In NYC, the sharks don't pretend they aren't.

Considering leaving the industry because of this. Which is a shame because I really do care about good software.

Don't (unless you really don't like writing software).

The answer I've come up with is either become a project manager (not working out so far, nobody wants to hire a PM without PM experience here, no matter the certifications), or start your own company (which might be the right answer in your case).

To be honest, I think both documentation and test cases are overrated, I do believe in lots of user testing and feedback, which is the most important thing (and that's why I believe any methodology that encourages frequent user feedback is a good thing).

What I'm writing about applies for the usual business or customer facing apps, I don't know about other fields (maybe for scientifical or medical or whatever apps it's a whole different story).

Yep, Code Complete, Mythical Man-Month. They are so highly regarded, but nobody seems to follow them!

Can you ellaborate? Which one is which? I guess the Mythical Man-Month is the well-regarded one?

It seems as absurd to me as constructing a building without laying down foundations and having proper blueprints.

This is the perfect analogy - people might choose a house based on its size or its location. But nobody buys a house because it has strong foundations. Not that foundations aren't important, mind you.