I was 11 when I first took a “computer class” at school.
I say “computer class” because I think it was an introduction to Word, or PowerPoint, or something. But it certainly wasn’t useful.
In the first lesson, the teacher introduced the acronym ICT as short for ‘I Can Type’.
She said it with confidence, and I believed her.
As a young boy, I had no reason not to.
It was only a few years later in high school when I learnt it actually stood for Information and Communications Technology.
This was a trivial, non-consequential misunderstanding. But what happens when people share erroneous information on more important topics?
If you ask ten people for advice on what to do in a nuanced and sticky situation, they’ll all give you a slightly different answer.
The wisest will likely ask you questions. The fool will likely tell you there’s only one answer.
“I Can Type” can come in many forms. It’s up to us to separate the wheat from the chaff.