New School Mediocrity

Here's a quote from a discussion about the Boeing 737 MAX software design that speaks to something I've been becoming increasingly aware of:

I'm appalled, (perhaps horrified) but not surprised in the least. It's a generation that quite literally tends to pout if they aren't praised. The "old school" that ripped stupid design to shreds mercilessly and pushed those people out into a different job is gone. It's been replaced by frightening exercises in praise and niceness disconnected entirely from any necessity for reality in guise of protecting adults from bullying. This has even gotten to Linus Torvalds, forcing him to be "nicer" and go to reeducation as if what he was saying about Linux was wrong instead of dead on correct.

In my mind this all began when school kids were first told it's not about winning. It's about playing the game. Bullshit! It's all about winning! The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. Without that it's noting but mediocrity and mediocracy.