As painful as it is, I think these cultural lessons are necessary, for a few reasons. The first is that people should not buy something just because someone ma

As painful as it is, I think these cultural lessons are necessary, for a few reasons. The first is that people should not buy something just because someone made promises about it; that's how snake oil sales work. They promise the moon, take your money, and run. Instead people should think critically, ask questions, do research. That may mean becoming more technically literate, or not buying it if they can't understand it. (Is a "smart home" really smart just because "smart" is in the name? Or is "smart" just another "miracle cure-all" ?) And that follows to the second reason: we shouldn't depend too much on technology that we don't understand or control. If your car breaks and you can fix it, you don't have a $20,000 paperweight. If your car breaks and only the manufacturer can fix it, and they go out of business/stop supporting it, yikes. Not to mention if you're in a bad situation where you need to get yourself back on the road in a hurry. But really, all that applies to all parts of your life: being able to read a map, mail a letter, plant a garden, repair things in your home, cook a meal, etc. Basic knowledge that I'll bet is becoming rarer with each generation. We need to encourage people to deeply understand the world around them so they don't end up as helpless consumers expecting someone else to take care of them.