I completely agree. I would go so far as to say that for many engineers, programming-at least the type they do for work-is not their first passion, but is an activity they enjoy to some degree and it pays well. Hopefully this will allow them increased time to do what they really enjoy.
Yeah, people should find a balance. Instead of looking at the one thing we are passionate about, maybe we should look at 5-10 things that we would enjoy, then go from there. I was most passionate about literature, and started off taking several literature courses in college. Then I read some career advice that said focus on what you'd like to do for the next 40 years, not just 4 years of college. I realized I would not be happy with the job opportunities as a Literature major, so I switched to Computer Science, my 3rd or 4th favorite subject. I like programming and think I made the best career choice for me.
