As children, we tolerate this method because we don't know any better. As adults we tolerate it because we've been told (and for some reason we believe) we should already know at least some of the things we seek to learn (though, one wonders what the point of instruction is if one is thought to already know). Some of you may have heard one person in a troubled couple ask the other, "What's wrong?" You may then have heard the other say, "If you don't know, I'm not telling you." Thousands of people from the latter half of this kind of couple man a government agency.
There are those who teach, instruct, and assist because they want to share. They care whether or not you learn and this shows in their method, which often includes follow-up. Then there are those who just want to be on top so they can look down on you. They keep others from reaching the top by removing some of the steps. They tap into the well of nobility by appearing to share when really they have no method and no follow-up, and the only thing they want you to learn is how smart they are. This is why normally reasonable people end up swearing, shouting, experiencing chest pains, crying, or smashing things during or after a call to a customer support line. For many, the same occurs when having to take an unpaid day off from work to visit any government agency. Round this out with having achieved absolutely nothing and you end up with a significant portion of the populace thinking themselves morons while the rest think themselves masters.
The Masters Degrees held by my third grade teachers didn't help them understand how only one row of children in each classroom could be doing well in both Math and English while opposite sides of the rooms floundered at these different subjects. If you were to stand in the back of either classroom facing the chalkboard, you would see row one on your left and row five on your right. The English teacher was right-handed. She stood with her back to rows one and two, writing on the chalkboard and explaining as she went. The Math teacher was left-handed. He stood with his back to rows four and five, writing on the chalkboard and explaining as he went. Both erased to make room for the next lesson before stepping away from the board. This left the rows of students behind them without any of the information needed to move along with everyone else. Because it was 1971, we children were not allowed to speak. The teachers were clearly too dense to realize their fathers weren't glassmakers, and we were not afforded the opportunity to remind them of this.
Article comments
1 - robin
*grin* I have "control panel" in my start menu...does that mean something? I didnt find "settings" though....well to be frank I wouldnt know what to do with them if I did have it.
My son is potentially the victim of overzealous teaching. They've decided he's in need of an in-class occupational therapist. They can't get him to write his name neatly or put his shoes on without help. There's one thing I know they don't. He's lazy. He doesnt WANT to write his name--and why should he when there are so many other things in the classroom to do? And he certainly doesnt want to get dressed without help. Help is more fun. Help gives him attention, specifically from his pretty teacher.
Im not going anywhere with this...I just enjoyed (and empathized with) what you wrote (as usual) and felt like blabbing...
2 - dad
"Thousands of people from the latter half of this kind of couple man a government agency."
I met that person when I went to apply for my social security. She called me about my appointment and couldn't understand what I wanted. I told her that I was ready to retire and wanted to draw my social security. She informed me that that wasn't possible as I was already retired. After a few explicit exchanges of words, I told her I was going to make my appointment. She had guards waiting for me. Again she explained that I was retired and when I asked for proof she showed me the computer entry that said I was retired. When I asked why there were no SS payments and my income hadn't changed dramatically she again pointed to the "retired" block on the screen. When I threatened to make some calls to Washington DC she looked further and agreed that perhaps there had been a mistake.
Maybe,just maybe, she learned something from someone about relying on computers and computer personnel without questioning the result.
3 - Donnie Marler
Good article, Diana. I think I've talked to that guy myself.