I was in tech for several years (although not always programming) and it took me an embarrassing long time to grok the "why" of OOP. I read the vehicle/car/truck and animal/cat/dog/makeSound kind of examples many times in school but it never clicked why this approach would be useful. It's only when you start working with other people and dealing with stuff you can't keep all in your head when you get the "why" of OOP.

Yeah, honestly, I'm finding that comment a little hard to believe or even remotely understand…

That is basically my story.

Started learning programming in high school. Went to college for engineering. Worked in (real) engineering for 8 years.

Now I automate engineering jobs.