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Why would training wheels increase reliance on other people? As I understand it, that is what self-reliance is about: Not being dependent on others overmuch to

Why would training wheels increase reliance on other people? As I understand it, that is what self-reliance is about: Not being dependent on others overmuch to solve one's problems. If that training wheels bike gets them from A to B for just a few rides, and cost/benefit of learning it properly just doesn't work out for them, they'll look silly, but otherwise ... fine if it works for them? That wouldn't fly for a bike courier, but then, most people aren't professionals using self-managed IT either, and employers pay specialists to do this properly. I believe most people only need their private devices for very light usage. I'm not very familiar with Android tablets and the people in my set of anecdata all got iPads, so that skews my perception towards Apple I guess; I didn't intend to sound like an Apple ad. Personally, I'm a strong adherent of "whatever works best" when it comes to computing products, and I'm quite opposed to sticking to one camp or other out of principle. I'm sure all of this is perfectly viable with Samsung devices as well, I believe they actually have a walk-in service point where I live, but I lack the first-hand experience. At any rate, there are those people who will not invest the time and effort to become capable sysadmins, for whom the learning curve will be far too steep and tall, who may be fluent in a language for which little good studying material is available, those who'd stop too early and just be dangerous, and those who invariably end up with a dozen shady toolbars if left to their own devices and can't be taught otherwise – and lots of those who only need their devices for some light usage in their private time, hence couldn't justify spending so much of their spare time on making things work. Computing is basic infrastructure like automotive mobility nowadays; people expect being able to operate a car with very basic technical knowledge, why should computers be different? I believe these people do gain a measure of autonomy and security from buying into one of those ecosystems. Less problems to begin with (devices/OSes are harder to break), issues are easier to fix. If that doesn't suffice, less reliance on unreliable third parties like shady "computer repair" shops or that acquaintance who knows computer stuff, instead there's a place to turn to for help that operates on actual processes and is pretty dependable to produce some solution, even if it might not be the cheapest, fastest, or best one, whether that's a Samsung Service Point or an Apple Store or whatever others offer. Maybe that doesn't strictly qualify as self-reliance, but it would seem to be an improvement regardless. And as the "guy who knows computer stuff" for way too many people, it selfishly feels like a big improvement for me, since I'm no longer needed in that capacity. I'm getting very much out of touch with Windows, anyway, and haven't been able to help at all a few times of late; fixing aging laptops can be fiendishly hard.

grawprog 6y ago
>Why would training wheels increase reliance on other people? As I understand it, that is what self-reliance is about: Not being dependent on others overmuch to solve one's problems I take self reliance a different way, the ability to completely rely one ones self for a given situation. With the training wheel example, you're not relying on your.own abilities to ride a bike, you're relying on a mechanical aid that simplifies the 'bike riding experience' should your training wheels break, your shit outta luck and your walking your bike or hitching a ride. Continuing the analogy, as you become more self reliant with your bicycle not only will you feel confident enough to remove the training wheels, but you'll learn to fix other problems. As you take your bike into new territory the training wheels wouldn't let you travel, you'll encounter new problems and by solving these problems you'll gain more self reliance with bicycles. Maybe at first that bike rider just used their bike for a short commute to work, the training wheels weren't a bother. But by removing them and discovering a bike could take you more places, maybe that bike rider decides to take up mountain biking or just going for rides for fun. >I believe these people do gain a measure of autonomy and security from buying into one of those ecosystems. Less problems to begin with (devices/OSes are harder to break), issues are easier to fix. I think autonomy and security are somehwat at odds with eachother. Having autonomy automatically means more risk. If you're self reliant and autonomous it implies you are taking responsibility for this security. >And as the "guy who knows computer stuff" for way too many people, You should be teaching them rather than condescending them. From my experiences, most people's issues with computers come down to not understanding and finding it too overwhelming to begin to learn to understand. If you're patient and positive with people they can learn. A lot of the 'those computer guys/gals' have this attitude where they believe people don't know or don't care and should be protected from themselves. I personally disagree with this attitude and have found just by being patient and positive with people you can get them to take an interest. Once they start to see they can do things for themselves, they get excited and try.
- powersnail 6y ago
  > You should be teaching them rather than condescending them. From my experiences, most people's issues with computers come down to not understanding and finding it too overwhelming to begin to learn to understand. If you're patient and positive with people they can learn. It's only condescending if you think it's bad to not wanting to learn about computers, which is an unreasonable position. > ...Once they start to see they can do things for themselves, they get excited and try. On the other hand, people may be trying to avoid learning how computers work, because they really don't care about computers and it costs time to learn about it. Getting excited about computers, in my experience, is far from universal. They'd rather be reliant on others than fixing their own computers. And that's okay. No reasonable person would look down on them for the lack of interest. That's not condescending, as I myself employ such an attitude to many things in life. I would never fix a car myself, and would not bother to learn how to do it. And I protect myself from myself, by never messing with my car in any manner. Instead, I spend some extra money to buy vehicle renowned for needing less maintenance, buy 24/7 road side assistance, and to get professionals to fix and maintain it. They my "training wheels" and I'll keep them as long as I keep the car. I don't do plumbing, I can't repair a shoe, I have zero knowledge about raising corps. Does that mean a car engineer, a plumber, a shoe maker, or a farmer will condescend me for not wanting to learn? I don't think so. We have our specialties, and it's natural to not study everything. You could say that I don't have autonomy; I'd say I have more freedom, because I only have a few decades left to live, and I'd rather spend time on things and with people that I genuinely care about.

grawprog 6y ago

>Why would training wheels increase reliance on other people? As I understand it, that is what self-reliance is about: Not being dependent on others overmuch to solve one's problems I take self reliance a different way, the ability to completely rely one ones self for a given situation. With the training wheel example, you're not relying on your.own abilities to ride a bike, you're relying on a mechanical aid that simplifies the 'bike riding experience' should your training wheels break, your shit outta luck and your walking your bike or hitching a ride. Continuing the analogy, as you become more self reliant with your bicycle not only will you feel confident enough to remove the training wheels, but you'll learn to fix other problems. As you take your bike into new territory the training wheels wouldn't let you travel, you'll encounter new problems and by solving these problems you'll gain more self reliance with bicycles. Maybe at first that bike rider just used their bike for a short commute to work, the training wheels weren't a bother. But by removing them and discovering a bike could take you more places, maybe that bike rider decides to take up mountain biking or just going for rides for fun. >I believe these people do gain a measure of autonomy and security from buying into one of those ecosystems. Less problems to begin with (devices/OSes are harder to break), issues are easier to fix. I think autonomy and security are somehwat at odds with eachother. Having autonomy automatically means more risk. If you're self reliant and autonomous it implies you are taking responsibility for this security. >And as the "guy who knows computer stuff" for way too many people, You should be teaching them rather than condescending them. From my experiences, most people's issues with computers come down to not understanding and finding it too overwhelming to begin to learn to understand. If you're patient and positive with people they can learn. A lot of the 'those computer guys/gals' have this attitude where they believe people don't know or don't care and should be protected from themselves. I personally disagree with this attitude and have found just by being patient and positive with people you can get them to take an interest. Once they start to see they can do things for themselves, they get excited and try.

powersnail 6y ago
> You should be teaching them rather than condescending them. From my experiences, most people's issues with computers come down to not understanding and finding it too overwhelming to begin to learn to understand. If you're patient and positive with people they can learn. It's only condescending if you think it's bad to not wanting to learn about computers, which is an unreasonable position. > ...Once they start to see they can do things for themselves, they get excited and try. On the other hand, people may be trying to avoid learning how computers work, because they really don't care about computers and it costs time to learn about it. Getting excited about computers, in my experience, is far from universal. They'd rather be reliant on others than fixing their own computers. And that's okay. No reasonable person would look down on them for the lack of interest. That's not condescending, as I myself employ such an attitude to many things in life. I would never fix a car myself, and would not bother to learn how to do it. And I protect myself from myself, by never messing with my car in any manner. Instead, I spend some extra money to buy vehicle renowned for needing less maintenance, buy 24/7 road side assistance, and to get professionals to fix and maintain it. They my "training wheels" and I'll keep them as long as I keep the car. I don't do plumbing, I can't repair a shoe, I have zero knowledge about raising corps. Does that mean a car engineer, a plumber, a shoe maker, or a farmer will condescend me for not wanting to learn? I don't think so. We have our specialties, and it's natural to not study everything. You could say that I don't have autonomy; I'd say I have more freedom, because I only have a few decades left to live, and I'd rather spend time on things and with people that I genuinely care about.