I think there’s always a benefit to learn “low level” tasks that may not be relevant to daily use but inform children (or young adults) how these things work from a fundamental standpoint. For example, your rubbing two sticks example, there is a benefit to knowing the basics of how this works, how to achieve it, and the science behind why it works. I think those lessons are things that kids today have already, but are missing it when it comes to the world of technology/maths/computer sciences.

Having said that, I have no kids so I have no say on this matter. If I did have a kid, I would hope that they learn the foundation of any technology they are expected to use on a day-to-day basis.

The thing is, there was a minute where to get online, to use a computer, to do these things, you needed basic tech troubleshooting competence.

Just like there once was a time where if you weren’t a bit of a mechanical type, you couldn’t make an automobile work.

These days, it’s pretty rare to see someone who can do work on their own car. The cars have gotten both vastly more complex and significantly more reliable. Meaning fixing it up is both harder and less necessary. That means when an inevitable problem DOES happen, you have to take it to a mechanic. The cost of car ownership is at an all-time high. It also means that people don’t even know basics. They don’t know how to do simple stuff like changing an air filter, oil, or sometimes even wiper fluid & blades. That feels pretty not good, as someone who wants advocacy for consumers. It’s true that it barely costs more to get an oil change than just the cost of the oil – but also, there’s a whole predatory industry in the halo around oil changes.

That’s happening with computers too. Since you can mostly use them without troubleshooting, the skills of troubleshooting atrophy. Or maybe aren’t developed in the first place. And just like with cars, life goes on. The basic issues? You can still fix them. It just costs a bit more and a halo of predatory shit around that is a problem, but life goes on.

I’ve mostly switched to riding an eBike lately. Mechanically simple. I can deal with it myself. Very little to break down or surprise me with costs the way my car likes to. I wonder what the electronic equivalent of that kind of lifestyle-simplification would be.