Why You Should “Learn to Code”

From the time a child first steps inside a kindergarten classroom to the time said individual graduates from high school, he is periodically asked what he wants to be when he grows up. To answer that question, the child could say “a firefighter,” “a doctor,” or “a lawyer.” Or, alternatively, in today’s world that is populated with technology and social media outlets, a child might say “an influencer,” “a YouTube star,” or “an Instagram model.” Some small children have nothing in mind with regard to future career goals. That’s okay. They have time to figure it out. Even a minor in high school need not have this topic sorted out. In fact, nobody is forcing anyone to stay in a single industry for life. People make career changes all the time.

Regardless of the initial family environment a child comes from, it will be of most benefit that said child “learns to code.” As our society advances, this statement becomes increasingly more factual. Those that refuse to take the advice will suffer the consequences. How do I know this? Because strata of people are already experiencing the dreadful outcome of ignoring this wisdom. For the purpose of this post, people will be divided into two groups – those that “can code” and those who “cannot code.”

At this point, the experiences of two individuals will be outlined. These two people are named Miles and Nathan. The first never bothered to “learn to code,” while the second, on the other hand, did.

Miles is an individual who, like most people, started his educational journey in the public school system. As a first-time student, Miles, like all four- and five-year-old kids, had glowing eyes and an untainted curiosity for life. He enjoyed playing with paint, toys, and Play-Dough. Like all his classmates, Miles was an engaged student. Kids love school; that is, until they leave kindergarten.

Indeed, as public school children advance through the education system, a greater percentage of them begin to hate school. Over the years, this resentment intensifies in the average student. This is because the public school system properly fulfills its purpose – to prepare students for the “real world.” You know, the world of 9-to-5 work and hour-long commutes. Obedient students become obedient employees. Many people hate their jobs, while many others enjoy their jobs. That said, even the people who love their jobs must deal with situations that they dislike or find monotonous. Peaks can’t exist without valleys. Without boredom, stimulation would cause a loss in stability.

As far as home life is concerned, Miles was raised by a single mother that worked multiple dead-end jobs to support the two of them. When it came to raising Miles, his mother was somewhat negligent. She provided only the bare minimum his material needs. She was depressed and occasionally took drugs.

Formerly inquisitive, Miles transformed into a lackadaisical student by the time he reached high school. He received mostly Cs and Ds at the end of every semester. He put barely more than enough effort not to flunk any of his classes. At his school, those who flunked were targeted by teachers and made fun of by other students. Miles worked hard enough to get his teachers off his back. He graduated from high school with a grade point average of 1.30.

Upon exiting the K-12 system, Miles began looking for a job. He landed his first job as a part-time janitor working 20 to 28 hours a week at a local grocery store. He saved up enough money to buy an old car and rent a cheap apartment. For the time being, he did not need to work more to support himself. His diet consisted primarily of ramen noodles, cereal, and canned food from thrift stores. His apartment had a bit of mold and the occasional gross guests we call cockroaches. Due to having a low disgust sensitivity, he did not mind the lowly living conditions.

When off work, Miles played video games with friends and smoked weed. He had no long-term goals or aspirations for his life. He lived his life day-to-day with no plans for the future.

One day, while Miles was working, a new janitor came into the building. His name was Nathan. Nathan was a 19-year-old young man with a goal to become a plumber. He loved fixing cars with his dad, camping, and hiking. Nathan was humble and, unlike Miles, industrious. He possessed a powerful bond with his father. His shifts overlapped with those of Miles. Miles, who had been working at the store for seven months, was instructed to show Nathan around the building.

Nathan: “Howdy do, partner?”

Miles: “Another day of work…”

Nathan: “I’m doing great!”

Miles: “Yeah, you won’t be for long. Being a janitor is boring.”

Nathan: “No worries. I don’t plan on being here for long. Imma earn some extra money to help pay for school.”

Miles: “School? You look too old to be in high school.”

Nathan: “I’m not in high school. I mean plumbing school. I’m gonna become a plumber. I love fixing things ‘round my house. I also happen to fix cars as well. What do you plan to do? I’m sure ya don’t want to work here forever.”

Miles: “I dunno… being a janitor is easy. Anything else seems like too much work.”

For an ambitionless slouch like Miles, such a statement could not be more precise. Lacking an arrogant bone in his body, the perplexed Nathan could think of no response.

After a year passed by, Nathan successfully completed his apprenticeship at his vocational school. Nathan gave his two-week notice to the store manager.

Nathan: “Howdy do, Miles?”

Miles: “I’m fine. How ‘bout you.”

Nathan: “I’m doing fantastic! Imma ‘bout to be a plumber soon!”

Miles: “I heard that plumbing ruins your body and pays little. That seems hard.”

Nathan: “It really depends on the location. There are lots of folk in the town I grew up in with broken homes. It’s the same as when my grand papi was a plumber. My friend’s dad also knows places where plumbers are needed.”

Miles: “I’m guessing your friend and his dad are plumbers as well.”

Nathan: “My friend’s dad is a plumber. My friend is a carpenter. He likes building things.”

Miles: “I see…”

Nathan: “I heard on the news that this economy will be bad in ‘bout 10 years or so. I saw an interview with a grocery store employee complaining about wages. Ain’t you gonna jump ship sometime?”

Miles: “I’m fine as it is. Switching careers is too much of a hassle.”

As the years flew by faster than a slender cheetah sprints for its prey, Nathan’s concern proved to be sound. The economy had indeed plummeted. Inflation was high. Rent was high. The cost of groceries and gas was high as well. Almost everyone felt the effects of the destabilizing economy. Many people struggled, especially the people that never bothered to “code.” With respect to the job market, those with “excellent programming skills” were faring well against their competition. On the other side of the continuum, “non-coders” were getting laid off left and right, up and down, as well as back and forth; in short, everywhere. Machines were beginning to replace employees.

Over a decade and a half after first landing the position as a janitor for a grocery store, Miles was still working for the store as a janitor, except full-time instead of part-time. However, a sizable minority of the cashiers at the store had been replaced by self-checkout machines. The price of Miles’ apartment more than doubled. What’s more? Miles now had an illegitimate child he needed to support. Having to pay both rent and child support left him living paycheck to paycheck. He had to pick up a job as an overnight security guard to have money for emergencies.

How about Nathan? How was the “coder” doing? Perfectly fine. He married a woman as pleasant as peach pie and had two lovely legitimate children. He worked independently as a plumber, making respectable amounts of money. You know what they say – a blue-collar worker may never be rich, but he’ll also never go hungry.

As you read the fictional tale above, you might have thought, “What does coding have to do with plumbing?” If taken literally, coding has nothing to do with plumbing. If taken metaphorically, then plumbing is coding. “Learn to code” can be translated as “learn a marketable skill.” As I stated in another post titled “Overcome Job Market Saturation,” skills pay the bills. Items high in demand and low in supply can be priced highly. Likewise, if you have a skill that is high in demand that relatively few other people have, then you are valuable to prospective employers and clients.

Gordon Ramsey and J. K. Rowling, along with the late Kobe Bryant, know zilch about JavaScript, Python, or C++. These legendary “programmers” have no need to. Ramsey knows a programming language called “food.” Rowling knows a language called “literature.” Kobe knew one called “basketball” when he was alive. All three were excellent in their respective crafts.

Those who “know how to code” will always be rewarded by capitalism more than those who don’t. Anyone can be a janitor or security guard. People holding such positions are easily replaceable. The supply of applicants for those jobs stacks high into space, while the barriers to entry for such jobs stoop low into the sea. 

Perhaps you don’t agree with the advice above. If so, that’s fine. I should have known, you are a trust fund baby. Or maybe you come from a wealthy family that has connections from the upper echelons of society. Fantastic for you! Or maybe you enjoy being poor and living in a dangerous neighborhood crowded with criminals, dirt, and gunshots.

Everyone else will greatly benefit from the advice.

Learn to code.