this post was submitted on 14 Sep 2023
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If this is a situation you relate with, you might be an arrogant asshole.
I help people all the time with computer related issues, and they love that I do that. None of them give me the stink eye, and I never judge them or think they're idiots for not being specialized in general computing.
I mean, you have a bit of a point, they're not exactly idiots even if they seem that way, but I definitely get the stink eye. You must know a lot of nice people.
I relate more to the alien in the first panel, and not at all to the second.
I decided to make a career change into IT (didn't stick). When I was working the other employees were just other people trying to make ends meet and I never judged them for, like you said, not being specialized in general computing. I did however judge some of the other admins for their decisions and attitudes. It was so weird being an "admin" and this being told I'm "above" the general employees.
I used to provide some user support at a previous job. (It wasn't exactly my job, but people would ask for help.) And it'd be easy to get frustrated, thinking people were stupid or incompetent, but I'd remind myself that being good at computers isn't part of their job, it's part of my job. These people were hired for other areas of expertise. If I had to do take on parts of their jobs, I'd look stupid and incompetent too.
That said... sometimes the level of incomprehension people have really is incomprehensible to me. There's a level where you're reaching wilful ignorance. When I point at something on the screen and tell the person to click on that... and they can't or won't move the mouse there and click on it...
There should be a basic level of understanding a skillset when using a computer when using a computer is part of your job. Users shouldn't be required to fix technical issues but they should know the terminology (click the file menu, select properties..., or right-click on your desktop and select an option.
Its amazing how people use these tools daily but never learn how to use them. Imagine using saws, lathes, grinders, etc, but not knowing how to safely use them. It's the same for computers. If you don't know basic safety, you'll infect your work network with malware, encrypt important files with CryptoLocker-type malware, etc. Honestly, companies should force a base-level of competence before allowing users on the network, but a lot of the users causing issues are directors or the CEO.
There should be a computer license, like a driving license, that you need to get before you can operate computers connected to the internet in the modern world.
I know someone who didnt know what a taskbar was
One thing that's really interesting is that general technological aptitude seems to have peaked with the millennials. A lot of employers are now complaining that gen z lack technology skills of all things.
I can absolutely believe that because personal computing went from being something where you basically have fully powered computer hardware with all the positives and negatives of that and the learning curve to being carefully sculpted and focus tested black boxes.kids aren't good with computers, they're good with facebook and YouTube.
Do you think the normies looking at the IT guy as an alien are the assholes, or only the IT guy who perceives them as cavemen?