Engineering really doesn't have to be like that. I've worked for companies where the leaders took care to push context down, not decisions. When done right, results are very tangible, and (most) of the devs much happier. A few devs struggle and feel lost - probably the ones you want least on your team.
whats the difference? either way the context or decision is defined by someone else, and you're still the one swinging the hammer.
I actually think there's a major problem in engineering where many don't take charge of their lives and want to guide the decisions. Its a weird Stockholm syndrome love-affair with being the engineer. Idealism is also a problem ("it doesn't have to be like that.").
> (most) of the devs much happier
yeah, but not the ambitious ones I was talking about.
I'm not knocking engineering, I'm saying it's a stepping stone in your career, and not a long term place if you want to influence trajectory within a company.