And if you see that and go "do they actually say the words 'big oh' when they speak that outloud..." you're interviewing as successfully as I do!

I really appreciate your greater point. I've been given all sorts of CS problems in interviews that I don't have any background in understanding the context enough to know what to do. I changed careers from experimental physics, so my software work is essentially self taught. That doesn't mean I'm totally useless in my job or not an asset to my team or can't deliver products that generate massive revenue. But, those things are how interviewers make me feel.