"But the thing that optimizes for nerd status and job security and resume building is to increase complexity, because most people cannot appreciate the sophisti

"But the thing that optimizes for nerd status and job security and resume building is to increase complexity, because most people cannot appreciate the sophistication of simplicity in some technological niche, and it is not easily communicated." I think you're on to something there, except for the "job security" part. I've met very few people in tech who are concerned about losing their jobs, and fewer of them would make things much more complex---they didn't have the skills. In fact, most of the majority I have known who produced complexity were optimizing for nerd status and resume building, but would quit rather than maintain their own complex code.