Very well put. No need to apologize for tech as a whole, nor is there a need for boosterism.

I can relate to the OP’s disillusionment coming from the halcyon days where “computers” were simply awesome.

Software development is quite unique in that a single person can have a huge impact. If your career doesn’t let you do that, you can do it as side projects or open source. How many other professions let you do that with such low barriers to entry?