[nonrandomstring]

I pondered for a while that FOMO and imposter syndrome are rampant among junior software engineers as a cause of over-engineering. But my few experiences as an SE manager tells a different story, anecdotally at least; left to their own devices with time and space, the kids will come up with astonishingly optimal, even elegant solutions.

Good, confident managers can also achieve the same outcome by being very directive.

The sweetspot for catastrophe occurs when insecure developers led by insecure SEMs get into a jazzhanded squee of trendy solutionism. You get a conspiracy of avoidant mutual stroking, each trying not to expose the other's incompetence.

[redhale]

> "a jazzhanded squee of trendy solutionism"

Thank you for this phrase, I love it.