Already as young guy in 20's I've found this also works with female government bureaucrats (tax bureau, etc.), who are usually older women at least in their 50s and exploiting their natural maternal instinct. They will be much more laidback about your paperwork and will help you to fill it, if you just pretend to be helpless/stupid little kid they need to help.

OTOH I've found if you need to bend the rules, you are much more likely to succeed with (older) man bureaucrat who wanna show off he doesn't need to follow the rules to the T, but he can use some leeway and help you, while women will strictly follow the rules.

Obviously the young female bureaucrat in her 20-30s is best to be avoided and rather take new number and wait in queue for older female/male worker if possible.

So there are two approaches suitable depending on situation you are dealing with.

Maybe you are focusing on small statistic of older people from white-collar jobs. Most people in > 70s were primarily in jobs that never needed IT. Yes, they have seen computers , faxes, scanners but not sit in front of computers 9-5. Remember HN needs to remember plumbers, bricklayers, nurses, etc

Not everyone is from Gates type families