And ivy league liberal arts majors run the country..

I've always thought that learning how to play the game was the primary value proposition of an Ivy League education. You can learn mechanical engineering or whatever just as well elsewhere.

Another way of phrasing it is “sharp STEM grass with strong interpersonal skills”, which seems like a good thing?

I chose my words deliberately.

Interpersonal skills is a necessary component of playing the game, but the end game is power and influence and winning.

It’s awful when the wrong tool/stack/architecture/etc. is chosen due to someone’s powerplay.

There are little emperors at every firm trying to lobby their influence; then the ones who gain start choking off anything that smacks of competition.

I see this as a huge negative.