The last time my family was replaced by technology
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Historical Parallel:
- The author reflects on his great-great-grandfather, a farrier in rural France who feared obsolescence when automobiles first appeared.
- Instead of being displaced entirely, he transitioned from shoeing horses to working as an auto mechanic, establishing a trade that lasted across generations in the family.
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Preserving the Core Purpose:
- While the tools shifted from horses to engines, the fundamental mission remained identical: helping people get around.
- A century later, the initial anxiety and grief of that transition are forgotten, and the family garage felt like an enduring, natural tradition.
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Perspective on Technological Revolutions:
- Current anxiety among software developers regarding AI mirrors past disruptions, such as farmers confronting the arrival of tractors or farriers facing cars.
- Earlier workers experienced the same existential dread and worst-case scenarios, even without modern social media amplifying their fears.
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Reframing Software Engineering:
- The author questions whether developers truly love writing syntax or if their real passion lies in building things, solving problems, and delivering value to users.
- Many developers aspired to create games or websites long before mastering code, showing that the core drive predates the specific tool.
- The central takeaway is to remain willing to adapt the "how" (the specific tools and medium) in order to preserve the "why" (the underlying purpose and creative drive).




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