The idea that a junior software engineer who can't get a software job _and also can't get any other kind of job or move somewhere cheaper to live_ to the point that they can't afford to feed their families is what's unrealistic.

It's not like the options are write software or starve. Billions of people find jobs and can feed their families without writing software.

I also don't often meet junior software engineers who actually have families to feed. Most juniors work in the industry for a few years before deciding to get married and have kids.

Do you? Most of the software layoffs had to do with higher interest rates and changes to R&D tax policy. AI isn't the major factor.