> Then you're doing something very wrong.

I apply to job just like before.

>Maybe your "nitty gritty" doesn't actually solve the customers problem or,

Yes, exactly, which is why I mentioned written a dog pic sharing app in Next.js is superior to reading Knuth. The implied meritocracy doesn't exist in tech. It's filled with biased monochromatic idiots who basically have ideas like 'bad experience is worse than no experience' which is euphemism for we don't hire people older than 26.

>Norvig's point about acquired wisdom over time is great and your quips sound like a you problem.

Only in tech does experience confer a disadvantage. Even in professional sports at 40 Lebron James is still playing. In tech, at 40 you are a dinasour and your career is done and dusted for.

I have yet to see a career path more pretentious, more focused on never ending peacocking and mimicry, ageism, language-ism, unstable and filled with unoriginality of a perverse kind. Go on X to see thousands of tech people having exactly the same personality with anime pfps who magically think the same and are in never ending Nirvana because of LLMs.

I just realized you had just 2 years of experience and are disappointed that you seemingly had more opportunities at 22 without a degree that at 26+ with one. Your self portrayal made me think of someone with ample experience.

I see how, if you're not a certain age with a certain amount of experience, you may find people being unnecessarily dismissive.

I understand the frustration but would say that you need to change that attitude because it's not just unhelpful but you're also wrong.

If you do have passion about software you can make a good living out of it but need to sell yourself and know how to show value to customers. Age won't really matter if you are able to tell a good story. Getting the first jobs is the toughest part. Then you start understanding how.

Lose social media if it gets you down. It's not an indicator of anything. Go to therapy. Find stuff where you have passion and pursue that.

Nothing is guaranteed. I'm sorry you feel lied to or something but there's absolutely an amazing time to be had if you pursue and do what you love.

And yes, Norvig's advice on this post is great.