I can't even imagine having a 40+K$ salary in my country (Turkey) that's like 3x what I make.
I just can't be sympathetic with the desperate tone -- yes, I get it, other devs earn more money, and a Ruby pro can probably get upwards of 70 or 80k. But making it sound like you're on the brink of poverty with 40k? You're spending too much.
The laptop cost keeps getting mentioned as a huge factor, but a MacBook is $2000 at most, and it can be had for a lot less, especially if you buy second hand.
Don't get me wrong, his treatment at that company was far from fair. And he could and probably should get a job elsewhere. But the drama is non-existent here.
He's living in a trailer with a wife and 4 kids, one of whom's severely autistic. At $44,600, his family is at 137% of the federal poverty level.
He should have not had any kids until he was stable enough, let alone four. With his previous job at a factory too?
Not. Smart.
$5k/mo rent exists in SV, but if you're paying that much, it's because you choose to, not because you have to.
I love this industry, but it sickens me when people on six figures moan about how they're 'so poor' or 'hardly make anything' and try to distort the numbers to make it sound bad.
So yes, "probably take home less than you" is definitely moaning and has no substance. It's playing to the "omg, I'm so poor" crap that's prevalent in some parts of our industry.
Living expenses are higher in first-world countries and that does need to be taken into account, but claiming to have less money than someone on a quarter of your wage "because tax and rent" is nonsensical self-pity.