Here in Berlin I've met programmers who were hired BECAUSE they were over 40 (or 50 in one case). I think this is a very American problem. And that's why I HOPE that we stop revering the U.S. myths and trends. Europe has a much less shallow approach to the social implication of work on one's life. We should keep it in mind, and pride ourselves that we can innovate and do this whole startup thingy without parroting the broken Silicon Valley work ethic.