Change. Most of us say we don’t like it. Certain opportunists thrive in it. Tradition stands against it. Technology washes over it. Culturally, it’s unavoidable. Politically, we argue for it until we are in control, at which point we do anything to stifle it. Historically, elites have tended to defend the status quo while the rabble have fought to disrupt it. Bottom line, power hates change. Opportunity seeks it out.
As young upstarts, we challenge stuff as a natural part of our struggle to find our way. I remember when my father, still a young family man, argued with my grandfather in favor of using artificial insemination to improve the family beef herd. This was back in the eighties, when black Angus ruled. Change was coming…as it always is. Perhaps I was ahead of my time when I chose to work the herd in Sundowner boots and a cap, while listening to Depeche Mode’s Violator album via the Sony Walkman strapped to my belt. Perhaps I was merely odd.
At dinner this past week, I upset my youngest son by suggesting he should simmer down and learn typing by using the classical method by which he is being taught…instead of insisting that his method is better. Looking back, I’m a bit ashamed of that parenting choice. Will learning to type the “right way” benefit him in life? Almost certainly. But what if his way is better? What if my youngest son was on a course to improve human keyboarding proficiency by 3.6% until his father crushed his spirit by telling him to just be a good little automaton? Don’t challenge the status quo. Don’t rock the boat. All the dozens of years of typing instruction can’t possibly have gotten it wrong. Home position is the best position. Don’t grow your hair long as a boy, don’t cut it short as a girl. Don’t get a tattoo, and turn down that damn music!
The good news is that we all know most of this sort of prattling on by old people is ignored by young people. And rightly so. Once us old people have found our place in life, we don’t want the rest of the riffraff to unsettle it. We stop swimming against the flow quite as much as we used to. We hunker down. At least most of us do. Some of never find our place, and therefore we keep chirping at all the nesters as we stream past.
I’m okay with change. I recognize that most of my ways suck. Most of our current systems and institutions could use extensive upgrades. Why should I be content with typing fifty words a minute using the home row method of typing when my son could invent something better? You know what? Screw typing all together. Why do I still need fingers to translate thoughts into words on a screen?
After his schooling is finished today, I’m gonna make a point to apologize to my youngest son. I’m gonna tell him he should endeavor to pass his typing class using whatever method of typing he deems most efficient. If he can figure out how to type thirty words per minute by banging his head on the keyboard or by vocalizing whale song, then more power to him. Change ain’t so scary, and everything we old people pass down to the young ones should in the best case scenario be considered scaffolding for them to build upon and in the worst case scenario a bunch of bullplop to be shoveled onto the compost heap.
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