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While they may seem related, the fact that number people who fix things hasn't gone down (in the U.S.) while the number of hand skilled laborers has, disproves such a relationship.
Not only has at-home repairs gone up, but the number of tools being sold has risen significantly in the US. The numbers don't lie.
Total nonsense. If something breaks, kids google how to fix it and have it running again in seconds. Its the old rich lazy boomers who have huge houses full of inoperable garbage because they have no clue how to internet.
57 yr old here. I fix most things in my old - 1952 - house. If I need help other old people come over. My John Deere rider is from 1989 and I take it apart yearly to rebuild parts. My truck is 22 years old and I work on it.
If the clothes dryer acts up I take it apart, clean it, inspect the belt, gaskets, rollers and button it back up. Heater is serviced by a burner mechanic.
Check on your own 'throw away' generation before pointing fingers at those who have been repairing everything before obsolescence became rule of thumb.
If a kid wanted a car in the mid 70s they knew how to turn a wrench because paying another to do so was unheard of. All of our cars were used cars from the 60s so working on them was fairly easy and all junkyards had parts for them. How many kids change their own oil these days? How many have ever changed spark plugs? Water pump, starter or alternator?
They sure like to talk 'green' and believe in global warming. If there is a concert involved it's even more pressing.
How many kids change their own oil these days? How many have ever changed spark plugs? Water pump, starter or alternator?
Majority of the population today, old and young don't change their own oil. Most don't ever need to change their spark plugs, water pump, starter or alternator. People just don't keep cars for 150,000 miles.
Well, in this I can only impart my personal experience. I am 30. I have worked in the trades most of my life with a stint in the military as the exception.
Personally, just about everyone I know asks me to fix things for them. I agree that my generation is not as handy as other generations when it comes to fixing appliances or machinery or building things but unlike me, most of my friends can write script, do graphic modification and generally use or adapt to almost all forms and formats of software or tech in a short period of time. A skill set I do not have.
So if someone wants something fixed they ask me. A house a car, motorcycle, dirt bike, washing machine or blender ect ect. They ask me. Generally most of them cannot answer the basic questions I ask. IE Is it 110 or 220? carbureted or fuel injected?
But in return, they can almost all fix lag issues on my computer or build a webpage or show me how to find specific people on facebook or even take my blurry pictures and correct them so they look great.
Just seems like a trade off to me. Kind of like cursive vs typing.
But I think that has to do with specialization right? The more progressive we become the more specialized we allow people to become? Go back far enough everyone needed to spend time growing food to some degree. Now we have people who have spent their entire lives in the medical field and nothing outside of it. My fiances uncle is a good example. He is a very good heart surgeon, but that dude cannot even cook potatoes. Seriously, on Xmas he made garlic and basil potato that I couldn't even crush in my hand they were so under cooked. But while I can cook potatoes, I cannot perform open heart surgery.
Maybe because of specialization people are able to use all of the technology around them because they need to for whatever specialized task they do, but they do not possess the skills to fix physical objects because If it breaks they just buy another cheap version?
jac,watching a you tube video it not the same as 1 on 1 interaction with a teacher - parent - friend.
You're right, but I wasn't talking about young people having only vids to learn from. I was talking about the young people *making* the vids, many of whom are as bright and capable as any people I've seen.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cyberguy1950
Being able to you tube almost anything is another nail in the coffin of real human interaction.A computer is a tool , not an answer to all of everyone's problems.
No tool is the answer to everyone's problems. Youtube vids are just another way to get info out. People who want to learn about anything look for teachers, and they won't stop with youtube.
My observation is that DIY is a little more popular with 20-somethings now than it was 20 years ago.
In the Boomer generation and earlier it was a necessity, for later Gen X/Y, not so much, disposability was in in the 80s and 90s. This newest crop of kids has a subculture that is really into mechanical aptitude, though.
Lots of DIY ideas. Lots of videos. It is fairly common for me to wind up watching one at someone insistence after I shut off the water to the house or the water heater or after Ive replaced a few burned deck boards.
Recently it has been tons and tons of DIY tiny homes or green homes like http://www.simplesolarhomesteading.com/
My sister is guilty more than most of this
So i watch the video while I try to explain thing like "The $2000 doesn't cover things like septic tanks or electrical". And "No, you probably shouldnt try to dig your own well or hook up power to a telephone pole. I dont care if there IS a DIY video."
Lots of good stuff out there to learn, but as with anything stupid is as stupid does.
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