Fads and Fashions in Engineering

Fashion doesn’t only shape physical objects or garments. It also affects the way we work. And that includes the way we do engineering. The history of technology is too often told as a story of rational progress. In reality, it can also be told as a story of fads. Engineers think of themselves as immune to cultural forces, but no one builds inside a bubble. We design and build inside waves of imitation and cultural trends that shape everything. Agile, vibe coding, and whatnot, understanding fads does not necessarily mean dissing them, but recognizing the behavioral patterns underneath the surface helps us better choose what makes sense and ditch what doesn’t.