[nitrogen]

What motivates your disdain?

What is this with you programmers that you think that you're the best thing that has happend to this world? It's just a job. No more a job then any other one.

...as evidenced by the equivalent years of training required to, say, use a shovel?

Self obsessed rich kids.

Don't assume that all of us are rich, or even solidly middle class. Sometimes startup founders (unwisely) spend years at or below poverty (been there, done that).

Do assume that anybody with ~average intelligence and above average motivation could become a programmer, though.