I agree some Engineers are book savvy and then there are others that can think independently.
Some Engineers brought us interesting and long used "things". I've never met an Engineer that did not feel improvements to their design.was not the highest form of flattery. Their idea was good enough to be accepted and improved.
Before I was an Engineer, at six years old took apart and got running a tecumseh engine on our family lawn mower. It was blown (head gasket) and needed bearings and rings. A neighbor told me what to do and I ran back and forth and did as he described. That started a series of rebuilding all sorts of junk I dragged home from the dump and sold for money. I learned to rebuild car motors, by myself, in the front yard guided by a chilton manual and about age 14 or 15. I learned to survey (transit and chain) when I was about 12 and also turned angles using the vernier (degrees/minutes/seconds) by the time I was 14. School was a breeze as I had much practical experience and I busted butt my entire career so I could retire by age 50. I approached life by taking discarded, busted things and making them whole and complete. Everything is owned (including 2 homes outright), grow a lot of our own food, and help others when I feel like it (no charge).
It really does not matter where I live (California) my family was from all over. I'm in a very rural place, a couple hours from the coast, major cities, great fishing/hunting, and lots of other great things to do. Heck I might go Canoeing tomorrow as the local health official allowed my request for hand or foot operated watercraft (no motorboats or sail boats though).
Again, we're being put into box a, or b, or if x, then y. It's good everyone does not think like each other, for we would be lemmings; everyone heading for the cliff. Let's continue thought provoking exchange, there is more than one way to skin a cat, and there is a lot about this pandemic that is unknown. Time will tell, be open to others thoughts, one does not have to adopt them. For civility sake let's keep the personal attacks out.