My first thoughts on the topic is that the rep needed for adding tags is too low. The 'Hydra' problem, from the perspective of a new user still learning the ropes of TWP.
As I see it, the active members are very concerned with making sure good answers get the votes they deserve. That being the case, I pulled quite a bit of my rep from around three answers. I'm nowhere near familiar enough with the community and and how TWP operates to create a tag or a less than obvious synonym. Even with my recently acquired review rep, I'm still timid to use it while I get a feel the community's expectations. Juxtaposed with main SE, I've had to work for the bit of rep I have. It's not heavily modded and sometimes feels like a free for all. I've been there for years, and have put down quite a few questions and answers and my TWP score is almost the same.
TL,DR - Quick accumulation of tag privs is a function of the community being engaged, potentially to the detriment of organization.
What to do?
- Can we raise the rep required to create tags?
- Start a review queue for new tags (Can this even be done?), turn off creation and all requests be made through TWP.Meta?
- I noticed the 'new tags report' in the tags section, or some more data.stackexchange wizardry with added focus on these tools for the moderators to prune problematic new tags as they arise.
If it's helpful, I'm working on a query to show the posts tagged software-industry that have at least four total tags so to see how much damage a burnination would do. I'm thinking we might be able to work on re-tagging ones under the line if they aren't too plentiful and hoping it wouldn't be missed on the rest. Not sure i'll get to it today though.
edit: Posts tagged with software-industry, total tag count distribution
Metaception - the art here is magnificent.