IT is a low-tier field. (Opinions?)

joshmadakor

So IT is a low tier field, according to this controversial looking picture I got from the Facebook group: "Trust me, I'm an Engineer!". Original located here.



This is actually something I think about a lot. I would even say that I would agree with this picture to an extent.

IT seems fairly "easy" in terms of the work I do. All the command-lines, interfaces, technologies etc I deal with were pre-engineered by people much smarter than me. I simply use advanced technologies and protocols that were developed by mathematicians, engineers, physicists and the like. I tend to feel dissatisfied with what I do.

Does anybody else feel this way? Thoughts on the picture? Opinions?

vinbuck

It all depends on your role and what you aspire to. I got tired of building windows boxes on a help desk and now I design public carrier networks as part of a network engineering team. There is a big difference between making something work and designing an entire system end-to-end. The problems are more complex and thus more challenging, the risks of a mistake are greater and consequently the rewards and pay are greater. IF you don't feel that what you're doing is challenging and rewarding, then find a new direction. We live in a connected world of technology....there is no shortage of difficult problems that need solving in our industry.

Take it for what it's worth...some engineering guy thought it was funny. I'm not a classical engineer and probably couldn't do his job, but on the other hand, he wouldn't have a clue on how to do Network Engineering. Each has its place and level of importance.

ptilsen

Too generalized, and it's inconsistent. It's just trolling. I wouldn't let it get to you.

What are the tiers meant to represent? Not income, of course, but intelligence? Logical purity? Respectability?

Are "engineers" (a term so generic, IT has stolen it) more intelligent or logically pure than statisticians or economists, who directly apply math (the purest science, if you will) while engineers are simply implementing science (much in the way IT implements computer science). Is geology fundamentally any different from Astronomy, or less "pure" or intelligent than medicine?

Anyway, I could go on, but I think that's the point of the picture. It's just trolling. It's meant to get people riled up.

I'm reminded of #435:
xkcd: Purity

SteveLord

Trolling indeed.

joshmadakor

ptilsen wrote: »

Too generalized, and it's inconsistent. It's just trolling. I wouldn't let it get to you.

What are the tiers meant to represent? Not income, of course, but intelligence? Logical purity? Respectability?

Are "engineers" (a term so generic, IT has stolen it) more intelligent or logically pure than statisticians or economists, who directly apply math (the purest science, if you will) while engineers are simply implementing science (much in the way IT implements computer science). Is geology fundamentally any different from Astronomy, or less "pure" or intelligent than medicine?

Anyway, I could go on, but I think that's the point of the picture. It's just trolling. It's meant to get people riled up.

I'm reminded of #435:
xkcd: Purity

That's a great picture!

tpatt100

It's on Facebook so that already is part of the problem. The use of the word "God" and "sh!t" is meant to cause issues.