I don't understand the vitriol aimed at the recruiter. Any developer in the Bay Area with a LinkedIn account gets a dozen of these a week.

The author just isn't interested in working at a start-up, but god forbid he receive a recruiting email from one.

I'd take a different tack: your early twenties is a perfect fucking time to try working a start up. No mortgage, no kids; why not take the risk?

Instead you should what...take a 9-5 so you can have a life outside of work, so you can work on your side project instead of working at a start up.

Also, attending conferences isn't "professional development."