jobs are there for people willing to adapt to them. You can't just wait to be handed a job that matches your current abilities.

[sp332]

A few software developers make that kind of money. I certainly don't. There is not an infinite demand for high-paid programmers.

[qkrthnu]

I doubt there is ANY employer demand for high-paid programmers.

The demand from an employer perspective is for highly-skilled programmers. If a proven highly-skilled programmer was willing to happily work for minimum wage employers would be lining up for miles to hire that person.

The highly-skilled workers are the ones demanding to be highly-paid.

If flipping burgers was more difficult then there would be a smaller supply of qualified workers, those workers could demand to be paid more, and the employers would have to pay up or risk getting crushed by their competition.