THE NEXT GENERATION HAS LEARNED TO FAIL.

THE NEXT GENERATION HAS LEARNED TO FAIL. The kids are much more at home with computers than my generation is. When Nick left for college, leaving the nest empty, he told us, “I give you a month.” In fact, we made it through only three weeks before we were helpless. It is partly the case that growing up with the technology makes the new generation better with it. More important is that computer games and Nintendo games train young children to be comfortable with trial and error. Mario enters a room on the screen with flowers and coins and strange objects in it. To win, Mario has to try them all. Sometimes, he wins more coins and more lives. Sometimes he dies. When the new generation encounters new technology they tinker with it. When I confront new technology, I am afraid that if I hit the wrong button, all my files will be deleted, the computer hard drive will be destroyed and all the electrical generating capacity east of the Mississippi will be burnt out. The new generation has been trained for the trial and error that Taleb claims is the key to technological progress.