What do you guys mean by infantilization of the industry? Are you talking about managers and leadership talking down to engineers as "coding-monkeys" or similar? Treating coders with baby gloves because of stigma of social awkwardness?
It's difficult to describe, but to me it boils down to "low budget methods of avoiding giving developers and users what they need".
On the developers' side it's all kinds of perks like e.g. arcade machines in the office when what's really needed is a better budget for devices and tooling. Also gamifying everything to the point of it becoming tedious.
On the users' side it's tonedeaf humour when the user is experiencing real issues put there instead of actual support.
It spills over to fields outside of software with cases like Tesla drivers in the UK being given grabbing tools instead of RHD.
I'm far from being a person who has a stick up their ass, but it got to a point where I immediately assume these practices were put there to avoid accountability.
Couldn't agree more.
In any case you might want to consider starting a family first and only then switching careers.
I'm trying to avoid platitudes here, but children really do put some things into sharp focus and more often than not that affects your priorities.
Also you discover where your limits are and that they're actually much further than you anticipated.
I see that as a better starting point to do anything challenging really, as you're already managing the hardest challenge.