A while ago I hired a very bright young mechanical engineer as he graduated with his Bachelors. I worked with him when he was an intern and "stole" him from another firm that wasn't smart enough to counter. They made a mistake there...we all agree. I've really enjoyed working with him. He's given me hope. The first summer after we met he read Atlas Shrugged. Now, he just finished 1984. "Wow" is the word I'm hearing. He's in the batch of these new engineers who haven't learned the basics of engineering due to the university system decline, AI, take-home quizzes, and grade inflation. I'm openly calling some of the training I'm organizing "Remedial Training" when I teach the basics: pump cavitation, technical writing, thermodynamics, etc. I have asked recent graduates of two good engineering schools (one of which I went to) if they had a class in critical thinking. Nope. The universities did away with that. So when I mentioned deductive reasoning the other day my new-hire asked me to explain it. It took maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Quick. "Wow. This is blowing my mind! Can you teach more of this, maybe teach all of us junior engineers?" I warned him that this was going to set him apart...that he was going to be the strange one in the room going forward. That there'd be no going back." I'm not exaggerating. I literally was giving the "red pill" speech. I talked through a few examples of arguments I blew up in a few seconds using deductive reasoning. He laughed. I told my buddy that I think the only people learning critical thinking in college anymore are pre-law students...At least I hope they are. Somebody better. This brings me to a realization I recently made...

As I start to tip toe towards full retirement I'm feeling relief. I like to do good things. To contribute. But, as I've mentioned before...people aren't doing well in the thinking department. I see it at all levels throughout organizations that are taxed with technically challenging, important work. It dawned on me that this is why we aren't solving problems in America anymore. And, when somebody starts to solve one once in a while, they get attacked (Tom Holman). Therefore...the big problems aren't going to get solved. I think that's actually induction...haha. Anyway, good luck everyone!!!