Software engineering must be one of the few professions where individuals freely share their energy and expertise with others. I think that's true of most prof

Software engineering must be one of the few professions where individuals freely share their energy and expertise with others. I think that's true of most professions. The difference between software engineering and most of the other examples you listed is that software engineering does not require any formal education or training, unlike law, medicine, or other engineering disciplines. I think it's generally a good thing that the field and the profession are accessible, but I frankly also would prefer if there was a bar/board exam or a similar certification process to make sure practitioners are all up to date on issues of accessibility, privacy, security, etc., which do lead to concrete negative consequences if neglected. I think this is a case where it'll never be perfect, but as a trade we owe it to the people who put their trust in our work. It does make getting into the career harder, but I don't think those changes would make software engineering no longer self-teachable.