Why aren't people today willing to learn?

[LordRaiden]

I've run into this time and time again. Most notibly with computers. Someone gets an item or they have to do something and then they won't learn anything about it. I've talked to so many people who own computers (to use that as an example) who have a $2000 machine, and yet only know how to turn it on, off, and get email. Ask them much more and they'll say "But I don't know that." I usually ask them why they haven't bothered to learn and they're like "I just use it to get email. I don't need to know that." And when it breaks they just drag someone else in to fix their problems. I don't mind people who are at least willing to learn. Those don't bug me. The ones that do are the ones that will just plain old not put one ounce of effort into learning anything about the things they have. For example, the VCR was a big one with this. People would rather spend big money on a VCR (these days it's the dvd player) and only ever learn how to play, insert, and eject movies from it. They won't even take the time to learn how to set the clock, change and program channels, etc. SO their $200 vcr or DVD sits around collecting dust and the clock keeps blinking because they don't want to learn how to do anything related to an item they're working with.

I applaud all of the people who will actually sit down, read the manual, and ask questions so that they can learn everything possible about a given item or as much as they will have use for. People that are at least willing to learn, I have no problems with. People who expect everything to be point, click, work are the ones that drive me nuts. So when their little one click wonder fails, they go balistic. So instead of learning how to fix it, they just remain stuck where they are. Sure, nobody can learn everything that they have to deal with on a daily basis and some of it might be totally out of their realm of understanding. But if they at least put forth the effort to at least try to learn something, I very much applaud that. The one's that won't learn or refuse to learn are the ones I hate.

 

[pyonir]

RTFM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[rh71]

lay-Z-ness. When you arrive at a webpage with forms or registration... do you read every word? I'm not talking terms and conditions or privacy verbiage... I'm talking the 2-3 line paragraphs stating "if" this and "if" that... we don't always read everything.

 

[Jmmsbnd007]

I read the manual twice, unless if it's for something dinky which I probably know more about than the manufacturer.

 

[Viper GTS]

If your toilet starts leaking water all over the place, do you call a plumber or grab your rain gear & try to fix it yourself?

There is nothing wrong with someone not wanting to know, there are a million topics and nobody can be proficient in all of them.

People have to pick & choose what they make a priority, & just because PC's is your priority does not mean it is for everyone.

Viper GTS

 

[Damage]

For technology I would say it's a person matter of return on time investment.. Why read about zooming on your DVD if you never use it?

It's giving up on learning anything else that wold really concern me.. News, etc....

 

[WinkOsmosis]

Don't help them. Tell them to RTFM.

 

[LordRaiden]

If your toilet starts leaking water all over the place, do you call a plumber or grab your rain gear & try to fix it yourself?

There is nothing wrong with someone not wanting to know, there are a million topics and nobody can be proficient in all of them.

People have to pick & choose what they make a priority, & just because PC's is your priority does not mean it is for everyone.

Viper GTS

I'm not saying that. What I am saying is that when the situation presents itself that it would be in your best interest to at least learn a little about something you are willing to learn it. IF you need to know a lot, you learn a lot. IF you just need to call in an expert and say fvck it and let them deal with it, I'm cool with that too. That's what they're there for. What kills me is when a person has to or really should learn and they refuse to.

 

[LordRaiden]

Bad people are dangerous with ANY weapons. Weapons of Mass Destruction haters please feel free to step out in front of my nuclear warhead and stop me.

hehe. Love your sig Jellomancer! I second that opinion! hehehe.

 

[Koing]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
If your toilet starts leaking water all over the place, do you call a plumber or grab your rain gear & try to fix it yourself?

There is nothing wrong with someone not wanting to know, there are a million topics and nobody can be proficient in all of them.

People have to pick & choose what they make a priority, & just because PC's is your priority does not mean it is for everyone.

Viper GTS

Very correct.

People can't be bothered or are too busy. They'd rather pay someone else to do it and they don't stand the chance of breaking it for the pc and causing more damage. If they delete major files it might not end up working and cause more problems then the money it would save.

When I get something I always read the manual first. A bit of a pain in the ass when its something with a big manual! Like the F100 camera I bought.

 

[pulse8]

What kills me is when a person has to or really should learn and they refuse to.

Why should people who have no interest in recording anything on their VCR bother to learn how to program it or even set the clock?

If all they want to do with their VCR is to insert, play and eject, then that's all they really need to know.

 

[notfred]

LordRaiden, if your car suddenly started overheating, w/ the coolant disappearing into what appeared to be thin air, what would you do?

 

[Anubis]

I applaud all of the people who will actually sit down, read the manual, and ask questions

hehehe i havent read a manual in like 10 years

 

[LordRaiden]

Originally posted by: notfred
LordRaiden, if your car suddenly started overheating, w/ the coolant disappearing into what appeared to be thin air, what would you do?

Pop the hood and see what broke. Then if it was within my skill to fix, I'd fix it. If not, I'd call for a tow and get a mechanic in on it. I guess the difference with me over some people is I grew up on a farm. On a farm, if something breaks, guess who gets to fix it. You. That's not a place where you can just call someone in from the outside every time to fix it. I've fixed just about everything imaginable on a farm. Probubly why I'm more willing to dive in and learn something than some people I've run into because from where I come from, that's what you had to do.

 

[Zipp]

What I hate is people who are willing learn but they want you to come over there place and explain to them step by step on how to do it so they don't have to actually read anything whether it be computer related or not.
Now I don't mind helping people out but sometimes you have to pick up the manual and put a little bit effort into doing it on your own.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden

Originally posted by: notfred
LordRaiden, if your car suddenly started overheating, w/ the coolant disappearing into what appeared to be thin air, what would you do?

Pop the hood and see what broke. Then if it was within my skill to fix, I'd fix it. If not, I'd call for a tow and get a mechanic in on it. I guess the difference with me over some people is I grew up on a farm. On a farm, if something breaks, guess who gets to fix it. You. That's not a place where you can just call someone in from the outside every time to fix it. I've fixed just about everything imaginable on a farm. Probubly why I'm more willing to dive in and learn something than some people I've run into because from where I come from, that's what you had to do.

So, basically, if you knew how to do it, you would, and if you didn't you'd call tech support to come do it for you? How is that any different than the people you're talking about?

 

[radioouman]

I like when no one is willing to learn. Being a consultant on the side allows me to make lots of money for reading stupid things like manuals.

 

[LordRaiden]

Well, when I say skill, I'm not talking about how much I already know. Skill is basically the limit of what you are capable of. For example, if my car did suddenly have a cooling problem and if I didn't know how to fix it, then I'd pick up a manual and learn. Once it gets beyond what I am able to do, regardless of how much I know, then it's outside my skill level and I then need help. But if I can learn how to fix it I will. I did that with a car starter I had go bad on me a few winters back. It died at the worst time possible (middle of winter) and I had no idea how to replace one let along pull it and put the new one back in. So I picked up a manual, surfed the web, and did whatever else I needed. Got the replacement starter, then pulled my starter and replaced it. Before doing that I had never touched one and didn't know how to do it. But at least I was willing to learn how.

Now back about 6 summers ago I cracked the water jacket on an old ford (gee, surprise, surprise) and needed to have it welded. Well, I know that I can't weld because I've tried, so since that was outside my skills and capabilities, I handed it off to someone else.

 

[IGBT]

I've run into people that actually put black tape over the unset blinking clock on a vcr..so they wouldn't have to look at it....

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: IGBT
I've run into people that actually put black tape over the unset blinking clock on a vcr..so they wouldn't have to look at it....

ehh i do that

 

[radioouman]

Originally posted by: IGBT
I've run into people that actually put black tape over the unset blinking clock on a vcr..so they wouldn't have to look at it....

Sounds like another chance to make some $$$. Names please! (j/k)

 

[pulse8]

Originally posted by: LordRaiden
Well, when I say skill, I'm not talking about how much I already know. Skill is basically the limit of what you are capable of. For example, if my car did suddenly have a cooling problem and if I didn't know how to fix it, then I'd pick up a manual and learn. Once it gets beyond what I am able to do, regardless of how much I know, then it's outside my skill level and I then need help. But if I can learn how to fix it I will. I did that with a car starter I had go bad on me a few winters back. It died at the worst time possible (middle of winter) and I had no idea how to replace one let along pull it and put the new one back in. So I picked up a manual, surfed the web, and did whatever else I needed. Got the replacement starter, then pulled my starter and replaced it. Before doing that I had never touched one and didn't know how to do it. But at least I was willing to learn how.

Now back about 6 summers ago I cracked the water jacket on an old ford (gee, surprise, surprise) and needed to have it welded. Well, I know that I can't weld because I've tried, so since that was outside my skills and capabilities, I handed it off to someone else.

Well, I work about 50 hours a week. If something goes bad on my car, I don't have the time to break open a manual and read up on how to fix it. Mainly because I don't have the time, but also because I don't give a crap how to fix it myself, I just want it fixed.

 

[Tom]

As far as the VCR blinking clock, this is the fault of bad design, not the consumer who doesn't care if his VCR knows what time it is.

 

[notfred]

Originally posted by: Dead Parrot Sketch
As far as the VCR blinking clock, this is the fault of bad design, not the consumer who doesn't care if his VCR knows what time it is.

Mine doesn't blink, currently the time in my living room is "--:--". Why? Not because I don't know how to set it, but because it's a huge pain in the ass. The power went out and I haven't felt like going through 314 menus just to set the time.

 

[Spamela]

Originally posted by: Viper GTS
If your toilet starts leaking water all over the place, do you call a plumber or grab your rain gear & try to fix it yourself?

There is nothing wrong with someone not wanting to know, there are a million topics and nobody can be proficient in all of them.

People have to pick & choose what they make a priority, & just because PC's is your priority does not mean it is for everyone.

Viper GTS

i agree 100%. you have to prioritize.

i know PC's inside & out, but do i know my cell phone, DVD player, VCR, TV, coffee maker, wristwatch, oven, car clock, house thermostat, etc. as well? - nope.