Adolfo Ochagavia captured it perfectly: debugging with a broken debugger is madness, yet we do it all the time. The tunnel vision consumes us. We write more logging code, more diagnostic prints, more workarounds—when the real problem is that our tools have dulled or cracked.
This is not about repair. Repair is what you do when something fails. Maintenance is what you do so nothing fails. It is the ritual that prevents the need for repair. The sharp knife is not sharper—it is trusted. Trust is the true edge.
Every broken tool is a door that pretends to open. You push, it gives, but nothing moves. Only frustration grows. The maintenance imperative is simple: tend your instruments before they become obstacles.
Adapted from "Fix Your Tools" by Adolfo Ochagavia · Feb 2025