And that's why learning is best left as an individual pursuit. For me, it is always best to start with a complex system and then work backwards, understanding t

And that's why learning is best left as an individual pursuit. For me, it is always best to start with a complex system and then work backwards, understanding the thoughts and decisions that went into each step along the way. When I start with the basics I don't get a feel for the bigger picture and it means nothing. I'm glad I've only been around the industry for 25-some-odd years. We already had many high level abstractions to work with. If I were old like you and had to start with flipping toggle switches, I'm sure I would have zoned out immediately and never progressed further. I could handle flipping toggle switches now, but only because I've been engrossed in the bigger picture thanks to those high level abstractions.