You will grow out of that

1 Jan, 2024

When I started working, and even during my degree, superiors and teachers often told me, "You will grow out of that soon enough," referring to my fascination with exploring technologies that were either uncommon or deemed impractical. Those remarks lingered in my head for quite some time.

I describe myself as a tinkerer—not in real life, as I am as clumsy as they come, but in the digital domain. I love finding new tools, trying out different Linux distros, and experimenting with new vulnerabilities or technologies. This curiosity for understanding the new drives my personal improvement at work.

Fast forward to today, and those early comments still echo in my mind. Many insisted that my fascination with cutting-edge technologies and my love for exploration would fade, giving way to a more conventional approach. They told me I would grow tired of running bleeding-edge or esoteric software. But years later, I still find excitement in exploring the latest innovations in the tech world.

It turns out, I didn't grow out of it; I grew into it. The landscape of technology constantly evolves, presenting new challenges and opportunities that demand adaptability and a willingness to embrace the unknown. Far from becoming a relic of my early career, my love for experimentation has become a cornerstone of my professional identity.

I've come to realize that not all knowledge fits every situation. While some information might not seem immediately useful, its value can surface unexpectedly. This concept of contextual knowledge, rooted in various fields from philosophy to cognitive science, emphasizes the dynamic and situation-dependent nature of our understanding. In IT, understanding what lies beneath the surface can be invaluable. When a performance problem or security issue arises, knowing how the underlying layers function provides a solid foundation for effective problem-solving.

To many, this might not be a huge revelation, but it certainly was for my younger self. To anyone reading this who has heard similar comments, know that maintaining your curiosity is a strength. Embrace your interests, find the edge of what you know, and start digging. There is nothing wrong with letting your curiosity guide you through the ever-changing tech landscape. Be 'that' person who is rocking their weird forked version of Gentoo, losing yourself in a custom Neovim config, or exploring new workflows. Any knowledge can be useful at some point. You own it.