You Are Learning. But Are You Enjoying It?
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A reflective essay on how the nature of learning in software development has changed over 30 years — from scarcity-driven depth to abundance-driven anxiety. The author contrasts the focused, curiosity-driven learning of the 1990s with today's environment of infinite resources, social performance of learning, and fear-based consumption. Key observations include how difficulty and struggle are integral to genuine understanding, how AI tools risk removing formative moments of confusion, and how modern developers often confuse consuming content with actual learning. Practical suggestions include choosing depth over coverage, building more than consuming, sitting with problems longer, and following curiosity rather than anxiety.
Table of contents
When Scarcity Forced DepthLearning as ConversationThe Paradox of AbundanceWhen Learning Becomes PerformanceThe Hidden Cost of Endless ResourcesCuriosity or Fear?AI: Colleague, Not OracleMaking Learning Enjoyable AgainThe Bottleneck Has ChangedA Final Thought14.7K Impressions6 Comments