Please learn how to use your computer » Nieman Journalism Lab
In 2026, I’m hoping — begging, really — that we finally retire the idea that digital incompetence is an acceptable personality quirk in professional settings. Learn the shortcuts. Read the error messages. Google it (or, hell, ask the bots) before you ask someone else to Google it for you.
While I agree and wish my mom would do that, I also have accepted that she won’t adapt at her 82 years of age.
@AlexKucera The 80+ year olds can be forgiven.
The 30+, 40+, and 50+ year olds cannot.
I’m a technology consultant and I can tell you a huge part of my skillset is that I can simply Google better and comprehend answers faster than my clients.
@patrickrhone Oh, man, 100% this. People think I do magic with computers; usually it just means I can make better Google queries and weed through the answers quickly.
@patrickrhone some semesters I teach an undergrad tech class. Their computer literacy is dreadful, almost none of them have taken a computer class before mine. Social apps do not teach any meaningful skills.
@isaacgreene Sad but true.
I think there is much room for one to develop a high school course around things like how to use keyboard shortcuts and search query.
@patrickrhone I’d argue this should be an upper elementary school or middle school course. If I’m remembering correctly that was about the time I was taught to write a basic research paper/use a card catalog.