I see this a lot. Usually these programmers are capable of much more, but the system they're working on is too convoluted and they've given up on understanding

I see this a lot. Usually these programmers are capable of much more, but the system they're working on is too convoluted and they've given up on understanding it, instead they rely on people like the author of this article, the one person who understands the entire system. Problem is, usually that one person doesn't understand the entire system. I'm experienced enough to know that when you see a complicated system, and a wise old guru claims to understand it, that guru is probably an idiot or a liar, and you should seek to understand the system yourself from first principles.