Sure most people don't need to understand this stuff. But the problem today is that very few people, in tech not just the general public, understand the low le

Sure most people don't need to understand this stuff. But the problem today is that very few people, in tech not just the general public, understand the low level stuff, especially among new people entering the field. Furthermore software abstractions tend to be far more leaky than abstractions in the physical world you mention. And when they leak you need someone who understands what's going on under the hood. Actually I don't think this knowledge is most important for people forming their own businesses at all - they have many other problems to sort out. But I think it absolutely is valuable working for someone else. These people are the "goto guys" and, ultimately, a "technical insurance policy" for the companies they work for. A company producing tech products without at least a few people on staff who can dig into and fix almost anything is in a difficult position ultimately.