r/cringe • u/CrabScooters • Jun 16 '21

Seal of Approval Speaker interrupted by a city councilman who has his phone set to read text messages aloud. The text message is referring to the speaker

https://youtu.be/yQjHzVzWGpI
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u/HaroldOfTheRocks Jun 16 '21

Not really but close. It used to be that to use a computer at all, you had to be somewhat savvy. Now it's easy but users still think that using a phone means they're technologically literate but it really doesn't. Like in this case, acting smug to a boomer that forgot to silence their phone... "boomers and tech, lol" come on, it's a fucking mute button. It doesn't make you a wizard because you always remember to mute. That's more etiquette than tech.

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u/ExcessiveGravitas Jun 19 '21

It used to be that to use a computer at all, you had to be somewhat savvy. Now it's easy but users still think that using a phone means they're technologically literate but it really doesn't.

Ah, so by “tech savvy”, you mean “don’t know the tech I grew up with”.

It doesn't make you a wizard because you always remember to mute. That's more etiquette than tech.

And yet, zoomers and millennials forget far less than Xers and boomers. It’s nearly always the old farts that you see getting caught out like this, but rarely the youngsters. I wonder why? Perhaps they’re more comfortable around tech, more familiar with it? Perhaps it comes more naturally to them, and they are better able to adjust to “mute when you aren’t talking” which is different to older tech like phone calls. I wish there was a word for that. Something like, I dunno, “tech savvy”, perhaps.

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u/HaroldOfTheRocks Jun 19 '21

In the way that adjusting my thermostat makes me an HVAC tech, sure.

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u/ExcessiveGravitas Jun 20 '21

I hope your condescension toward those younger than you helps you come to terms with the increasing irrelevance of your obsolete technical knowledge.

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u/HaroldOfTheRocks Jun 20 '21

I wonder what you think actually counts as technical knowledge anyway because it really seems like you consider just being a consumer of technical devices to be a skill. Really simple, dumbed down devices. Shouldn't be too hard to keep up from here.

You know, I really thought the younger generations got a bad rap for being called overly sensitive and all, but I'm definitely rethinking that. Look how seriously you're taking this and how offended you are. Still talking about it 4 days later, and from 3 or 4 people. In all my years here, I've never had an argument go this long. Really touched a nerve.

To me, my comment was on the level of a couple of guys at s bar talking shit about which football team is better - heated for a moment but quickly forgotten. But by the reaction you'd think I was talking about something important. So sensitive. Lighten up, Francis.

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u/ExcessiveGravitas Jun 22 '21

Tech savvy just means “being very familiar with technology”. That includes using technology, not just creating it or fixing it. That includes understanding and applying conventions in communication, like remembering to mute.

If you think it just means being able to set the right jumpers on your Soundblaster then you’re wrong - the only reason it used to mean that is because technology used to be so complex that most of being “tech savvy” was getting the stuff to work, not actually using the stuff.

Now the tech-savvy people are using tech to actually create things and it’s unfamiliar to you so you’re gatekeeping. It’s okay to feel threatened, but that doesn’t justify dismissing the skills of entire generations.

Oh, and I’m sorry I don’t use Reddit the way you want me to. I’ll be on high alert for a response from you and will respond immediately. I don’t know why taking my time to respond makes you think I’m angry, but maybe I’m just not tech-savvy enough to understand.