https://youtu.be/1ce456Nnkt8
Look familiar?
Why do witches believe the eclipse to be special?
Symbols are symbols.
Evil is evil.
Stupid is stupid.
Old written languages are symbolic for a reason. Symbols allow for more nuanced and complex expressions of ideas. A picture is worth a thousand words.
However, I would not recommend you use symbolic languages for engineering purposes for that very reason. The age if magic gave way to the age of forge.
Contrast the Katana to the gun and the philosophy behind each civilization. The best trained warrior can be cut down in an instant by a freshly trained peasant. Power necessitates discipline/wisdom, however.