February 17, 2026
Identity crisis.exe has stopped working
A Programmer's Loss of Identity
Programmer Loses His ‘Tribe’ — Internet Split: Craft vs. Vibe Coding
TLDR: A longtime programmer says the culture around coding shifted to AI-fueled speed, leaving him without a tribe. Comments split: mourners empathize, “vibe coders” mock gatekeeping, and pragmatists say just choose—turning one person’s identity crisis into a bigger fight over what programming should be.
A veteran coder says he hasn’t stopped coding—he’s stopped feeling like he belongs. After hearing the 404 Media Podcast and Samuel Bagg’s take that identity shapes truth, he realized his ‘computer programmer’ tribe drifted toward AI hype and speedrun-to-surveillance, while he still worships craft and learning.
The comments turned into group therapy meets cage match. Empaths like sinuhe69 called it “very sad,” arguing losing a social identity hurts more than losing a job. Others nodded along—sriram_malhar said the post answered their unseen question.
But the spice came fast: golly_ned warned that making “programmer” your identity turns every code review (those nitpicky “pull requests”) into a holy war, not a decision. Borzi went full “vibe coding”—using AI tools to build fast—and said stop acting elite while “plebs” ship value. Translation: the wizard guild doesn’t own the wand.
Pragmatists like big-chungus4 shrugged: no one’s forcing AI; keep crafting if you want. Meanwhile memes flew: “RIP 10x dev capes,” “AI interns copy-pasting your vibe,” and “press CTRL+ALT+Belonging.”
Result: a split timeline—craft vs. speed, tribe vs. tool, wizardry vs. vibes. The only consensus? The identity crisis is real, and the comment section is the new team stand-up.
Key Points
- •This essay is a follow-up to a previous piece by the author critiquing industry leadership and direction.
- •The author reports receiving positive feedback and no negative responses to the earlier essay.
- •Listening to a 404 Media podcast interview with Samuel Bagg prompted reflection on social identity and information processing.
- •The author realized losing the social identity of “computer programmer,” despite continuing to program as a craft and profession.
- •The author perceives a cultural shift over about three years, moving from craft-focused programming to utilitarian views, leading to withdrawal from familiar forums and websites.