Everything is Amazing, Nobody is Happy
I initially came across this Conan O’ Brien video courtesy of Tom Richmond. It’s an interview featuring Louis C.K. Despite how amazing technology has advanced, people still find things to complain about. Amazing.
I hear this a lot from students. When their work isn’t up to snuff, they blame the equipment (“This computer sucks/ is too slow/ etc.”) and tools they use. Despite the plethora of resources available to them (books, Internet, magazines, etc.) many of them fail to go out of their way to seek additional knowledge.
Do they even realize the things that they are doing now (3D modeling, web design, Photoshop) weren’t even possible a mere 20 years ago? What are people going to complain about 20 years from now?
Some people need a reality check.
-Krishna
These beautiful and intelligent people wrote
Tell me what you think!
Klas
March 7, 2009 at 8:56 amEvery time someone invents something, it’s either kept outside the confines of the general public and is thus considered amazing or it gets turned into a commodity.
This isn’t being spoiled, it’s not even talking about “taking things for granted”, it’s being human.
Every single generation will complain about the new generations unwillingness to be happy cause the goals the previous generation set for themselves has been met, while the new generation will always be noticing issues with the current setup and want to address those issues.
This is how society is built.
So, no, people shouldn’t stay thankful for commodities, cause then society will stagnate.
So, no, this thought is about as thought-through as people joking about why you don’t build plane from the same material as the black boxes.
Krishna
March 7, 2009 at 9:15 amTrue. Innovation occurs because people aren’t satisfied with the status-quo. It’s important for advances. Totally agree. But there needs to at least be an appreciation for what’s come before and an understanding that sometimes the fault lies in the user, not the technology.
Tom Richmond
March 7, 2009 at 9:30 amKlas- There is a big difference between someone saying “This doesn’t work as well as it should, I’m going to do something about it” and someone whining “This isn’t good enough for me… YOU do something about it. NOW.” That’s what this clip is about.
Theala Sildorian
March 8, 2009 at 11:19 pmBoy, Krishna, you just hit on another of my soapbox issues. I just had a student in my office whining about how she’s failing my course. She gets my lectures in iTunes, my classroom discussions, a great textbook, simulation clinic (using the computerized manikins I mentioned in another post). What does she use as her primary source for study? A book that is essentially “Cliff Notes for Nurses.” And yet it’s my fault she can’t pass the exams. Sheesh!