I was having a conversation regarding the use of computers and how I can't figure out how to do 'stuff' anymore with my computer with my High Tech Savvy Son.
I was explaining to him that things just seem to change randomly on the computer and that one time hitting one key will do one thing and then the next time hitting the same key will do something else. HTSS just shook his head in silence, rolled his eyes, and then proceeded to explain my trouble was that I am not able to visualize my actions in the abstract--(whatever THAT meant!)
To which I , of course, quiered, "What does THAT mean?"
"It means," came the answer as he stared back into my bewildered gaze, "That you expect that if you do the same thing over and over again on the computer the same thing will happen. You and people of your age group think that if you hit the same key you will get the same results."
He went on to explain that 'people of my generation' never look up at the screen, we just expect that if you hit the same key the same thing will happen and we don't pay attention to the display or to which computer 'mode' is running.
And my reply to HTSS was, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
That little conversation explained a lot to me about where this world is going to.
If we can't even hope to have consistency in a binomial based 1 on -- 0 off bit of solder and plastic, then why are we even a little surprised when our ability to accurately visualize non abstract incidents involving smart people doing stupid things, governments overspending themselves into bankruptcy, along with the unravelling of the basic values of society due to drugs, violence, and corruption is consistently correct without the use of any computer at all?
Answer me THAT will you?
I was explaining to him that things just seem to change randomly on the computer and that one time hitting one key will do one thing and then the next time hitting the same key will do something else. HTSS just shook his head in silence, rolled his eyes, and then proceeded to explain my trouble was that I am not able to visualize my actions in the abstract--(whatever THAT meant!)
To which I , of course, quiered, "What does THAT mean?"
"It means," came the answer as he stared back into my bewildered gaze, "That you expect that if you do the same thing over and over again on the computer the same thing will happen. You and people of your age group think that if you hit the same key you will get the same results."
He went on to explain that 'people of my generation' never look up at the screen, we just expect that if you hit the same key the same thing will happen and we don't pay attention to the display or to which computer 'mode' is running.
And my reply to HTSS was, "Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."
That little conversation explained a lot to me about where this world is going to.
If we can't even hope to have consistency in a binomial based 1 on -- 0 off bit of solder and plastic, then why are we even a little surprised when our ability to accurately visualize non abstract incidents involving smart people doing stupid things, governments overspending themselves into bankruptcy, along with the unravelling of the basic values of society due to drugs, violence, and corruption is consistently correct without the use of any computer at all?
Answer me THAT will you?
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