I couldn't believe what I was reading. I have the exact same feeling about current state of the tech industry.
No one pushes barriers anymore. Rarely anyone makes anyones life better by doing things radically different. We keep reinventing the same wheel again and again. I've been paid handsomely in the last 5 years by doing pretty much the exact same things, using different frameworks for different (and at times the same) companies.
This may sound harsh and insensitive, but it's not meant that way.
"No one pushes barriers anymore". No one that you may have seen. Look around, folks do it all the time. Examples abound.
"Rarely anyone makes anyones life better...". Become a teacher, a nurse, a social worker, a friend, a good neighbor, volunteer to work with the poor, etc. etc.
"...by doing things radically different". This is one of my biggest beefs with our tech culture. We're arrogant. We need to step back and realize that a great deal was invented and accomplished before we were born. Many billions of people have passed through life on Earth before us. Some did "radically different" things, but more likely, most did not. What makes you or I so special to think that it's something we're entitled to. Of course we should strive to do our very best and have high goals, but our expectations really should be tempered by reality (not our ego).
"I've been paid handsomely in the last 5 years by doing pretty much the exact same things...". How do you think these roles think about doing the exact same things? Painters, plumbers, carpenters, electricians, bus driver, accountant, sales executive, restaurant owner, sales clerk, etc.
2 parting thoughts: (1) count your blessings, not your problems, and (2) if you're as smart and talented as you think you are, you should be able to improve the situation for yourself and others.
Well done for being paid handsomely! I think we are deluding ourselves if we think anything really new is coming along. A lot of the development on microcomputers and mobiles is just rehashing the client/server model of the 70s, but with different technologies every 5 years. Web apps are just the database interfaces of the 90s, and layers over CRUD. They are just more accessible.
I think if we realise this and become comfortable with it, it'd be good for income (if perhaps not soul destroying creatively).
No one pushes barriers anymore. Rarely anyone makes anyones life better by doing things radically different. We keep reinventing the same wheel again and again. I've been paid handsomely in the last 5 years by doing pretty much the exact same things, using different frameworks for different (and at times the same) companies.