[Udo]

Any paradigm can be formalized to the point of perversion. I think that's what the OP meant when they said that the hallmark of that group is how they obsess about standards and processes. The existence of cowboy-style code such as the project you're currently dealing with does not necessarily mean that the "process-over-results" people are in the right. There are many factors to consider, including the structure of the organization you're writing the code for. I don't think it's naive advice to suggest that people spend less time listening to vain role models, instead of actively working on their own skills in order to make better judgements in the future, which brings us back to the point put forward in the article: the way to mastery is through practice.