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Ammoholic |
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... | |||
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Member |
Yep and check the oil, etc. | |||
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Spectemur Agendo![]() |
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." SIGforum's triple minority "It can't rain all the time." - Eric Draven | |||
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אַרְיֵה![]() |
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. הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים | |||
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I believe in the principle of Due Process ![]() |
What a bunch of dummies! Husbands are for lifting heavy stuff and killing bugs in the bathroom. Luckily, I have enough willpower to control the driving ambition that rages within me. When you had the votes, we did things your way. Now, we have the votes and you will be doing things our way. This lesson in political reality from Lyndon B. Johnson "Some things are apparent. Where government moves in, community retreats, civil society disintegrates and our ability to control our own destiny atrophies. The result is: families under siege; war in the streets; unapologetic expropriation of property; the precipitous decline of the rule of law; the rapid rise of corruption; the loss of civility and the triumph of deceit. The result is a debased, debauched culture which finds moral depravity entertaining and virtue contemptible." - Justice Janice Rogers Brown | |||
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Who else?![]() |
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. | |||
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Cogito Ergo Sum |
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. | |||
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Caribou gorn![]() |
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. I'm gonna vote for the funniest frog with the loudest croak on the highest log. | |||
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Not really from Vienna![]() |
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. | |||
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Member![]() |
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. Lover of the US Constitution Wile E. Coyote School of DIY Disaster | |||
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Three Generations of Service ![]() |
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. Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent. | |||
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Cruising the Highway to Hell ![]() |
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, “Government exists to protect us from each other. Where government has gone beyond its limits is in deciding to protect us from ourselves.” ― Ronald Reagan Retired old fart | |||
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Member |
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. | |||
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Doubtful...![]() |
“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. Best regards, Tom I have no comment at this time. | |||
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Member![]() |
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. Sic Semper Tyrannis If you beat your swords into plowshares, you will become farmers for those who didn't! Political Correctness is fascism pretending to be Manners-George Carlin | |||
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Ignored facts still exist |
Come on guys. They run circles around you when your computer needs fixing. . | |||
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Member![]() |
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 "They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin, 1759-- Special Edition - Reverse TT 229ST.Sig Logo'd CTC Grips., Bedair guide rod | |||
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Member![]() |
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. ![]() ----------------------------- Guns are awesome because they shoot solid lead freedom. Every man should have several guns. And several dogs, because a man with a cat is a woman. Kurt Schlichter | |||
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Member![]() |
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. ----------------------------- Guns are awesome because they shoot solid lead freedom. Every man should have several guns. And several dogs, because a man with a cat is a woman. Kurt Schlichter | |||
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Member |
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!!! | |||
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