Damn. The part about quality over quantity really hit home. I also got into software engineering as a way to exert craftsmanship and am disappointed with the state of things. It's potentially a great field for people who are interested in the pursuit of perfection. There are few areas which are as complex and take so much time and effort to master.

Software engineering provides a window into reality in a way which exposes you to its full complexity. It changes your brain, you start seeing complexity everywhere around you. You start seeing problems that nobody else sees. This is why I got into coding... But now the industry often feels like it's leading you astray and preventing you from truly flourishing.

This is sad because being skilled at coding feels great and it shapes your reality in a very positive way. Being able to think clearly is a great gift and a worthy goal to strive for. Having a logical mind feels inherently good. Being able to approach any topic, with anyone and maintaining full logical consistency feels good.