When Tech Lost Meaning4 min read
We Didn’t Leave the Tech Industry. The Tech Industry Left Us.
For years, tech attracted people who wanted to build useful things.
Software that saved time. Products that reduced friction. Systems that worked better than what existed before.
That version of tech is fading.
Not because innovation stopped. But because incentives changed.
From Problem-Solving to Performance Theater
Modern tech culture rewards:
- Fundraising over profitability
- Announcements over outcomes
- Visibility over usefulness
The result is predictable.
Products launch before they are needed. Teams scale before they are effective. Founders pitch stories instead of solutions.
Many capable builders noticed this shift early. They did not fail. They disengaged.
Burnout Was Not the Root Cause
The common narrative says people left because of burnout.
That is incomplete.
Many left because:
- The work lost meaning
- Decisions were driven by optics, not users
- Quality became optional if growth charts looked good
When effort no longer connects to impact, motivation collapses.
That is not burnout. That is misalignment.
Where Real Tech Work Went
Serious builders did not abandon technology.
They moved to:
- Niche SaaS with real customers
- Internal tools that quietly save millions
- Automation that removes headcount instead of adding it
- Profitable products that do not need press releases
This work is less visible. It is also more durable.
The Industry Did Not Die. It Drifted.
Tech did not collapse. It drifted toward incentives that favor noise.
The builders who stayed true to outcomes followed value, not trends.
They are still building. Just not where the spotlight is.
If tech feels empty, the problem may not be you.
Ask one question: Does this work create real value for someone willing to pay for it?
If the answer is no, step away. That does not mean you left tech.
It means tech already left you.
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