Basic things younger people don't know.

This reminds me of being sent, through work, on a beginner's computer training course.
"Right click"

What on earth does that mean to someone who has never used a computer before?

"Click on the icon"

What's an icon?
My colleague said she thought it was someone like Marilyn Monroe.

Double click?

Click what??

So true MissA
No one would ever believe me when I said I could not use a computer. It used to drive me mad.
They’d lost me with ‘log on’

When I was sent on a beginners computer course from work, years ago, I fell at the first hurdle. No idea how to switch the damn thing on!

The (young) instructor was more concerned with sitting on the side of the desk swinging her legs than helping an old f..t like me. I think I was the oldest person there, but only in my 40’s.

Everyone else seemed to know what to do. Awful day, went home and cried.

???

I’ve had experiences just like that Calendargirl. So much so that I had a sort of phobia of IT. It came to a head when I did teacher training a while back.
I was that close to packing it in because of it.
All I needed was a decent teacher.

That's what it was like for us.

Our other colleagues knew what the tutor was talking about, but we had no clue.

I'm also left handed, and of course, the computers were all set up with the mouse on the right.

What about the things they know but we don’t! I’d be lost without my granddaughter when it comes to sorting out my phone or I pad. We also have enlightening conversations about current fashion and beauty treatments ?

I ask my younger grandson for help with tech, and if he can't sort it out he asks his older brother.

I'm at the bottom of the pile in terms of tech savvy.

My computer course was to do with my work on the counter in a bank.

We had to do excruciating ‘mock’ scenarios with cash, and I, who always balanced my till perfectly, made a complete hash of it.

The awful trainer said, very condescendingly, “How on earth will you manage when you get back to your branch Calendar?”

Through gritted teeth, I said “I’ll be ok”, thinking anything was better than this.

On our computer ‘live’ day on the counter, we were assigned IT support. The gods were not smiling on me, my ‘helper’ was the same ghastly girl!

She took great pleasure in looking after a colleague far more than me, but I had the last laugh. At the end of the day, I balanced my till perfectly, much to her surprise.

But as you say Fanny, it left me always feeling rather inadequate with technology, and that feeling has never gone away, even after nearly 30 years.

FleurBaladine

Fuse boxes apply to the electrical wiring in your house. A fuse in a plug applies only to that gadget - if the fuse in the plug goes, it won’t work anywhere.

Yes you're right - the UK is unique in having this system. When we lived in America I was told this.

It is because British ring circuits can deliver more current than elsewhere so we need the extra safety cut-off of the individual fuses.

Surely it is all a case of things changing and not becoming necessary any more. When I was moving a teenage relative was helping me pack. Opened the cutlery drawer and held up a utensil and asked "what is this". It was a dessert fork - no-one uses them anymore so why would she know. Remember when we had separate fish knives - anyone seen those lately?

According to local radio this morning people no longer know how to use an open fire and the local fire brigade are offering advice for their safe use. I am sure most of us grew up with open fires and don't need to be told about having chimneys swept and using fire guards but if someone has only ever known central heating why would they know about these things.

I agree with your post Oldwoman70

Surely it is all a case of things changing and not becoming necessary any more. Re fires, Now we’re more worried about children knowing how to build fires.

Young people often talk about basic things many adults don’t know, how to use a computer, how to use all the gadgets on their mobile phones, how to use online banking, Spotify, Instagram, how to access iPlayer on the TV or use a sound bar.

I have just been sent a tiktok video by my DGD. At 16 she is a whizz at all things techno but probably doesn't think she is..
Me, not so much.
I was cross recently while filling in my application for a grant/loan from the energy saving trust. I printed off all 27 pages of blurb (I no longer own a printer so that was an expense) signed it and posted it to the address on the top. I waited a fortnight and then in a panic as the acceptance needed to be returned, I phoned to see why there was no reply, only to be told they wanted my acceptance by email as nobody was in the office to receive mail.

When I admitted that I would find that tricky, the girl on the phone asked me if I knew a young person who could help me!
Extremely patronising.

On Monday I hope my new boiler is to be installed.
energysavingtrust.org.uk/

Most of the staff where I work are young people (under 25) and the things they don't know frighten me. But it is not their fault because these things were all explained to me when I was young by my father and mother or at school. So, I wonder, do their parents not know these things either?
I spend alot of time explaining things to them (when asked) and the looks of surprise on there faces is mind boggling

The tv presenter, Ann Diamond, who is 68 didn’t know until this morning that confiscated drugs are incinerated. What did she think happened to them ??‍♀️

I have always kept up with technology, I have had to have a good understanding for my business.
We went to buy a new Apple computer recently, the salesman directed everything at my husband and then asked if I would be using it much!
I managed to keep it buttoned, my husband didn’t and gave the young man a bit of a dressing down.

The amazing thing about many young people is their belief that they can do anything.
One teenage DGS said, “Your toilet wasn’t flushing properly. I’ve sorted it for now but you need to get a new . . .”
He’s no plumber, but he simply googled it and did it.
I do google problems, but don’t always jump in and try to follow the fix-it instructions.

Either no school dinners with monitors correcting them constantly , or in my case, not being a dragon at the table, so long as they managed to get grub-to-gob in some way , I was ecstatic!!!?

Davida1968

I wonder how young people have a clue about how to use (paper) maps. They just use their phones. What would they do in a crisis, without Internet access?

ALL OUR 4 DS know how to orienteer either because they did DOE awards at school or learned out of interest! Although DH is ex cop and is the worst ever person to ask for directions!??

To be fair the last crisis wasnt about the internet going down. It was those who could not use the internet who were at a disadvantage during the pandemic.

I’m very pleased with all the basic things my DC DO know!
Now widowed, they are a real help in all sorts of ways, more practical than my late dear DH.
Life has changed and I remember, coming from a line of large families, the ability to produce a meal at little cost, every day, for a family of eight or ten.
I remember buying some neck of lamb to feed large numbers and the butcher said ‘You know how to cook don’t you?”.

There are still some elderly people who have remained wilfully ignorant of IT (not all mind you) and how they miss out! Relatives who I cannot send photos to etc by email and so many other things.

It’s not just young ones, a friend of mine who is admittedly not a cook, thought that sweet potatoes were ordinary potatoes with sugar added !!

My nwighbour bought a cauliflower, and the young woman behind the till had to ask what it was, so she could find the barcode.

With a fellow local councillor, I was asked to visit a school and talk to Y11 pupils about local government. It turned out that they thought we were MPs. They didn't know the difference between local and national government. I sometimes found the same confusion when speaking to adults on the doorstep.

One of my almost sister-in-laws, years ago, thought that if you took a photo of a dead person then they wouldn't show in the photo.

MissAdventure

One of my almost sister-in-laws, years ago, thought that if you took a photo of a dead person then they wouldn't show in the photo.

????????