Are we losing the ability to build or maintain complex systems? Look at aging power grids failing under basic stress, space programs stuck in endless delays (NASA’s SLS anyone?), or niche fields like metallurgy or classical philology churning out fewer experts. Back in the 60s the US slapped together moon landings with slide rules. Now they can’t even keep bridges from crumbling without a decade of red tape. Is this just bureaucracy gone wild, or are we culturally too soft to prioritize hard skills? Are there any fields still holding strong? What’s the one thing that could reverse this slide into mediocrity?
