Is the art of problem solving a dying art?

RoboRat · 17-04-2014 10:57AM #1

I think that people nowadays cant seem to take a bit of initiative and try to figure out a problem before they call for help. Once it doesn't work or there is an issue they cant seem to at least try and fix it. Several examples from this week alone:

(1) Had to do a 120 km round trip to fix a till, I am not qualified to fix such things but 'I seem to have knack' in other words, I actually try. The problem was that the till lead wasn't connected.
(2) Told the washing machine was broken when the filter had just blocked. A simple google search of the make/ model and problem told me as much and also explained how to fix it.
(3) Toast caught in the toaster... can't get it out. I unplugged it, turned it upside down and quite easily freed the imprisoned toast.
(4) Can't install outlook, I managed to do it quite simply by just going through the auto set-up wizard.
(5) Sky not working yet when I google what to do, I just switched it off, unplugged and when it restarted it was fine.

There are loads more instances, even people on these boards can't seem to google stuff!

Barely There · 17-04-2014 11:00AM

98.4% of IT issues can be solved by shutting down and re-starting.

Knex* · 17-04-2014 11:03AM

Barely There wrote: »

98.4% of IT issues can be solved by shutting down and re-starting.

72% of all facts you read on the internet are completely fictional.

The King of Moo · 17-04-2014 11:05AM

I've figured out the answer to your question.

Knex* · 17-04-2014 11:07AM

The King of Moo wrote: »

I've figured out the answer to your question.

OP, you're out. We've a got new 'fixer'.

Artful_Badger · 17-04-2014 11:10AM

Google is part of the problem. People are too use to having the answer handed to them, having their hands held or getting someone else to do it for them. And given its so easy to avoid having to do it yourself these days people develop the habit of always looking for help and never actually develop problem solving skills.

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 17-04-2014 11:11AM

What about the lost art of keeping a secret? Nothings fecking private any more, lol-omg-totes...FUCK SAKE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l0nzPpvbFs

kneemos · 17-04-2014 11:11AM

The King of Moo wrote: »

I've figured out the answer to your question.

I like your initiative.
How does 30k sound'

Call Me Jimmy · 17-04-2014 11:12AM

I find there's never a lack of problems to be solved.

kneemos · 17-04-2014 11:14AM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

What about the lost art of keeping a secret? Nothings fecking private any more, lol-omg-totes...FUCK SAKE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l0nzPpvbFs

The first line of your posts is always fcuked up,presumably because of your username.

NTMK · 17-04-2014 11:14AM

My job is 99% problem solving and the more it dies the better off i am:pac:

gugleguy · 17-04-2014 11:16AM

Poroblem solving is a dying art in today's Irish society. The replacement philosophy is based on one of entitlement, and 'they who shout the loudest' gets what they want.

danniemcq · 17-04-2014 11:16AM

Barely There wrote: »

98.4% of IT issues can be solved by shutting down and re-starting.

I have a thing called the google tax.

If the solution to your problem is solved by restarting your PC or on the first page of Google when you do a search then guess what you owe me. However if neither of these work then its free.

J_E · 17-04-2014 11:18AM

More recently I've tried to consciously make the decision to work things out for myself rather than immediately getting the solution online. I think it's a little more rewarding and always a good practice for your mind.

mike65 · 17-04-2014 11:18AM

I have never called out a man to fix something in my house (but I have to the car - modern auto electrics are designed not to be fixed by mortals).

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo · 17-04-2014 11:19AM

kneemos wrote: »

The first line of your posts is always fcuked up,presumably because of your username.

Can you at least enjoy the song I posted?

KeithTS · 17-04-2014 11:20AM

RoboRat wrote: »

(2) Told the washing machine was broken when the filter had just blocked. A simple google search of the make/ model and problem told me as much and also explained how to fix it.

(4) Can't install outlook, I managed to do it quite simply by just going through the auto set-up wizard.
(5) Sky not working yet when I google what to do, I just switched it off, unplugged and when it restarted it was fine.

Based on this, yes the art of solving a problem is dead. Googling is great but hardly problem solving. Nor is getting toast out of a toaster.

I think the problem is more like stupid people are stupid, end of!

jimgoose · 17-04-2014 11:20AM

This kind of thing rolls around every so often when society gets too comfortable and loses the ability to think as the necessity for it fades. What we need is a good old-fashioned Mad Max-style apocalyptic event, followed by a descent into primitive tribalism and Jungle law. And that'll furkan learn 'em.

groovie · 17-04-2014 11:21AM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

What about the lost art of keeping a secret? Nothings fecking private any more, lol-omg-totes...FUCK SAKE!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0l0nzPpvbFs

Great tune, and an outstanding user name. May I call you Tanga?

Chet T16 · 17-04-2014 11:21AM

Artful_Badger wrote: »

Google is part of the problem. People are too use to having the answer handed to them, having their hands held or getting someone else to do it for them. And given its so easy to avoid having to do it yourself these days people develop the habit of always looking for help and never actually develop problem solving skills.

Why waste time figuring out a solution that already exists?

hardCopy · 17-04-2014 11:23AM

Artful_Badger wrote: »

Google is part of the problem. People are too use to having the answer handed to them, having their hands held or getting someone else to do it for them. And given its so easy to avoid having to do it yourself these days people develop the habit of always looking for help and never actually develop problem solving skills.

Most people won't even google. I get asked to fix people's PCs all the time because I "understand these things". In reality all I do is type the name of whatever pop-up or search hijack they have into google and find some forum with a well written solution. Anyone could do it but like the OP said, I just get asked because I have the patience to spend an hour reading tech forums and try a few potential solutions.

The One Who Knocks · 17-04-2014 11:23AM

Barely There wrote: »

98.4% of IT issues can be solved by shutting down and re-starting.

68.2% of all statistics are made up on the spot.

17-04-2014 11:25AM

I think it come from a mind-set/social policy objective...that says/believes that every problem/ situation can be fixed if only the right solution could be found or if enough money was spent on it and that the government or state can solve everything for everyone and the reality is the state cant solve every problem and nor should they.

It almost a denial of the realities of human nature and the complexes of life.

kneemos · 17-04-2014 11:28AM

Tangatagamadda Chaddabinga Bonga Bungo wrote: »

Can you at least enjoy the song I posted?

Not bad.Needs a scrotal trauma for the high notes though.

thegreatgonzo · 17-04-2014 11:28AM

RoboRat wrote: »

I think that people nowadays cant seem to take a bit of initiative and try to figure out a problem before they call for help. Once it doesn't work or there is an issue they cant seem to at least try and fix it. Several examples from this week alone:

(1) Had to do a 120 km round trip to fix a till, I am not qualified to fix such things but 'I seem to have knack' in other words, I actually try. The problem was that the till lead wasn't connected.
(2) Told the washing machine was broken when the filter had just blocked. A simple google search of the make/ model and problem told me as much and also explained how to fix it.
(3) Toast caught in the toaster... can't get it out. I unplugged it, turned it upside down and quite easily freed the imprisoned toast.
(4) Can't install outlook, I managed to do it quite simply by just going through the auto set-up wizard.
(5) Sky not working yet when I google what to do, I just switched it off, unplugged and when it restarted it was fine.

There are loads more instances, even people on these boards can't seem to google stuff!

A lot of the time people are afraid of breaking expensive equipment they know nothing about if they go meddling at it. If it keeps you in employment plugging till leads back in or whatever it's a nice complaint to have.

Ray Palmer · 17-04-2014 11:35AM

I think part of the problem is many things are becoming more complex and intentionally made to be unserviceable. It has a cumulative effect on people not willing to attempt a fix as it becomes so frustrating. There is also fear of what people don't understand. When dealing with my mother there is no point telling her stuff and just give her simple instructions to follow, she will not deviate from those instructions.

The introduction of security screws on things is something that annoys me. No other reason than to stop people opening a device to fix it. I have come across appliance with security screws and also glued. Some have a special solvent required to remove the glue in order to open it.

Then you just have people who are lazy

Artful_Badger · 17-04-2014 11:40AM

Chet T16 wrote: »

Why waste time figuring out a solution that already exists?

I'm just saying if every solution can be handed to you you dont need to know how to actually solve problems so you wont develop problem solving skills. Stands to reason.

gugleguy · 17-04-2014 11:43AM

jimgoose wrote: »

This kind of thing rolls around every so often when society gets too comfortable and loses the ability to think as the necessity for it fades. What we need is a good old-fashioned Mad Max-style apocalyptic event, followed by a descent into primitive tribalism and Jungle law. And that'll furkan learn 'em.

An alternative movie in the same vane is "The Postman" featuring Kevin Costner as a survivor of a post apocalyptic event who takes on the roll of unifier of civilized surviving population.

jimgoose · 17-04-2014 11:45AM

Ray Palmer wrote: »

...The introduction of security screws on things is something that annoys me. No other reason than to stop people opening a device to fix it. I have come across appliance with security screws and also glued. Some have a special solvent required to remove the glue in order to open it...

Acetone, a.k.a. nail-polish remover, plus this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/rolson-100-part-power-bit-set-n26an

Sorted. :cool:

Teyla Emmagan · 17-04-2014 11:53AM

Increasingly people can't use their hands. As in, basic DIY or mending clothes, or fixing a fence. It's just a product of modern society. People grow up in homes where their parents work in offices and don't pass on any skills (because they don't have them), and they have to ring 'a man' to get anything done. It's pretty sad really. I work with a youth group and often see 14 year olds who have never seen a can opener and haven't a clue how to start using it. And then I have friends who have rewired their own houses or tiled bathrooms (and would be software engineers in real life). They are in the minority though. I think it's terribly sad that people aren't more self sufficient to be honest. It's a real bonus for any kid to grow up in a house where people are able to make their own stuff, or fix their own stuff and give them some practical skills for life. Because then you're able to apply the same process, or at least not be afraid to give it a shot, instead of just thinking 'this is clearly beyond me'.

And some people have no lateral thinking skills whatsoever. If it doesn't work (be it a software application, or a washing machine) they don't even know where to start. They don't apply any sort of reasoning to the issue, just look at it helplessly until 'the man' comes and fixes it for them. I got a day's work out of a place where the database administrator couldn't figure out an issue and I was called in (I basically know f all about databases either). He'd been looking at this error message for a week and couldn't figure it out. I googled the error message and followed the instructions to fix it. Hey presto. Took about an hour.

He was a proper case of thick to be fair though.

Ray Palmer · 17-04-2014 12:02PM

jimgoose wrote: »

Acetone, a.k.a. nail-polish remover, plus this:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/rolson-100-part-power-bit-set-n26an

Sorted. :cool:

I have that stuff. Nail polish remover doesn't work on some of the glues now as they use their own glue that requires something else. It is done intentionally to try and stop you that is the point.

Some parts are put together using special tools now that you can't possibly have unless you work for the company. Cars have specialist software that only an official authorised dealer can have. It even effects simple things like changing the light bulbs are new breaks.

Planned obsolescence and protectionary practices will eventually be challenged in the EU and stopped it is just taking time.

Is the art of problem solving a dying art?

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