2022 coincided with a lot of things, such as the time period where R&D tax credits for US tech salaries were allowed to expire (reinstated in 2025)

it also coincided with rate hikes

it coincided with ChatGPT launch, which was incapable of replacing engineers at the time

it coincided with a tech bear market

it coincided with a crypto implosion and web3 bear market as well, which a variety of engineers were involved with or had asset exposure to

the R&D tax credit lapse I think was the biggest one, while the smallest headline. and therefore I think making a whole blog post about the rate hikes exclusively is grasping at straws