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80% of the world population back then is less than 50% of the current number of people working in farming, so the assertion isn’t wrong, even if fewer people are working on farming proportionally (as it should be, as more complex, desirable and higher paid options exist)

You might be underestimating complexity and pay. What is and isn’t desirable, and to whom, is also complicated.

I am not sure if this is sarcasm or a commentary on the explosion of the number of humans out there.

i don't think you missed it. Perhaps sarcasm, but the main comment is specifically about programming and seems so many sub comments want to say "what about X" that's nothing to do with programming.