I have found that the people who express the strongest opinions against software engineering are people who tried to learn and were frustrated in the process. I don't believe software engineering just like mathematics is as hard as people make it out to be, what makes it a lot more difficult than it should be is the learning path a person chooses as well as the learning resources. I don't encourage people to start their journey into software engineering at a bootcamp.
YOU NEED PREREQUISITE KNOWLEDGE TO FIT IN AT A BOOTCAMP
The reason why I believe one should have some prerequisite knowledge before heading for a bootcamp is that more often than not, there are people in bootcamps who like to show off what they know in a bid to intimidate absolute beginners. I have witnessed several enthusiastic beginners get frustrated because someone made software engineering feel overwhelming, there are people who toss around big terms in a bid to confuse their colleagues or establish themselves as the most knowledgeable student.
THE PROCESS OF FULLY ABSORBING INFORMATION TAKES TIME
What I have also learned is that these individuals don't know so much and are quite insecure which is why they focus on being gatekeepers of software engineering rather than growing their skill. I have met a lot of such people as a beginner and before long I was able to grow above and beyond their expectations. The point I'm trying to make is that in whatever profession, there are those who act as gatekeepers, these individuals shouldn't be the ones who discourage you, no matter how overwhelming something feels at the beginning I've learned to give it time, in time a lot of things make sense.
THE STRICTNESS OF THE MACHINE MAKES CODING DEMANDING
Yes, I concede that software engineering is rather demanding, unlike most professions where humans evaluate your work or determine the utility in your work and can give you an A for effort, machines don't feel such emotions. Machines won't score you an A for effort as such there is no room for error or average, you either get it right or you don't. The plus side is that if you stick around long enough you will grow your attention to detail, you may also become a perfectionist. Speaking to or getting mentorship from industry experts can go a long way in improving your journey. Not every software engineer is a good teacher however they will know a couple of good resources that they can point you to, with the right resources, you will find software engineering fun.