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+# A short statement about professional software engineering
+
+I have a bunch of drafts on this topic since I see it pop up in gemini space every now and then and some common misinformation I see tossed around. So I wanted to address some if it.
+
+## Should learning programming be mandatory?
+
+No. I feel people (even myself) equate programming to computer literacy. In fact computer literacy isn't even "needed" to program. My girlfriend got a CS Degree yet when it comes to practical computer operations shes no different than a normal millenial when it comes to understanding things like file management, network management, internet safety etc.
+
+But I think everyone should have the opportunity to learn it, and do a small segment on it in younger schooling. Show kids how you can tell a computer to do things. BASIC in the 80s showed so many kids that you can make a computer do your bidding. Now there is a bit more overhead to what a computer is. But breaking it down for a child to express their creativity and grasp the idea that computer programming isn't this mountain of pre-knowledge to overcome and reserved for 'only the smart kids'. Taking a wood working, electronics, cooking, music, or arts class helps introduce kids to useful skills, different ways of thinking, but also helps them find their passions. So throwing computer programming into that, a lot like shop class, can help give kids the chance to see if it is the right area for them.
+
+## A Computer Science Degree is pointless because the space moves to fast
+
+This bugs me the MOST. This is fundamentally untrue. Most of what a CS degree is is theory and fundamentals. That has barely changed and is rooted in math that is centuries old (discrete math, graphs, combinatorics). But even the fundamentals of most languages are static: boolean logic, variables, data structures - those don't change even language to language. Java in recent years has gone through a lot of restructuring in how the language is developed and introduced so many new things. But its still the same Java you wrote in the 90s, and the same Java I learned in university. 
+
+One of the most important classes in my degree was my "programming languages" course that taught us different language types: functional, imperative, logic. Seeing there are other ways to think about programming beyond C-like. This not only opens your mind, but also shows that even in a language that is wildly different than what you studied up to this point, they're all rooted in familiar concepts. This helped me be a good polygot programmer. I still dream in Java, but because last week they introduced var doesn't mean my degree was a waste.
+
+
+### Why am I making a big deal of this?
+
+I was told this lie when I expressed interest into studying CS. And I still hear it perpetuated today. So either this was true in the 90s when we were changing architectures and things were less standardized. But the lie needs to stop. I wasted two semesters in a degree I didn't really want, hating school. Had I started in CS I could've realized my passion sooner. And we're telling kids "you should program professionally so you have a good stable job" but also "you shouldn't bother learning because its going to change tomorrow".
+
+But I personally feel getting my degree helped me become resistant to change. Because I learned what programming WAS beyond the syntax of the language I was using.
+
+## But is a degree necessary for this?
+
+Of course not. No degree is ever necessary. It's simply a piece of paper saying you attended classes at met the minimum requirements for passing. That doesn't mean you learned it. But you can't avoid education. You should learn what the school would teach. Being a software engineer is far more than the syntax of the language. So learning those fundamentals and the theory is very useful to becoming a great software engineer, and will separate you from the pack.
+
+Degrees are in fact becoming less common, and less of a gatekeeper to apply to jobs. But the reason it is unnecessary is not because what you learn is pointless in a year, but because as we move higher up the tech stack the easier it is to grasp without the resources only a university can provide. Free available programming language SDKs, vast knowledge on the internet, a super computer in your pocket.
+
+## Gatekeepers
+
+Computer Science / Software engineering / life is full of gatekeepers. If you make a computer perform an action on your behalf your technically programming it. Anyone and everyone can learn how to manipulate computers. It just takes patience and dedication. It's a lot like baking. With enough time you can get it right, but its a skill that needs to be developed if you want to go beyond recipes.
+
+## Imposter Syndrome
+
+I personally, haven't really dealt with this, but have had friends who struggle with it. Its good to talk this out if you