Train Yourself! Avoid Being Part of the Big Chief Brigade!

In over 27 years of providing computer support and consulting services, I've had to work with all kinds of people.  Some are thrilled with the latest technological gadgets; others are not.  Yet most realize that these devices can makes lives easier and more productive, especially in the business world, and therefore are not adverse to learning what is required to properly operate the device.  That interest becomes even more strong when the item can be used for entertainment purposes (DVD player, MP3 player, digital camera).

However, there's a small group of people who are members of what I endearingly refer to as the "Big Chief Brigade."  These are the individuals who refuse to learn how to operate those new electronic toys and expect others to do the work for them.

You know who I'm talking about.  The co-worker who has been producing a weekly report for the past three years and still comes to you every Friday morning, asking if you'd help her print it in landscape instead of portrait mode because she "can't" figure out how to do it.  The friend who bought himself a new MP3 player yet nags you every time he gets a new CD, saying he needs you to upload it to his device because he "can't" make it work right.  The relative who broke down and bought cable and a DV-R player, only to call you up several times a week to show him how to record another television series or movie because he "can't" understand how the manual says to do it.

These aren't people who think the CD drive on the computer is a cupholder.  Neither are they individuals who have legitimate learning disabilities.  They want all the privilege of owning and operating a new device without having to accept the responsibility of learning how to do it themselves.  So they use the word "can't" as a substitute for "won't" and make themselves out to be stupid people, needing others to help them out and reaping the benefits without having to put in any of the work.  Oh, no, these people are not stupid at all.

I know people don't like change, but I have little tolerance for folks who take this attitude.  In fact, I have one word for them:  LAZY.  If you refuse to gas up your car and won't learn how to do minor preventive maintenance like checking tire pressure and fluid levels, don't come crying to me when you run out of gas or your car breaks down.  Ditto with that new computer system that you had to have but won't take the time to understand how it works or what the operating system and applications actually do.  (I'd recommend buying a Mac, but even they require a level of willingness to learn on the part of the user.)  If you're not going to learn how a device works, do your kids a favor and give it to them so they can get some enjoyment out of it, and leave the rest of us alone.

My personal opinion and professional recommendation is that we refuse to allow these individuals access to any high-tech devices.  They don't use them properly anyway.  Instead, we give them a Big Chief tablet and a number 2 pencil.  They can get their work done using the tools they already know, leaving the rest of us to adapt to change and move on with our lives.  In fact, it reminds me of a story I once read.  There were these creatures called dinosaurs that used to rule the earth...!