For me those feelings are exacerbated by the housing situation, and inflation running hot.
In a high cost of living area, there are two tiers of human being:
1 Those who have purchased a home before the insanity, and have a stability around their housing location and costs.
2 Those who are renting.
A few scenarios. Let's take the 500K figure and the number 2. Number 2 can't quit their jobs to climb mountains and do yoga, because inflation is running hot at 7 percent and in a high cost of living area, that 500K will be depleted rapidly.
The Number 2 can't even take a PAUSE from their tech jobs, because hiring managers see gaps in CV's as red flags. Another red flag is simply being old. So Number 2 MUST continually jump from job to job.
The feeling of excitement about things comes to play in the question of whether one has a choice in the matter; you work in tech because it pays well and you can be house secure. If you can pause and come back, then you can explore yourself and career options. If you can't pause at all, then all you have are therapy or drugs to tolerate the hamster wheel of tech worker life.
500K is a lot on a global scale, it's in the top percentage of the world. But in the HCOL areas (SF, Seattle, NYC), 500K is, unfortunately, not 'enough' to be secure. You can be secure for a couple of years, but unless you put your belongings in storage and spend time in another country (another country that isn't Europe, also expensive), you will deplete your savings AND be an unemployed middle age (35 is too young for that, but 40 is not too young for this risk) person.
One can do all the yoga, clean living, therapy and child-rearing (all the suggestions below), but no one is addressing 'housing security'.
The Number 2 can move to a low cost of living place. Plenty of small towns around the world and even in the US where 500k will set you up with housing security and free time to do yoga, clean living, therapy, and child-rearing.
Why people don’t consider this option seriously is a different consideration entirely.
Not everyone has fully remote. In fact the largest employers of tech in New York are going the opposite way. I.e. financial services.
In January the business leaders met with the Governor and the Mayor to figure out how to encourage people to come back. It's really happening. Even with hybrid, cheap housing means long commute times.
500k USD is enough to not have a 9-5 if you don’t live/work in an urban area and/or are willing to make some sacrifices like unfamiliarity with the local language. The point is to exit the rat race.
In a high cost of living area, there are two tiers of human being:
1 Those who have purchased a home before the insanity, and have a stability around their housing location and costs.
2 Those who are renting.
A few scenarios. Let's take the 500K figure and the number 2. Number 2 can't quit their jobs to climb mountains and do yoga, because inflation is running hot at 7 percent and in a high cost of living area, that 500K will be depleted rapidly.
The Number 2 can't even take a PAUSE from their tech jobs, because hiring managers see gaps in CV's as red flags. Another red flag is simply being old. So Number 2 MUST continually jump from job to job.
The feeling of excitement about things comes to play in the question of whether one has a choice in the matter; you work in tech because it pays well and you can be house secure. If you can pause and come back, then you can explore yourself and career options. If you can't pause at all, then all you have are therapy or drugs to tolerate the hamster wheel of tech worker life.
500K is a lot on a global scale, it's in the top percentage of the world. But in the HCOL areas (SF, Seattle, NYC), 500K is, unfortunately, not 'enough' to be secure. You can be secure for a couple of years, but unless you put your belongings in storage and spend time in another country (another country that isn't Europe, also expensive), you will deplete your savings AND be an unemployed middle age (35 is too young for that, but 40 is not too young for this risk) person.
One can do all the yoga, clean living, therapy and child-rearing (all the suggestions below), but no one is addressing 'housing security'.