Going back to the OP: yes, the average engineer is way below average quality.
It is not fixable: that's just how statistics work.
Every now and then, an incredible visionary (individual or group) will appear, produce something of exceptional relevance, and push the boundaries forward.
These visionaries will create their own tools, outside the boundaries of other tools, and will set their own rules/restrictions: they won't be worried about pre-existing rules anyway.
@ocramius why screw up a perfectly interesting post with annoying great-man theory in the end?