The following parable has made me think about the different views on the software development work:

A traveler came across three individuals working with stones. When asked about what he was doing, the first one replied, “I’m a stone cutter. I cut stones because I need the money to support my family”.

The traveler then decided to ask the second worker, who answered, “I’m a great stone cutter. I can use all my techniques to produce the best shaped stone”.

Surprised by the two distinct responses, the traveler finally asks the third man what he was doing. The worker stopped for a moment and then said, “I’m a stone cutter and I’m building a cathedral”.

Sometimes I have this feeling that we as professionals are frequently trying to be more like the second stone cutter than the the third one. Am I the only one?