In Seeing Like A State, James C. Scott contrasts formalized systems of knowledge with what he calls mētis. Mētis is “a wide array of practical skills and acquired intelligence in responding to a constantly changing natural and human environment”. Mētis is usually associated with traditional forms of knowledge and formalized systems of knowledge with modernity. Scott resists this comparison because many “traditional” forms of knowledge only look ancient and can quickly adapt in response to new conditions. I agree and wanted to find an example where the reverse is true: where formal knowledge is traditional and mētis is new. I believe that I have found such an example in computer science.