quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:
Perhaps when a person witnesses a young person who seems clueless, the thought should be, "A testament to the worthlessness of today's parents."

There's certainly a measure of truth in your statement. But it doesn't change the reality that we now have before us an entire generation, who in large part, have few if any valuable skills.

When I went through school (thirty some years ago) I was struck by the sense that many seemed to feel/think that, "If you are smart you sit at a desk and make money for pushing paper (or electronic paper) and if you earn your living working with your hands, something is wrong with you. I had a few friends that still took pride in being able to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty on a project, whatever their career was, but I also knew a lot of people who not only were ignorant of how to "do stuff", but almost looked down on those who weren't. If the current generation is worthless, a whole lot of the last one wasn't much better.

There is something to specialization, but if one doesn't have some general knowledge, they can sure be taken advantage of by that "grease monkey," electrician, plumber, or "dirt mover" they hire...

quote:

Originally posted by M-11:
First thing I did after my kids got their license was have them remove/replace a tire.

Yep and check the oil, etc.

On the other hand, I know teenage girls who want to learn basics like tire and oil changes, jump starts, etc. and their dads refuse to teach them. "That's what your husband will be for."

When I was working a contract in Birmingham I usually went home for the weekend, but every once in a while my wife would come there, just for a change in routine.

One weekend she had an early morning departure out of Orlando. I picked her up at the Birmingham airport. She was pretty dirty.

She had had a blowout on the Florida Turnpike at dark-thirty a.m. on the way to the airport. She said to herself, "I am NOT going to miss that flight!" There she was, reading the Volvo owners' manual with a flashlight, and following the procedure step-by-step, on the shoulder of the highway. She had the job about done when along came a State Trooper who helped her get the stuff back into the trunk of the car and sent her on her way.

She made her flight on time.

quote:

Originally posted by brecaidra:
On the other hand, I know teenage girls who want to learn basics like tire and oil changes, jump starts, etc. and their dads refuse to teach them. "That's what your husband will be for."

What a bunch of dummies!

Husbands are for lifting heavy stuff and killing bugs in the bathroom.

Daughter turned 16 and was hot to get her DL. Made it abundantly clear she wanted my Mustang. I told her no problem. You get some familiarization, pass the requisite tests, it's yours.

Day came for the familiarization. Less than 5 minutes in, she was so fidgety, I asked her what the problem was (I was pointing out the various components under the hood).

She said it was boring, she had no interest in learning any of it, she just wanted to have the keys to drive - and her 'boyfriend' (she didn't have one at the time) would take care of all that, because "that's what men are for". I explained to her, she may be in a remote location and no-one is coming to rescue her. She said she didn't care.

I told her she had two choices. My way, with her demonstrating some proficiency and responsibility before I assisted her going out on the public roadways - or her way - where I would not spend a single dime, ever, in her entire life - on anything to do with transportation.

She wanted to go back inside and watch TV.

Saved me a lot of aggravation, expense and concern over the years. I honestly never spent a single dime toward her conveying herself anywhere. Ever.

Its just not the new generation. Back in the early 70's we moved to California. Made new
high school friends and on a trip returning from San Diego we got a flat. The two guys I was with had never changed a flat. One sat with our dates in the car shivering from the rain. At least the other one got out to help. I was stunned that a senior in high school did not know how to change a flat.

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Perhaps it is the worthlessness of their parents' generation for never taking the time to teach their kids these kind of things. A generation of hippies, freeloaders, dissolved marriages, moral bankruptcy, and now, leaching off the government.

(See how that broad brush paints in many colors?)

One cannot teach what one will not learn. My eighteen year old nephew needed new brakes on the rear of his Ford. His dad travels a lot, so I offered to walk him through the process in my garage using my tools. The kid got filthy and did all the work himself while I taught/supervised. He learned something of value that day because he was receptive and willing. My son on the other hand is more than willing to let everyone else in the world do for him because he's "too smart for that sort of thing". I've tried every way I know to teach him, but he is not receptive, and can always find a way to worm his way around an issue. So when I paint with a 'broad brush', I'm including my own kid in the painting.

So you have one member of a generation who is great, and one who sucks. So you say the generation is worthless.

Makes sense to me.

Just curious, are you more interesting in picking a fight or debating the issue? For god sake, turn on a TV occasionally and watch the utter cluelessness of an entire generation unfold for you in living color. Are there exceptions to that rule? Sure, we all can name some. But overall, as a whole, my opinion remains that the current millennial generation is worthless.

I disagree with your dismissal of today's kids. If that seems like picking a fight, I am sorry.

Every generation thinks the next generation is worthless and every generation blames the one before it for their problems. The truth lies in the middle.

One of the old goats I have breakfast with told a story about his son-in-law. SIL had a flat tire and didn't know how to change it, so he called Enterprise Rental and just rented a car for several days until his daddy-in-law could come help him change his tire. Pathetic.

I agree that the current generation of young men don't know enough about car mechanics to handle basic car stuff. I think it's bad that they don't know or care. I think some of it is cultural as well. In some other cultures, changing a tire would be a sign of lower "class", because "there are other people to do that stuff", which is a direct quote of a chinese high school exchange student I had a conversation with during some work my friend and I were doing with him (he was the US based host for the student). So this is an international problem, not just a US millenial pussy-men problem.

quote:

Originally posted by YellowJacket:
Perhaps it is the worthlessness of their parents' generation for never taking the time to teach their kids these kind of things. A generation of hippies, freeloaders, dissolved marriages, moral bankruptcy, and now, leaching off the government.

(See how that broad brush paints in many colors?)

Ding ding ding ding ding ding ding...We have a winner!

2 out of 3 of my kids are pretty much self sufficient. One of the two girls showed ZERO interest in learning how to fend for herself, and her adult (I use that term loosely) life reflects that.

I tried, but there were other issues in play and it just wasn't worth the headaches.

quote:

Originally posted by stoic-one:
I didn't allow my daughter to drive until she proved to me she could change a tire, and I also made her change the oil a time or 2 just so she knew if she was getting her money's worth at Speedi-Lube.

Did this with both my daughters as well as taught them how to drive with a manual transmission and they had to explain to me how he internal combustion engine worked.

My oldest still drives a car with a manual transmission and loves the fact that none of her friends know how to drive it. BTW, she's 30,

It's been part of my driving lessons to all three of my kids. Learn to change a tire and jump start a car. Know how to check the oil.

One of my daughters had a friend in high school, big guy, big truck. Needed a jump start. She pulls out the cables, and he just stares at her. She did it herself. Told me the story and I beamed. They even ask for refreshers when needed!

I also like to point out on our travels when there's spotty cell service. They get that AAA isn't always just a phone call away.

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:
There is something to specialization, but if one doesn't have some general knowledge, they can sure be taken advantage of by that "grease monkey," electrician, plumber, or "dirt mover" they hire...

“A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.”

― Robert A. Heinlein


Someone here on SF has this Heinlein quote as their signature line. I cannot recall who the individual is but, when I see it, I always smile.

This didn't start just recently. YEARS ago, my wife, one of her sisters and brother were on a trip and experienced a flat tire. The brother couldn't figure out the wheel had a cover on it, much less how to get it off. He called AAA.

His siblings referred to him as "cheesecake boy" after that. He was also a lawyer back then, and his father did teach him how to change a tire.

Back in the early 80s, safely changing a tire, in under 15 or 20 minutes, was part of the selection process for the police dept.

Come on guys. They run circles around you when your computer needs fixing.

when i was 16 we didn't have cellphones nevermind smartphones he could of watched a youtube video.
and i never would've called my dad to change a tire lol

quote:

Originally posted by slosig:

quote:

Originally posted by bigdeal:

quote:

Originally posted by synthplayer:
Perhaps when a person witnesses a young person who seems clueless, the thought should be, "A testament to the worthlessness of today's parents."

There's certainly a measure of truth in your statement. But it doesn't change the reality that we now have before us an entire generation, who in large part, have few if any valuable skills.

When I went through school (thirty some years ago) I was struck by the sense that many seemed to feel/think that, "If you are smart you sit at a desk and make money for pushing paper (or electronic paper) and if you earn your living working with your hands, something is wrong with you. I had a few friends that still took pride in being able to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty on a project, whatever their career was, but I also knew a lot of people who not only were ignorant of how to "do stuff", but almost looked down on those who weren't. If the current generation is worthless, a whole lot of the last one wasn't much better.

There is something to specialization, but if one doesn't have some general knowledge, they can sure be taken advantage of by that "grease monkey," electrician, plumber, or "dirt mover" they hire...

Interesting quick story. We have a super high end attorney (or so he thinks) in our neighborhood. He apparently is a very successful attorney, but he's as dumb as dirt when it comes to anything else, including getting along with his neighbors. He frequently looks down his nose at those who earn a paycheck working in the 'trades'. Last year when a pipe burst at his abode, he called a plumber to fix it for him. A few days later he and I crossed paths during which I asked him a simple question...."Last week when water was moving throughout your home, who was more important? The educated white collar attorney, or the dirt under his nails high school diploma plumber?" Funny, our conversation seemed to end right there.

quote:

Originally posted by radioman:
Come on guys. They run circles around you when your computer needs fixing.

Bologna! The ones I've met may be able to push the buttons better/faster than I can, but they have no earthly idea what goes on under the cover. I'm 54 and I can run circles around the children I know when it comes to building and maintaining PC equipment. And all of that knowledge was self-taught.

And therein lies probably my greatest gripe with this millennial generation. They can only accomplish, and usually poorly, that which they have been specifically taught. The "I can't do that because no one's ever been taught how to do it" infuriates me. Where's the initiative, the drive, the desire to acquire skills? Given the jobs I've had over the years, had I waited for someone to get around to teaching me (or had I uttered the aforementioned quoted comment), I certainly wouldn't have been promoted, given more authority, increased my paycheck, and accomplished that which I have accomplished. Maybe we can hang some of this on the parents, but this current crop of children are very unlike any other group of children I've coached or taught over the past 25/30 years.

Those commercials drive me nuts. Like the one where the lady slid into a tree and she is miffed that her insurance rate went up. Well, you big dummy don't slide into a damn tree!!!