Optics are not dumb. Corporates are very noisy. It is difficult to extract the signal from the noise if you're not working on a project full-time (as most people are, except for you, the tech lead), and it will definitely not happen by accident. That's why you need to manage optics.
I agree that they are very important but I still call it dumb in a "it's stupid that we have to do this because we suck as a human species" kind of way.
I think that's what the word "appreciate" is hinting at in the phrase: "most engineers..don't appreciate the importance of optics."
Optics is subjective and often superficial, a performative illusion for the sake of whoever is looking at you. But that doesn't mean it's not valuable or useful in a social context.
Here, I read the word "appreciate" to mean, to recognize the value of a thing even if you disagree with it.
For example, someone could be a pacifist and still appreciate the need for weapons for national defense. They may not agree with the means but still admit it has value and effect.
