I wonder how much of this is related to older programmers simply not wanting to learn new technologies. Not because they can’t, but because they have done this process (learn, practice, become competent, gain valuable experience, repeat) so many times before they just don’t want to do it again. Most of the top 10 languages, frameworks, libraries that most companies are hiring for now were not even around fifteen years ago. And the jobs these aging programmers have had for so long paid really well so they probably have enough money saved to last them the rest of their lives. So what incentive is there to keep working so hard, when they now have the ability to spend more time with their family or pursue long abandoned hobbies or pet projects?