Genius and Disappointment

It is in vain that we look for genius to reiterate its miracles in the old arts; it is its instinct to find beauty and holiness in new and necessary facts, in the field and roadside, in the shop and mill.

Ralph Waldo Emerson from Art, Essays, First Series.

Today, I was following a Twitter thread about how disillusioned some software developers have become - not knowing from where the next "big thing" is coming - not feeling motivated by current project offerings - maybe even downright angry that the projects to which they have devoted so much time were not designed to help people, but instead exploited them.

It is possible that even though the projects were promising, the participants were still beholden to, and of the old arts - the box may have been more attractively decorated, but still a box.

But consider, now the secret is known - the foundation on which the project was based was not permanent. Yet it was built - the skill is not lost.

You admire this tower of granite, weathering the hurts of so many ages. Yet a little waving hand built this huge wall, and that which builds is better than that which is built. The hand that built can topple it down much faster. Better than the hand, and nimbler, was the invisible thought which wrought through it.

RWE, from Circles, Essays, First Series.

New thoughts, new projects - perhaps building a better foundation.

When that crumbles, build another.