Yes, but the problem is it's hard to know exactly how ignorant the person you're explaining it to is.
For example, I recently had to explain just-in-time compilation to a manager. If I had launched into an explanation like "well, it's dynamically translated, so the compiler is generating machine code at runtime," I would've gotten a blank stare in return. So without knowing where the holes in his knowledge were, I had to begin with "OK, so you know code is like a big list of instructions, right?", which I'm sure came off as condescending.
For example, I recently had to explain just-in-time compilation to a manager. If I had launched into an explanation like "well, it's dynamically translated, so the compiler is generating machine code at runtime," I would've gotten a blank stare in return. So without knowing where the holes in his knowledge were, I had to begin with "OK, so you know code is like a big list of instructions, right?", which I'm sure came off as condescending.