I’ve gotten back into the ukulele lately and I’ve started writing my own tabs. It started with a Coursera class on music theory. Then I read this book on ukulele essential patterns. Then, naturally, I started to think about how it compares with tech and how the two combine.
While there are people who work in complete silence in an undecorated room, most of us listen to something and have interesting things to look at. There are playlists dedicated to different styles of work, there are stores dedicated to office furnishings and decorations, and there’s a certain atmosphere we experience when we go to work.
Is that because of the work we do or is it because art reflects the state of the space we need? A lot of devs are able to tell you what kind of music gets them to that flow state or the kind of environment that’s the most productive for them.
There’s a certain type of creativity in tech that has parallels with art.
They inspire us
Art has the ability to make you feel things and communicate in unique ways. Tech is very much the same. Remember that YouTube video that changed a view you had? Or that time you made a post after being offline for a while? Those feelings and modes of communication are enabled by tech and software.
Someone had an idea that they wanted to see reflected in the real world and they developed the skills to bring it to life. We’ve all felt that spark after seeing or experiencing something unexpected.
They make us think
Everything created by artists and technologists reflect what’s important with the times. Take a look at the product or tools you’re working on building. How do they related to what we’re going through right now? Is it trying to solve a real problem or a perceived one?
Just like with art, we have to think about the social implications of the software we build. What political statements are we making by the features we add? Are there issues we want to highlight in the larger pubic eye with a loud statement? What resources do we need to convey the message?
If you’ve ever had the thought that all of the work you’ve ever done in your career could disappear with some GitHub repos being deleted, lean into that. And really think about what that says to you.
They make us feel
There’s a certain high you get from that flow state when you’re writing code. Or that deep frustration you feel when you’ve been stuck on an issue longer than you deem reasonable. And don’t get me start on the numerous soapboxes about AI, agile, or system design interview questions.
When you experience tech as a craft, you have the same kind of passion as an artist sculpting with chisels. It can move you to tears or leave you in a blind rage. It’ll make you question what you’re doing with your life and what impact you’re having on the world around you.
It could be that I went too far down a rabbit hole and never came back out, but I find so much beauty in the craft of tech. The ability to take an idea and make it a real thing to interact with is cool. To be able to do that in a way that means something to others is even better.
But to make a thing for the sake of the thing is bigger than the people doing it.