Mark Zuckerberg’s controversial comment: “Masculine Energy’ Is Tech’s Power Play Laid Bare” presented in Joe Rogan’s popular podcast in January 2025 sent shock waves through the social media and high-tech industry. Although it has been a well-known fact that both traditional and high-tech industries have been shaped by masculine values, the ideas of a more equal and egalitarian world that toned down masculine voices during the past two, three decades. What did Mark Zuckerberg said was not revolutionary, but instead a repetition of old engineering principles.

The tide has changed. Today, aggressive political rhetoric has replaced liberal democratic ideas. New political speech is spreading rapidly throughout the world. The role of technology in this development is increasingly important. As the comment by Mark Zuckerberg demonstrated, technology giants and their leaders are not innocent by-standers, but instead key figures shaping political, social and cultural landscapes. What seems to be in the heart of the message is the same old male-dominated power structure of technology and industry, which has remained firmly intact underneath of liberal ideas.

Engineering profession has been, and still is, “a silent profession”. It exercises visible and invisible political power in modern societies, but the profession refuses to acknowledge its social and political role. Instead, engineers profile themselves as “technical experts”, who dedicate lives and careers to advancement of technology and improvements of social, economic and human life.

What does it take to change professional values? The role of education plays a major role in shaping values and views not only for future engineers but those who decide how the technological world should be managed and organized. Unfortunately, political issues are seldom taught in engineering schools. Today, the curriculums are full of technical, mathematical and economic courses. If there are “soft courses” they are side-lined and far from the hardcore engineering education. The outlook of an average engineering curriculum reflects the three principles of Frederick W. Taylor: Work, Productive and Efficiency.

If we want more broadly thinking and more politically responsible engineers, we need to radically reform the engineering education curriculum. It is a long and difficult journey, but the first step is to recognize that technology is fully political, and engineers should be able to engage in productive and constructive dialog with other professionals on how societies are shaped innovations and technologies.