I think software "engineering" is far more susceptible to fads than other engineering disciplines. Best practices in engineering evolve with respect to advances in material sciences, whereas best practices in software engineering are mostly just vibes and reactions.

* Object oriented / functional * Thick client, thin client * Blockchain * NoSQL vs relational * Enterprise SOA * Framework churn

This industry is continually rediscovering ancient paradigms and revisiting them in a way that would drive normal engineers nuts. I suspect it's because software engineering doesn't actually have requirements around licensure and education that slow and stabilize the arrow of progress.

> I think software "engineering" is far more susceptible to fads

No - it's just revolving so much faster, in every single sense. And it's only accelerating.