"The internet is so important that for every 10 people who gain internet access, about one person is lifted out of poverty and about one new job is created."
In a call centre.
As others have said - find something you enjoy programming. I started making games for mobile a couple of years ago using Unity3D and Mono/C# - it ticks a lot of boxes for me, just enough coding, just enough creativity and other bits, just enough story telling. If you get bored of one bit you try another and eventually you get there. Plus you learn something about your target platforms along the way.
Games or mobile might not be the way you rediscover your joy but there is bound to be some great tech out there that you just can't wait to get your teeth into. Word to the wise - Kinect and Leap are not it.
The fact that the Kickstarter is now already over $2m after two days suggest that Mr Young or his business has hit on something. Obviously getting a load of big name stars to endorse the product helps not only Pono but themselves.
So a few facts:
Pono wins either way - they have have access to the hi-def source and they start a hi-def revolution with the backing of all the big names. The fact that it's taken so long to get to market but has finally (almost) arrived with this kind of offering also suggests some serious thought has gone into the business and the business model - and now a couple of days in they are already justifying this. I'm impressed although I suspect that the apparent freedom and slickness of the marketing hides a deeper truth which will probably only come to light after the kickstarter finishes i.e. there are tentative deals in place to fold this in with more traditional offerings. Basically if you were iTunes would you like it if a lot of 'your' artists heavily promoting a rival service?
If you think the system is working, ask someone who's waiting for a prompt.