I say it like I'm sure, but honestly I worry about this. It's possible we achieved such a technological peak that future generations won't be able to understand the basics; only the simplifications, leading to the premise of Idiocracy.
That being said, we've always built knowledge on top of the backs of others and never really had to deal with supporting its weight without necessarily knowing the basics. It would really make for an interesting case study if it led to the collapse of society.
> It's possible we achieved such a technological peak that future generations won't be able to understand the basics
I don't think it's this, and I don't think programming is so hard (it's the business logic that is hard when you have to specify it exactingly, to reference the thread.) I think that the manufacturers of the various computers we use make it unbelievably difficult and scary to touch anything, and cast quite a bit of suspicion on you for even wanting to change anything.
That being said, we've always built knowledge on top of the backs of others and never really had to deal with supporting its weight without necessarily knowing the basics. It would really make for an interesting case study if it led to the collapse of society.