I saw a post on Reddit that made me reflect more than I expected.
It was about a programming YouTuber (Héctor de León) who responded with “X” emojis to constructive critical comments. The user had expressed disagreement with some technical explanations in the video and the YouTuber simply responded with ”❌” without arguments.
The post turned into a typical discussion about programming YouTubers. Comments ranged from “they’re snake oil salesmen” to “they don’t contribute anything real.” And then came the comment that made me reflect:
“If they were good they wouldn’t be working as YouTubers, they’d be making dollars as seniors at companies abroad.”
That logic has a problem: it assumes we all want the same thing.
I don’t understand the hate toward YouTubers
Honestly, I don’t understand the hatred toward programming YouTubers.
I work as a senior earning in dollars for a US company, I have the best conditions in the world, but much of what I know I learned from free content on YouTube. I’ve never paid for anyone’s courses.
Without these creators, it would have taken me much longer to get where I am. They taught me frameworks, best practices, how to think about complex problems. All for free.
So why the hate?
My current situation
To give context: I’m a senior frontend developer, I work 100% remote for a US company, I earn a good salary in dollars. No pressure, no micromanagement, with a great team.
I literally have what many would consider “the dream job” in tech. I wrote about how I got here if you’re interested in the full story.
I have financial stability, flexibility, good salary. On paper, I shouldn’t want anything more.
And now I understand why those who switch to YouTube do it
But earning well and having ideal conditions hadn’t changed what I really wanted.
If I could earn the same making content about whatever I want, I’d do it without hesitation.
It’s not that I hate my job. Actually, I like it. But there’s a fundamental difference between building others’ dreams and building your own.
When I program for my company, I’m solving problems they consider important. When I make content, I talk about what genuinely interests me.
It’s the difference between having a good job and having total creative freedom.
The uncomfortable question
How many of us are in that situation? Jobs that are objectively fine, but aren’t exactly what we’d choose if we didn’t have to worry about money.
Because that’s what many of us in tech do:
- We have good salaries, benefits, remote work
- We tell ourselves we’ve “made it” because we earn well and have flexibility
- But we’re still working on others’ priorities
- We’re still building products others decided on
- We’re still in meetings about things others consider important
And that’s okay. Not everyone has to be entrepreneurs or content creators. Stability is valid and necessary.
But it seems hypocritical to judge those who decided to try something different.
Why some leave “security”
The YouTubers we criticize aren’t necessarily “failed developers who couldn’t get jobs at US companies.”
Some simply decided they preferred betting on the uncertainty of creating something of their own rather than following others’ rules forever.
It’s a risky bet, yes. But I understand the motivation.
The real privilege
Having a good job in tech is an enormous privilege. But having the freedom to work on what genuinely passions you is another level.
Not everyone can afford the risk of leaving a stable job. But those who can and do it aren’t necessarily “failing” at life.
Maybe they’re choosing a different definition of success.
My personal reflection
I’m not going to quit my job tomorrow to do YouTube. I have responsibilities, financial goals, a life to maintain.
But I understand those who do it.
I understand the idea that maybe there’s something more satisfying than optimizing conversion rates for someone else’s ecommerce, no matter how well they pay you.
I understand the temptation to create something that’s 100% yours, even if the path is more uncertain.
The real question
It’s not “why would someone leave a good job for YouTube?”
The real question is: “What are you willing to sacrifice for financial security?”
For some, the answer is “my creativity and freedom, and that’s okay.”
For others, the answer is “nothing, I prefer the risk.”
Both answers are valid.
What do you prefer?
Earning well doing something that doesn’t passion you 100%, or earning less (at least initially) doing exactly what you want?
- Financial security or creative freedom?
- Working on others’ dreams with good pay, or building your own with uncertainty?
There’s no right answer. But there is an honest answer.
What’s yours?