[CLUE-Talk] The Microsoft penalty that isn't - Tech News - CNET.com

[Jeffery Cann]

On Wednesday 17 April 2002 12:08 pm, Chris K. Chew wrote:

> I feel as though this is a sign of our time, in that our society is
> progressing towards a state where people work solely in a
> "productivity-niche", becoming less of the renaissance man, and relying on
> the experts of particular fields for service.  

Chris,

I understand your point and I agree to some extent.  However, there is a big 
difference between understanding something outside of your 
'productivity-niche' and being a well-rounded and knowledgeable individual.

> But I feel that it will not work for us due to some other trends occurring
> at the same time.  People are also losing their ability to think critically
> and make their own solutions.  People are becoming unable to apply lessons
> learned in the industry where they are a producer to an analogous industry
> as a consumer.  Consequently, suave marketing campaigns have become more
> effective than a quality product or service.

You seem to suggest that specialization leads to an inability of society (in 
general) to think critically.  I do not understand how they are related.  An 
expert in a field definition is a critical thinker by definition -- the word 
expert means ' having, involving, or displaying special skill or knowledge 
derived from training or experience'.

> But I feel that it will not work for us due to some other trends occurring
> at the same time.  People are also losing their ability to think critically
> and make their own solutions.  People are becoming unable to apply lessons
> learned in the industry where they are a producer to an analogous industry
> as a consumer.  Consequently, suave marketing campaigns have become more
> effective than a quality product or service.

You seem to wax nostagic for a 'time in the past' when folks 'were smarter'.  
People are just as dumb now as ever -- i.e., we all have free will and 
sometimes do not make the logical or 'smart' choice!)  In fact, given a long 
enough time frame, you can argue people now are smarter than 300 years ago 
simply because 90% of us (in the U.S.) can read.  Not true even 100 years ago.

There are many things that seem to indicate folks cannot think critically.  
As a person who taught Biology to college freshman for 3 years I can attest 
that most students cannot draw simple conclusions from simple experiements.   
They are utterly incapable of understanding the concept.  However, when we 
work with them and explain it to them, many folks 'get it'.  The fact that 
you (and the rest of the CLUBies) can do so is the exception.  You also 'get 
it'.

I think one reason that folks cannot think critically is because they are not 
required to during school.  In particular, high school students should be 
required to take some sort of logic and critical thinking course.  Most 
people, given the opportunity to learn, will do so.  Some colleges require a 
philosophy course where they learn logic, but only about 30% of U.S. citizens 
actually graduate from college.  So where does this leave the majority?

Another reason for the apparent lack of logic skills is that we all (because 
we are Linux users) have an interest in computers.  Computers are built on 
logic.  As an advanced computer user you have experienced cause and effect 
when working with software.  It has become ingrained.  This and the fact that 
you have a high level of intelligence has taught you to 'think critically' in 
more areas of your live than the average Joe.  You are fortunate to have this 
ability.

Finally, we are lucky enough to live in a technologically advanced and 
extremely wealthy country.  This means folks can easily become lazy and 
apathetic.  For example, why learn how to spell when the computer will check 
my spelling?  Why learn how to add when the computer (calculator) will do it 
for me?  This is the danger of technology replacing basic knowledge and IMHO 
has little to do with a labor 'productivity-niche'.

Later,
Jeff