I was thinking in a metaphor like:
Don't over specialize your profession, so you may end up like that bridge.
Be more flexible and adaptable, like the river. So when a storm hits you,you can change your way of life and survive.
I always find it really interesting when people respond (genuinely) to the same story/stimulus in completely different ways.
For example, I find your perspective interesting on its own, but, also because I wouldn't have arrived at it by myself, not even if I sat and thought about it for a month... I literally have just
two thoughts when I'm confronted with that same story you were, and if I try to pump my brain for more I get a
404:
(1) The Japanese obviously know a thing or two about structural engineering.
(2) That awesome bridge isn't the problem, it's all the
other (badly-engineered) stuff that is.