[tavavex]

What you determine to be denial depends only on what you think is inevitable. OP said "my value is in performing more advanced functions that aren't just writing code", and to you it's denial because (from the implication) you think the complete elimination of software engineers as a job is inevitable. If OP said "my value is that I am multifunctional and can pivot to a completely different industry of mental labor" some people would call it denial because they think all those jobs are next in line on the chopping block. If OP said "my value is in being able to perform physical labor for cheap" some people would call it denial because robotics is progressing rapidly. And so on.