Should You Ever Read Instructions
Two people assemble or use something while ignoring instructions, surrounded by tools and parts, emphasizing trial-and-error over guidance.
Following instructions sounds helpful until you realize it ruins the entire experience of figuring things out the hard way.
Modern tech, apps, and smart devices all come with guides, tutorials, and onboarding screens designed to make everything easier. In reality, most people skip them entirely and rely on trial, error, and mild frustration. AI assistants, algorithms, and automated systems promise to guide you step-by-step—but somehow still leave you clicking around like you’re solving a puzzle with missing pieces. That’s part of the charm. Or at least that’s what we tell ourselves (see Smart Devices Need Wi-Fi Now — https://www.chadgeepeety.com/cartoons/smart-devices-wifi-updates-cartoon).
The idea of reading instructions assumes things are built logically. But today’s digital life is powered by updates, redesigns, and features that move just enough to keep you guessing. One day it’s intuitive, the next day it’s hidden behind three menus and a “new improved” layout. So instead of reading instructions, people experiment, guess, and hope the system eventually rewards persistence. It’s the same logic behind turning things off and on again until something works (see Turn It Off And On Again — https://www.chadgeepeety.com/cartoons/turn-it-off-and-on-again).
At this point, instructions aren’t a solution—they’re spoilers.
According to Chad, if you read the instructions, you miss the discovery phase. And that’s where all the confidence comes from.
Explore more Chad Geepeety™ cartoons about AI, tech, and the everyday problems that upgrades somehow make worse.
