Hacker News Reader

Comment by rTX5CMRXIfFG | Hacker News Reader

I don't think that the commenter expected her to know Excel, but the tone of her response especially where she started saying "I don't care" can be reasonably interpreted as dismissive and defensive to the point of being proud, which is really odd because it's not like people are blaming her for the production crew's mistake?

Not knowing computers at this day and age (or whenever that video was shot which seems recent) is not a cool thing to celebrate, because the most basic computer skills are now as important as knowing how to drive. But I really think that more than a criticism of her intelligence, people really are criticizing her character. She could have handled this more gracefully by laughing it off, because it is laughable.

View on HN

I'll argue that, in 2023, the most basic 'computer' skills are knowing how to:

* buy a smartphone (okay, not even a skill)

* connect to the internet

* visit a website

* install an app

* use basic apps, e.g. read/send email, read/send text messages, view/take photos

That's it. And none of this is necessary for survival, nor to even be what I'd call a well-rounded person. They're just modern conveniences. Things beyond this are trainable. People get bonus points for knowing how to use 2FA or spot phishing attempts or other scams, but I view this is going beyond the purview of basic computer skills into basic cybersecurity.

So I don't see not knowing what Excel is as equivalent to not 'knowing computers.' But you know what, why do you get to choose what is a 'cool thing' to celebrate? If someone chooses to be computer illiterate and celebrates it, why is that a problem? My wife doesn't know how to drive. Guess what, she'll never murder someone with a car. Kudos to her.

Excel is a ubiquitous tool with many applications for life in the information age so don’t even take this out of context and argue about life situations in the Stone Age.

If you’ve ever tried managing your own finances in a seriously methodical manner, for example, and you should, then using Excel or alternative spreadsheet software simply would be inevitable. Are you saying that managing your own finances is not an important life skill, let alone a chore? Should anyone be proud at all that they don’t? Heck, she has achieved some success as an artist so she must have money to manage and understand. Even rich people who have businesses to run must deal with Excel on a regular basis, because not doing so is gross neglect and can have serious consequences, both financially and legally.

I don’t understand why you’re so hellbent on defending ignorance, to be honest. If you’re not aware, you should know that you went a really long way to defend not knowing Excel, to think that for Kelly Rowland herself, I only criticised her tone.

How can you be so blind to the worldview of people outside your bubble and be so proud of it ?

Exactly yesterday,I was helping a friend at the end of a workshop on accounting for entrepreneurs in social sectors.

To wrap up the two days class, he asked them what they had learned.

To my surprise a good number of them said they had learned making a simple formula in excel cells. ( white , 20-something , males, just in case you were wondering ).

There is a big world out there full of normal people that don't have the faintest idea about things you consider basic skills.

I love spreadsheets, and I use them all the time, even in my personal life. Not once did I state that Excel sucks, is unimportant and shitty software, that no one should know it, or that people should have poor financial habits. I am not "defending ignorance." I have literally taken university-level accounting courses out of personal interest, despite not being an accountant by profession. (Although, I tend to use Google Sheets more because it's free and still functions well.)

What I am defending is someone saying that they don't know what Microsoft Excel is and don't care and having other people refer to that as prideful ignorance.

Excel isn't a ubiquitous tool outside of your world buddy. Any rich person isn't worried about their finances most of that stuff is delegated to a financial advisor so I don't know what you're talking about.

> because the most basic computer skills are now as important as knowing how to drive.

This is the best comparison used because like knowing how to drive not everyone needs to know basic computer skills, so thanks for backing up OP and Kelly. o7

It would only be a good comparison if 90 percent of jobs in the US required you to drive as part of the job.

To be honest, “I don’t care” seems to be the most reasonable/sensible thing anyone said in this situation so far.

> the tone of her response especially where she started saying "I don't care" can be reasonably interpreted as dismissive and defensive to the point of being proud

I interpret the "I don't care" as "that's pedantic" and "I have more important things to focus on".

I don't care about Kelly Rowland Excel memes either. Good reason to lash out at someone you don't know?

> because the most basic computer skills are now as important as knowing how to drive

Maybe not knowing how to *drive*, lots of people don't need to know that, but it's kind of up there with knowing how to read.

Reply on news.ycombinator.com