Equalized Stupidity (005)

Sorry for the offensive title. I know it’s probably an overstatement.
I just read of the Navy’s Shipwide Electronic Maintenance Aid (SWMA). This is a tablet PC type device that lets the maintainer or servicing person do the job with little or no experience because they can call back to some central knowledge repository. Less people, and less embedded human knowledge requires this technology answer.

I give them credit for answering a need. In other cases, the push of technology and “ease of use” has caused degeneration of human intellect and capability. Two examples come to mind: 1) automatic car transmissions’ birth from a world of tractors and manual shift vehicles, and 2) Windows domination of what used to be a CP/M and Unix computer world.

Convenience and simplicity cost something. What is it? The “I’m okay, you’re okay” mentality is no longer an aberration or a moral or political agenda, but a recognition of reality. Everybody is okay because nothing is asked of them! Personally, I’d rather be an expert in something worth being an expert in, and I like to be surrounding by other experts who are really good in what I’m not.

About Brian

Engineer. Aviator. Educator. Scientist.
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