> 1) very few people approach the field of software engineering with anything remotely resembling rigor
This is a huge problem. I don't know where it comes from, I think maybe sort of learned helplessness? Like, if systems are so complex that you don't believe a single person can understand it then why bother trying anyway? I think it's possible to inspire people to not accept not understanding. That motivation to figure out what's actually happening and how things actually work is the carrot. The stick is thorough, critical (but kind and fair) code--and, crucially, design--review, and demanding things be re-done when they're not up to par. I've been extremely lucky in my career to have had senior engineers apply both of these tools excellently in my general direction.
> 2) there is often little incentive to train juniors and reject subpar output (move fast and break things, etc.)
One problem is our current (well, for years now) corporate culture is this kind of gig-adjacent-economy where you're only expected to stick around for a few years at most and therefore in order to be worth your comp package you need to be productive on your first day. Companies even advertise this as a good thing "you'll push code to prod on your first day!" It reminds me of those scammy books from when I was a kid in the late 90s "Learn C In 10 Days!".
> This is a huge problem. I don't know where it comes from
I think it's a bunch of things, but one legitimate issue is that software is stupidly complex these days. I had the advantage of starting when computers were pretty simple and have had a chance to grow along with it. (And my dad started when you could still lift up the hood and look at each bit. [1])
When I'm working with junior engineers I have a hard time even summing up how many layers lie beneath what they're working on. And so much of what they have to know is historically contingent. Just the other day I had to explain what LF and CR mean and how it relates to physical machinery that they probably won't see outside of a museum: https://sfba.social/@williampietri/113387049693365012
So I get how junior engineers struggle to develop a belief that the can sort it all out. Especially when so many people end up working on garbage code, where little sense is to be had. It's no wonder so many turn to cargo culting and other superstitious rituals.
This is a huge problem. I don't know where it comes from, I think maybe sort of learned helplessness? Like, if systems are so complex that you don't believe a single person can understand it then why bother trying anyway? I think it's possible to inspire people to not accept not understanding. That motivation to figure out what's actually happening and how things actually work is the carrot. The stick is thorough, critical (but kind and fair) code--and, crucially, design--review, and demanding things be re-done when they're not up to par. I've been extremely lucky in my career to have had senior engineers apply both of these tools excellently in my general direction.
> 2) there is often little incentive to train juniors and reject subpar output (move fast and break things, etc.)
One problem is our current (well, for years now) corporate culture is this kind of gig-adjacent-economy where you're only expected to stick around for a few years at most and therefore in order to be worth your comp package you need to be productive on your first day. Companies even advertise this as a good thing "you'll push code to prod on your first day!" It reminds me of those scammy books from when I was a kid in the late 90s "Learn C In 10 Days!".