2423
Zoomers & Boomers are the same (lemmy.ca)
submitted 1 year ago by to c/memes@lemmy.world
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source: @n7gifmdn@lemmy.ca

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[–] 26 points 1 year ago (5 children)

I remember watching an interview with the CEO of SUN microsystems in the 90's argue that you didn't need to know how to run a nuclear power plant to use a light switch, and you shouldn't have to know how a computer works to use one.

I guess his vision came true, and we're mad about it?

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  • [–] 13 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    You don't need to know how to run a nuclear power plant, but you do need to know what wires are

    This analogy actually works kind of well. Like, you don't actually need to know anything about wiring to use a light switch, but if something goes wrong in your house and you need to fix it, having just a little bit of knowledge about how the device works can save you hundreds of dollars and days of downtime.

    It can also help you avoid making the mistakes that cause those problems in the first place, whether the issue is that you don't know what setting you accidentally changed, or you don't know how many watts you can safely pull out of an outlet

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago (1 child)

    It can also cause you to set fire to your house.

    Home handymen are a great example of how a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, in many cases you're safer knowing nothing.

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  • [–] 1 point 1 year ago

    That's true, but further proves my point that people should know more about the systems they interact with and how to manipulate them. If someone burns down their house while trying to replace an electrical outlet, that is not a sign that home handymen should not be replacing electrical outlets.

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  • [–] 12 points 1 year ago* (2 children)

    Only people working on them need to know the ins and outs of how a nuclear power plant works, though I feel like people should probably have still some education and be able to describe it in a very generalized way. But if you can't rotate a document, you're having trouble with the light switch.

    Like, that's fine if you grew up without electricity in your house, but is that really the case with Zoomers?

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  • [–] 11 points 1 year ago

    There was a period where it was still a skill to know how to use a computer. If you had a computer in your house it was a part of your identity, you were a computer owner. Using a computer was something you did. The computer is a powerful tool, and the user had an opportunity to overcome the challenge of learning how to use it.

    Now a computer is an appliance. People know how to do what they do with it, but see no reason to explore farther. They aren't interested in delving into the device's potential. Owning a computer is like owning a car. They want it for the function they use it for. Learning more is like learning to change the oil in a car. In principle easy, but more of a chore than an opportunity.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago (1 child)

    I mean, I'm a moron, but I know the basics are: nuclear reaction creates heat, boils water into steam, steam turns turbine, turbine spins magnet inside copper coil. Magic! I still don't understand some lightswitches though...especially the kind that require an app. I'm not downloading an app to turn on a light in my house.

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  • [–] 8 points 1 year ago (2 children)

    Any basic household things that require an app belong in the trash.

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