Smarter Vs. Dumber

I've got a new colleague. His name is....(whatever, I choose to omit his name out). I have to say that for a graduate, I find it difficult to believe that he's one of those people out there. Meaning to say that I was hoping for someone to prove me wrong by showing me that they could read instructions. He couldn't. In my company everyone gets a Kensington lock for our Notebook.

Here's a picture of it.

So anyway, it was his and under his care. If he doesn't know how to use it (it's really simple, all you have to do is...). So this new colleague of mine didn't ask the ones who are using it, or even read the instructions. He then (forcefully) try to use it and it broke. I'm standing next to him (after he wreacked it) and I looked at the lock and then to him and asked him if he read the manual. He says, "No, I just use it first". Sigh.

Here's what's wrong in my opinion.

1. People in city today is mostly educated to a certain degree. At least they could read and write. At least they could but nnnnoooo. People today, even though they can read and write (and profane), they choose NOT to read. I mean, a simple one-page instruction manual (really, the instruction manual is that short and it's actually half the size, with diagrams), could not be followed by an educated graduate. This tells me that they are lazy to read. Then why the company printed out the instruction manual in the first place? They wrote it to guide the people that wants to know how to use their product. Unfortunately graduates today are illiterate. And their excuse is they want fast and they are too lazy. Actually they are asking for trouble and they think that they can manage without actually knowing that they can't.

2. You know you can't do it and yet you want to try without reading the manual? Very good. It's not like there is no manual. Reminded my previous incident where the instruction manual to assemble the Ikea bed frame was lost and I had to assemble it. It took me hours and some trial-and- error before I could get the bed frame assembled. If I had the manual, it would take me a third of the total time. I mean, how hard is it to follow instructions especially if you are completely clueless about the product?

3. Even graduates, who are suppose to be more intelligent, are dumb to a very low level making them look very silly when they try to look intelligent since I-dont-need-the-manual ego kicks in gear.


Humans. Will we ever change? This suppose to be the time where everyone is educated and the world suppose to go forward yet we choose not to follow instructions. Interesting isn't it? Wisdom comes with time but instructions are everywhere. Little, little instructions and yet the educated group can't follow. Don't speed while driving. Don't drink and drive. Read manuals for things that you're not sure of. Still the intelligentsia can't do what they preach sometimes. I don't mind if they don't have wisdom (wisdom is something that you can't read from books alone, you have to experience it and each accquires wisdom differently. Touch a porcupine, a person may have wisdom not to touch it anymore and yet another may want to touch it but use different method to touch; with a glove perhaps) but skills and knowledge comes from reading and learning from others. Oops. This wisdom and knowledge can be quite long and so I'll skip this for now.