For 2 decades, I've worked as a software developer, as well as training and coaching developers in the disciplines of software development.
Through my work and through conferences, workshops and other events, I come into contact with hundreds of software developers every year, and I get a good overview of
Fuck off with the special diamond in the rough .1% bullshit… good developers are trained. I do think there’s a mental predisposition for some folks to think in a way compatible with computers but good developers aren’t birthed fully formed into the world.
Also: Let’s be honest, 99.9999% of our work is not that special. It’s cookie cutter business software. There are only of handful of problems I encountered where you could argue, it would have actually required an “awesome” developer. All the others were business problems, lack of knowledge or too ambitious deadlines (thanks, sales!).
Nowadays, I’m lucky if I get more than 2h in code per day. Even if I were the best dev in the world, my company wouldn’t benefit that much.