Fail to catch on, and get left behind in the technological junk heap of history. Sure, you can do well in society today without having PC knowledge, but you'll have to work harder, just like you would without a telephone or car. The problem is, computers aren't like other appliances. They are much more complex, and they are much more likely to break down or not work at all. And too often, people give up.
Computer companies are partly to blame.
Their business is based on pushing out millions of machines at a low profit margin per unit. Quality gets sacrificed. In all likelihood, any PC you buy will never be thoroughly tested before leaving the factory. Typically, companies only spot-check batches of machines for defects in the manufacturing process. But consumers are also partly to blame, because most insist on a low price above all else.