It's true, narrow cultural perspectives are an endemic problem in tech, and it can be noticed as a problem by men and women. My favorite touchstone story on th

It's true, narrow cultural perspectives are an endemic problem in tech, and it can be noticed as a problem by men and women. My favorite touchstone story on this was an earnest conversation my wife, an artist, got into with a physics postdoc at an ivy league school. He wanted to tell her his thoughts on Michelangelo's Sixteenth Chapel -- he repeated it clearly several times in the course of making some kind of point about what art should be. It took some time to understand he meant the Sistine Chapel. Anyone can make a silly mistake. But this one illustrated the combination of "used to being right" self-assurance, with utter cultural ignorance that should disqualify one from offering opinions. ("Whereof one cannot speak, thereof one must be silent.") On the other hand, there are a lot of polymaths in tech. Often "thing" stuff -- flying, scuba, rocketry, photography, astronomy, climbing. It can be rewarding to hear about other people's deep understanding of their hobby. At the close of the article, it sounded like the OP wants a big picture goal or mission for her tech work. You have to find one of these. Sometimes education is a way, or a seeking out a unique opportunity to make a difference.