I think the "just say no" engineers were massively sidelined during ZIRP

Actually I suspect they are just massively sidelined in software in general because of how few regulations exist

The "just say no" engineer is someone who thrives in regulated environments, because (enforced) regulations are the only things that actually slow down the growth at all costs minded PMs in the world. And even then only sometimes

I think that's it. LLMs infected companies with the Rage Virus and now they're running mindlessly at anything that moves. A "just say no" engineer has no air in such an environment. It is FOMO of the most diffuse kind, with absolutely nobody knowing what the what is we're missing, but everybody (and that includes myself) knows something is going to change.

We like to dress up in suits, but we're all apes afraid of shapes in the clouds.