What I'm trying to get at is the reason the people in charge of most companies are "clueless about technology" is that some technical people aren't capable of speaking to them in their language. The people in charge are going to be more concerned with how these issues affect their bottom line, if you can't communicate in those terms you'll rarely be effective.
Zed goes on forever about how his solution was technically better in every manner possible, but he was unable to convince the powers that be that he was right. This is a communication issue likely brought about by his "I'm a genius, and you aren't smart enough to understand" attitude. This isn't because business people are arrogant, pig headed assholes (though some certainly are). No, they don't get the tech, but I for one am willing to take the time to help them understand why these things matter and why they should give a shit. Yes, it sucks, but I feel that not doing so would be doing my employer a disservice. What I dislike about that talk is that Zed basically abdicates responsibility for having to communicate with non-technical people because they'll never be smart enough to understand, when it's really his failing that they don't understand in the first place.
Further, Zed's attitude towards others is beyond condescending. He may pay lip service to the people in charge and say "they're just clueless about technology", but it's so abundantly clear how little he values them, and the jobs they provide. "Working hard and doing a good job", but doing something that you know is both wrong and dumb is phoning it in. It's doing what you're supposed to because you couldn't give a shit about the company, or what becomes of it.
It just rubs me the wrong way.
The reason I'm clueless about marketing is not that marketing people aren't capable of speaking to me in my language. It's that, fundamentally, I don't care about marketing. It seems likely to me that the people in charge of most companies really don't care about technology (nor should they except in cases it's critical for the company; I'm not criticizing).
Yes he was. That was the point of him giving advice on the subject. It wouldn't make much sense to suggest a bunch of things that didn't work at all, would it?
Zed basically abdicates responsibility for having to communicate with non-technical people
He presents a six-point strategy for doing exactly that. I suggest watching the talk again, as you seem to have missed out on most of it.
I know the talk you're referring to and he did not say this. He does suggest doing your best and working really hard to make sure your employers get what they want. Do the job you're paid to do and do it well.
What he advises against is going the extra mile for a company that does not trust your judgement and that you have no stake in. Leave work at work. Your job is not your life. You don't owe them anything that they aren't paying for, least of all your creativity.
I don't see how that can be construed as telling them to phone it in.
everyone else is retarded
In fact he points out several times that the people in charge at most companies are not stupid, they're just clueless about technology; not a very contentious statement last I checked. The whole first half of the talk is explaining this to an audience that has has yet to encounter it in the real world, and how to advocate for superior technical solutions in spite of it, with such "team killing, energy sucking" advice as be objective, honest, and prepared for hard technical questions. Truly industry-ruining suggestions.
I strongly suggest you watch the talk again. Even for someone that doesn't like him, you seem to have missed the point of it entirely.