I come across this a fair bit. What it seems to be, is a complete lack of critical thinking.

Once an end user hits any type of wall, they just freak out and ask the helpdesk.

You can really tell who uses technology, and who grew up with technology. There does seem to be a broadening gap.

Yeah, especially when you imagine that they are accustomed to not having to seek out knowledge or even entertainment. When algorithms feed you everything and your attention becomes a commodity you don't need to develop the skill to actually find it, or the wherewithal to even imagine that you need to go out and find it.

I believe those of us who were online in the 1995-2010 era remember what it was like to have an internet full of possibilities that you could explore and discover, but that was the exception.

I don't think they're tech-illiterate in general; there are certain things they don't understand because they've never really had to - filesystems, for instance - but that's no different from most Millennials not understanding CLIs.

Some?? In my experience ALL.

The older generation grew up in the time that you had "to get it" on some level to do anything.

The current gen ((my) kids 12,15) just don't use it the moment it doesn't work. Zero effort, zero will to learn. Because there's always another option which does work instantly. Fuck privacy, fuck my rights.