> if you are a programmer, your thought process should be molded in a way you start finding these things obvious
> had I not known about parsers, the solution would have come naturally to me
Your use of "obvious" and "come naturally" fit together, and match the template of someone who is naturally more inclined to understand this stuff than the OP might be, or (for that matter) I might be.
But rather than abandon algos as irrelevant, the OP should put more effort in.
I disagree that anyone is "naturally-inclined" to be better at algorithms, or coding, or abstract thinking. Rather, approach it as if we've been a blank slate that has picked up techniques and patterns of thinking, as throughout our lives we've been confronted with problems that required a new way of thinking. I'd reckon that someone you see as "naturally inclined" has simply encountered problems before that lend themselves to abstract in a similar way as these new problems they face (algorithms, architecture, speaking Japanese).
If you believe my paradigm, then you start to realize that not only is your mind extremely flexible, but that by focusing on a varied set of similar problems, you can start developing a framework to pick up more skills faster, and thus develop that "natural inclination" in the field you practice.
> had I not known about parsers, the solution would have come naturally to me
Your use of "obvious" and "come naturally" fit together, and match the template of someone who is naturally more inclined to understand this stuff than the OP might be, or (for that matter) I might be.
But rather than abandon algos as irrelevant, the OP should put more effort in.