Note that the reply was itself written by a software engineer as well. There is no particular reason to believe one over the other.

As for "authorities", I distinguish between people who try to understand and think well, versus those who have been recognized by bureaucracies and politicians. The first group has done astoundingly well. The second group has failed over and over again.

Sadly it is the second group that is in charge. And the result has been repeated institutional failures. :-(