Not wanting to know

[Reeve]

I had a discussion last night with a friend. I was talking about a co-worker about my own age (I'm 29) who was having some computer difficulty related to basic maintenance. I made the comment that I was surprised someone from my generation who works with computers 8 hours a day could possibly have failed to learn basic computer maintenance by now.

My friend got very upset with me, pointing out that I had huge advantages in that I grew up in Silicon Valley, had great parents who fostered an inquisitive nature in me, and we had a computer in the house before I was born. She felt that it was extremely arrogant of me to imply that my co-worker was either stupid (not really my implication) or intellectually lazy (more accurate) to not have learned how to use a computer.

I feel like if you're going to use a computer 8 hours a day, how could you NOT want to learn the basic functions and maintenance for that computer, especially when we live in a modern age where almost everything uses a computer in some way or another.

Furthermore, I'm sort of a person who feels like I ALWAYS want to know more and learn more. I understand that this is not the way a lot of other people work. I understand that a lot of people will avoid learning something if they think they won't use it ever, or if they think someone else will always be there with the knowledge if needed, or if they think it's too complicated.

I understand that people are this way, but I can't fully grok it. It's completely alien to my experience. Can anyone explain it better to me?

[Deleted]

You were being an asshole and someone called you out on it. Learn from it and move on.

Next time don't trash talk people behind their backs.

[Seirith]

I think it all boils down to what people are interested in and care about. I am 29 and too and while I can do basic computers stuff, I leave most computer related stuff to my husband who is really into that kind of stuff. While I do play games he is much more a techy type person and knows a lot more than I do. I use to work using a computer 8 hours a day and had a lot of coworkers that could use it for work but had no idea how to fix it or change anything about it. They weren't computer people and a few didn't have a computer at home.

I love to learn stuff to but not really about computers. I just don't care that much. My husband will talk in "computer language" and i'm like huh? what? yeah ok, the same thing when I talk to him in "cooking language", which he cares nothing about but I do. Everyone has different likes.

[Rukentuts]

It's not actually surprising Reeve. Many people don't care how something works, as long as it works.

In addition, many people who work solely in the application layer tend not to give two shits about lower layers.

[Arkenaw]

Maybe you are right, but you should keep your opinions to yourself.

[dawawe]

Its more common than you think. i have friends who dont even know how to run virus scans. and its no just computers i have a friend who didnt even know how to use a washing machine till he was 20 which i find way worse.

[Deleted]

Do you drive OP? Do you know how to fix your car?
Do you cook OP? Do you know how to fix your oven/microwave?
Do you wear clothes OP? Do you know how to sew, knit, crochet?

People can use everyday items for huge periods of time and have absolutely no clue how to perform basic repairs. It takes a further interest in the subject for maintenance to become something most people would bother learning.

Just like a car is a means to get from A to B for most people a computer can just be a tool to complete a job. You don't need to understand how they work to effectively use them and get what you need done done.

[Reeve]

Its more common than you think. i have friends who dont even know how to run virus scans. and its no just computers i have a friend who didnt even know how to use a washing machine till he was 20 which i find way worse.

My favorite was a friend who never cooked anything in his life until he was 16. He tried cooking a bowl of chef boyardee ravioli by putting the glass bowl full of the raviolis on the stove.

[Rukentuts]

My favorite was a friend who never cooked anything in his life until he was 16. He tried cooking a bowl of chef boyardee ravioli by putting the glass bowl full of the raviolis on the stove.

That shit is so disgusting. I once had it at a friends house when I was 10. Never again.

[Liagala]

Furthermore, I'm sort of a person who feels like I ALWAYS want to know more and learn more. I understand that this is not the way a lot of other people work.

I think you just answered your own question. I have a hard time wrapping my head around this particular concept too (why would you NOT want to know how/why something works???), but that doesn't make it any less true. Different strokes and all. The best answer I can come up with is that they see the answer as something big and complicated, and they're afraid they won't be able to do it. It's like buying a cheap computer desk that comes in a box, and needs you to assemble it. Staring at all those boards and screws and such is pretty daunting - it would be REALLY easy for me to say, "Honey, come help me with this please!" Many people do just that. They get scared off by what seems to be something beyond their abilities. If you take the time to go step by step - ignore all the pieces and just pick up board A and screw 3 - the reward is almost always worth the effort, but taking that first step is hard. It's scary. It's safer to stay back and let someone else do it. People rarely consciously think about it in those terms, but I think that's what their subconscious is doing for them.

[dawawe]

My favorite was a friend who never cooked anything in his life until he was 16. He tried cooking a bowl of chef boyardee ravioli by putting the glass bowl full of the raviolis on the stove.

I know this kid who cant even walk.... like come on man its been almost a year.

[Deleted]

Some people are just lazy and will always find excuses. A few years ago I didnt know shit about maintaining or fixing PCs, only how to work them. That all changed when my PC finally broke and I was forced to build one myself, I am far from being an expert but now I know how to fix the simple things that may plague me.

It never hurts to learn a little of the things that may help in day to day life. Things such basic vehicle maintenance (some cannot even change a tire), basic electrical skills (changing a plug), plumbing (unblocking a U-bend). A few Generations back most men knew these things, now they just get on facebook and bitch that the plumber or mechanic is charging them a fortune for so little labour.

[Reeve]

Do you drive OP? Do you know how to fix your car?
Do you cook OP? Do you know how to fix your oven/microwave?
Do you wear clothes OP? Do you know how to sew, knit, crochet?

People can use everyday items for huge periods of time and have absolutely no clue how to perform basic repairs. It takes a further interest in the subject for maintenance to become something most people would bother learning.

Just like a car is a means to get from A to B for most people a computer can just be a tool to complete a job. You don't need to understand how they work to effectively use them and get what you need done done.

I don't expect people to be able to reformat their hard drives or replace a video card or anything. I'm talking about things like knowing when your hard drive is full, or how to run a virus scan.

I do drive, and I can change out my car's brakes, its engine oil, the alternator, the battery, and a few other things. I don't expect that a person should know how to solder their own motherboards together, and I don't know how to take apart my car's engine, but there's such a thing as basic maintenance, and that's what I was referring to here.

[Cleeq]

Replace the concept of computer with automobile and the question is just as relevant, however you'll find the answers would probably be the same. People tend to treat things like these that they don't understand as too complicated to bother trying.

[Rukentuts]

Replace the concept of computer with automobile and the question is just as relevant, however you'll find the answers would probably be the same. People tend to treat things like these that they don't understand as too complicated to bother trying.

Turns out Reeve is talking about basic maintenance.

It's like people not understanding when / why their car needs an oil change. Not actually doing it themselves.

[Reeve]

Turns out Reeve is talking about basic maintenance.

It's like people not understanding when / why their car needs an oil change. Not actually doing it themselves.

The example is about basic maintenance, but the question is more broad than that. My whole life I've always had a basic curiosity about things. If I saw a water tower, I'd want to know why we store our water up there. If I saw the lines in the road as a kid, I'd want to know why they were different colors and patterns. I recognize that a lot of people just don't care about learning things like that, and it just makes me wonder what they DO care about, and what makes them care about certain types of knowledge more than others.

[Youvegotfail]

I understand that people are this way, but I can't fully grok it. It's completely alien to my experience. Can anyone explain it better to me?

I had to google "grok" lol.

I also am 29 and while there wasn't a computer in the house before I was born, one of my earliest memories is playing with the one at my grandpa's office and i got my own when i was 9 or 10 (windows 3.1 for workgroups! lawl). Therefore I'm kinda like you when people tell me they don't know how to do basic things like defragging, running virus scans or even emptying the damn recycle bin (recently had a co-worker who had no idea this was an option and she had over 90,000 files in there, lol). I guess I can kinda understand older people (50+) not wanting to learn anything except what they need to know about computers, but for people our age to not know the basics, it's pretty sad and even frustrating sometimes.

[Rukentuts]

The example is about basic maintenance, but the question is more broad than that. My whole life I've always had a basic curiosity about things. If I saw a water tower, I'd want to know why we store our water up there. If I saw the lines in the road as a kid, I'd want to know why they were different colors and patterns. I recognize that a lot of people just don't care about learning things like that, and it just makes me wonder what they DO care about, and what makes them care about certain types of knowledge more than others.

LOL! That reminds me of the time I learned what each color line meant.

I wanted to know what the fuck the red, orange, yellow, and others were. Apparently yellow = boom, and red = zap, and orange = no WoW for awhile.

[Liagala]

Turns out Reeve is talking about basic maintenance.

It's like people not understanding when / why their car needs an oil change. Not actually doing it themselves.

The basic premise Cleeq was talking about still applies. Someone looks under the hood, sees all sort of complicated things going on, and decides "car maintenance = too much for me." From that moment on, any time car maintenance is discussed, the mental door slams shut. It's confusing, it's too much to learn, car maintenance is bad. Yes yes, I know it's easy for you to understand, but not me. I don't understand car maintenance. Just tell me when to bring the car in to the shop. The idea that it's as simple as "bring it every 3 months/3k miles" doesn't penetrate through the thick wall of "OMG, car maintenance is complicated and scary."

I deal with this with my mother a lot. She's getting older and I'm helping her with some stuff - it drives me crazy when she gets a medical bill and immediately starts writing a check while complaining that she already paid them last month. It takes me 2 minutes to look at last month's bill, determine that this is a copayment for a different visit, and move on - but to her, medical billing/insurance is complicated. It's too much to understand, case closed.

[Rukentuts]

The basic premise Cleeq was talking about still applies. Someone looks under the hood, sees all sort of complicated things going on, and decides "car maintenance = too much for me." From that moment on, any time car maintenance is discussed, the mental door slams shut. It's confusing, it's too much to learn, car maintenance is bad. Yes yes, I know it's easy for you to understand, but not me. I don't understand car maintenance. Just tell me when to bring the car in to the shop. The idea that it's as simple as "bring it every 3 months/3k miles" doesn't penetrate through the thick wall of "OMG, car maintenance is complicated and scary."

I deal with this with my mother a lot. She's getting older and I'm helping her with some stuff - it drives me crazy when she gets a medical bill and immediately starts writing a check while complaining that she already paid them last month. It takes me 2 minutes to look at last month's bill, determine that this is a copayment for a different visit, and move on - but to her, medical billing/insurance is complicated. It's too much to understand - case closed.

Even I (a non-car expert) can tell you basic functions of basic parts on a conceptual level, and can diagnose a fuel versus electrical problem.