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ok I'm not a prepper type although some aspects of it do appeal to me. I recently moved into a brand new development and most of the neighbors are younger than me. Child ages for their families are typically 10 or younger. My oldest is going to college.
Among my young neighbors it seems there is no desire to do anything for themselves. Hiring people to wash and fold their clothes, pick up after their dog and build their garden beds seems ridiculous to me but when I'm out there building my gate, fixing my car and mowing my lawn it feels like I'm the only one in the neighborhood. My 12yo son was dog sitting for a family on vacation and I could see some things in the house that needs a quick repair that just gets ignored entirely.
is the age of the handyman just lost to this new generation where they have to hire someone to perform the smallest of repair jobs?
It sounds like your neighbors are the classic urban clueless and nature will thin them when the going gets rough. Maybe you could sell your house and move to the country. Country people tend to do a lot for themselves.
Generally, people who move into 'developments' are urbanites. They may live in suburbia, but they work in the cities, and they think like city-slickers. And if they are young, no matter where they live, they don't have a clue. Just call city hall on their smartphone, and a crew will be sent out to take care of it.
Why do you suppose this board is frequented by so many "mature" people, who generally agree that cities are the worst places to live, and the country is the best place to restore your sanity?
You will probably be so much happier getting out of that development. I know what kind of people you describe and I don't understand it either. Besides all the reasons already listed, it's such a waste of money that can be put away in savings rather than spent on things that can be done yourself.
ok I'm not a prepper type although some aspects of it do appeal to me. I recently moved into a brand new development and most of the neighbors are younger than me. Child ages for their families are typically 10 or younger. My oldest is going to college.
Among my young neighbors it seems there is no desire to do anything for themselves. Hiring people to wash and fold their clothes, pick up after their dog and build their garden beds seems ridiculous to me but when I'm out there building my gate, fixing my car and mowing my lawn it feels like I'm the only one in the neighborhood. My 12yo son was dog sitting for a family on vacation and I could see some things in the house that needs a quick repair that just gets ignored entirely.
is the age of the handyman just lost to this new generation where they have to hire someone to perform the smallest of repair jobs?
If you make $50-$100 per hour, it only seems normal that you would hire someone without education and better opportunity to break their back for $8/hour while you do the fun stuff. Nothing wrong with that - capitalism assumes that there are people who make stuff, sell stuff, offer services etc. Barter based and DIY societies wouldn't go very far...
ok I'm not a prepper type although some aspects of it do appeal to me. I recently moved into a brand new development and most of the neighbors are younger than me. Child ages for their families are typically 10 or younger. My oldest is going to college.
Among my young neighbors it seems there is no desire to do anything for themselves. Hiring people to wash and fold their clothes, pick up after their dog and build their garden beds seems ridiculous to me but when I'm out there building my gate, fixing my car and mowing my lawn it feels like I'm the only one in the neighborhood. My 12yo son was dog sitting for a family on vacation and I could see some things in the house that needs a quick repair that just gets ignored entirely.
is the age of the handyman just lost to this new generation where they have to hire someone to perform the smallest of repair jobs?
It interferes with their online gaming, clubbing and buying the newest and most expensive car. If they have to put down their "smart" phone to do it, they can't or won't.
Sweat is a dirty word if you're working, you only sweat in the gym.
A guy I know wanted his son to learn how to do something, anything, besides play on the computer so he drug him to my forge so I could teach him to blacksmith.
It lasted about 4 hours until he discovered you got dirty and tired working with your hands like that. Haven't seen him since.
There are some folks that can still provide for themselves and do for themselves, but they are getting more and more rare as it becomes "demeaning" and "menial" and "beneath them" for some folks to actually change their own oil or paint the trim on their house. There are "those people" for actual manual labor and those that look down their noses at it will never understand how it feels to actually look at a job that you did with your own hands and sweat, and do it well for yourself.
Let them suck on their overpriced bad coffee and poo-poo over the plight of the "poor" while they spend everything they ever hope to learn on garbage that they need to get the newest and best of each week to keep up with the rest of their hipster crowd.
Let them live in ignorance. It's what they do best.
I am 71. I believe one reason that fewer young people have any repair/handyman skills is the prevalence of divorce and the resultant large number of boys who grow up without a father. My father did jobs around the house and on the car, even though he was a chemist and wore a tie to work, and I helped him with those jobs, whether I wanted to or not. That basic social pattern of the 1950's (with the relatively low divorce rate) has broken down.
In addition, the family car as a source of leaning for boys is problematic now because of the complexity and computerization involved. Very expensive diagnostic equipment is now required to work on them; that wasn't the case on our 1953 Chevrolet. LOL
Once that basic transmission of skills from father to son has broken down, then it stays broken, because the modern fathers don't possess the skills to transmit even if they wanted to.
It interferes with their online gaming, clubbing and buying the newest and most expensive car. If they have to put down their "smart" phone to do it, they can't or won't.
Sweat is a dirty word if you're working, you only sweat in the gym.
A guy I know wanted his son to learn how to do something, anything, besides play on the computer so he drug him to my forge so I could teach him to blacksmith.
It lasted about 4 hours until he discovered you got dirty and tired working with your hands like that. Haven't seen him since.
There are some folks that can still provide for themselves and do for themselves, but they are getting more and more rare as it becomes "demeaning" and "menial" and "beneath them" for some folks to actually change their own oil or paint the trim on their house. There are "those people" for actual manual labor and those that look down their noses at it will never understand how it feels to actually look at a job that you did with your own hands and sweat, and do it well for yourself.
Let them suck on their overpriced bad coffee and poo-poo over the plight of the "poor" while they spend everything they ever hope to learn on garbage that they need to get the newest and best of each week to keep up with the rest of their hipster crowd.
Let them live in ignorance. It's what they do best.
Sounds like those are the people who will be standing on their roof tops with a big HELP ME sign.
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