They Aren't Building Any Rockets Anymore
Disclaimer
Where's the Beef? They aren't building any rockets anymore.
Once, I asked a friend of mine what the point was in running a brand that couldn’t compete in the market. They were spending a fortune on marketing every day, yet they weren’t even trying to develop a genuinely valuable product. The team was rubbish, the processes were rubbish, and they were neither organised nor motivated. So why? Why were they so persistent in their obsession to stay in the market, wasting money without any real benefit? The answer was: "Why should we want to make any money?"
That was a revelation. Indeed, when you discover there are multiple shades of a colour, you should also realise there’s more than one simple reason to be in business.
If you don’t have a motive, find it. If you don’t see a bird, it doesn’t mean it doesn’t exist, right?
I’ll be repeating this endlessly for a good reason. But the rule of thumb is this: take a step back and look around.
The thing is, you need tons of experience to succeed in any task. So, from day one, stay alert and notice every single detail, like a hell heli turning your head around and observing from all angles. Ask: Why this? Why that? Why at all? That’s how, one day, you’ll gain a new skill – the ability to predict. Some might call it magic, but it’s not. For people unfamiliar with Physics, many things look like magic. But really, you’re just recognising patterns, solving puzzles repeatedly until you master this seemingly magical ability.
These days we skip over so many essential steps.
They said, “Don’t use Vanilla, you have TypeScript. Use a library – just download and go.” I understand the approach: balancing time against money. But everything needs the right balance.
They say, “Don’t reinvent the wheel; we haven’t got the time.” Fine, but how can anyone see themselves as an architect if they’re just piling up blocks? By cutting corners, we rob the younger generation, letting them ride cars before they learn to walk. Good for cheap products.
Easy come, easy go, little high, little low,
Any way the wind blows doesn’t really matter...
So, here we are – a narrow perspective as kids drive their shiny new Formula Uno macchina, comprised of multiple expensive, complex modules. Everything around them is beeping, blinking, and buzzing. They’re locked into an increasingly narrow view, unable to understand what’s under the hood, unable to step back or leap high, transforming into something that soars like a jet. They keep hitting walls because the runway isn’t just a straight grey line.
That's not really a problem though. They’ll be replaced.
But they aren’t building any rockets anymore.
