Mine too... although I continued to work on cars, do household renovations etc on my time off. Both of my kids watched/absorbed. My son didn't like to get his hands dirty. My daughter loved it.
Unfortunately, things didn't work out well. Marriage ended. Daughter took up skydiving; now dead. Son got into Reddit while in university; now decided he's a girl. Likelihood of grandkids... effectively nil.
On the upside, second marriage is amazing. Her son is prolific; currently at seven grandkids (four different mothers so not ideal). We have a good relationship with some of them. Hopefully things will keep getting better.
Another brilliant, insightful and poignant article, EKO. I have watched this erosion of skills over my adult life. Sadly, I also see it in my medical profession, not just the loss of skills to make and fix things, but the loss of physical diagnosis and clinical skills that I was taught in medical school and residency and are no longer being taught. Doctors are taught to follow algorithms and insurance guidelines rather than critically analyzing an individual. Patient tailoring treatment to the individual. Another casualty of the same forces that pushed the changes you describe - corporatization, DEI, political correctness, “image”…there are so many negative forces at play. It’s so different from when I grew up my grandfathers and father did exactly what you are describing and taught my brothers and me a lot of of these skills, although my brothers more so than me. My grandmother and mother were the ones that taught me cooking and sewing skills as opposed to repairing a car that my brothers learned, but your point is well taken, and I have seen this cultural change in emphasis and the snobbishness that pushes young people towards a college degree whether it’s right for them or not. In most cases these days it’s not. I’m glad to see the cultural shift and I appreciate your describing it so magnificently…as you do so well. We may do a program on this subject for our faith over fear seminar that we do every week on subjects on many topics to help people with insights tools and sound medical information to make informed choices on many fronts for improved health and resilience and maintaining our freedom.
Excellent article. As a female student in the 1960s I tried to take shop classes, but was told I was not allowed that I must take home economics instead.
Now in my 80s, my garage has more tools than anything else. I can barely fit room for my car. Some of my guy friends that visit are often amazed and say I have more and better tools than theirs.
I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS: MY REACTION TO YOUR SUBSTACK TODAY JUST MADE ME CRY! THE AMERICA I GREW UP IN IS COMING BACK. I HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED IT FOR DECADES. THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD ALMIGHTY MOVING MIGHTILY AGAIN AMONG US AND ITS MARVELOUS IN MY SIGHT. CONFOUNDING SO MANY OF THE "BLACK-PILLERS"/ I LOVE IT.
Wonderful post, EKO! As a kid in the 60s I had to make things and fix what I had because I couldn't afford to buy new stuff. I taught myself electronics, after a bit of initial help from my Dad who was a chemist, but had been a radio operator for the Army Air Corps in WW2. I learned enough to build a low-power broadcast (AM) transmitter in '68 at 13 years old, mostly from scrounged parts -- along with two friends, we put that station on the air for almost 3 years and logged over 20,000 phone calls for requests/dedications from listeners.
Then I went off to college and became an electrical engineer (what else) and now I'm one of three owners of a company that makes control and measurement equipment for the power grid. I've loved every minute of it, and can't imagine having done anything differently. Now 71, I'm still actively involved, designing stuff -- probably won't stop until I can't keep going anymore.
These days I would not advise young folks to get technical degrees -- just go out and start doing things, making things, writing code, whatever. If you have the inclination, you'll soon find out what you're good at, and opportunities will soon find you. They call these kids (and some older than 'kids') 'makers.' All the book learning in the world can't teach you the creativity required to make things. You can learn analytic tools, perhaps, and they can be useful; but you can only learn creativity by doing -- by building things. Things you visualize and like President Kennedy, asked at his young age why he felt qualified to lead the greatest nation on Earth, said "Some see things as they are, and ask 'Why?' I see things as they could be, and ask 'Why not?'
My granddaughter’s boyfriend is a marine diesel mechanic. He works on ferries and huge ships and yachts. He always hangs his head when he tells someone what he does, seemingly apologizing. He believes anyone can do that job. Someone sometime told him mechanics are stupid and couldn’t go to college. And he believed it. I call him on it every time I hear that crap. He’s a sharp man and can fix anything mechanical.
So George, I know YOU know this, but it bears repeating loudly and often. Here's how stupid that young man is: has a skill set that probably less than 5% of the general population has. Has ZERO college debt. Probably earns more than the average college grad with a Masters. And someone, somewhere has to be SMART enough to fix this sh*t. I trust your granddaughter sees this and hangs on to this guy. He is a winner in every sense of the word.
Agree with most, Bill... Only disagree with his being stupid. If I put myself in his shoes, with the constant barrage of "Men are toxic," "Only the college educated/credentialed have an worth," and the elitist, "Those who get their hands dirty are low class and low value," I can imagine the reflexive need to apologize for all those things would be a survival skill when living being enemy lines on the West Coast. I'm hoping my granddaughter will see he's a keeper, but that is not my call. Lol...
Through 45 years of interviews, hiring staff from receptionists to senior managers, there was one question which I asked every candidate; what can you do with your hands? Make model planes, sweaters, car repairs, furniture??? An affirmative answer suggested curiosity, motivation, pride and perseverance; all qualities which I knew would crucial to their success. A “No” answer was a no- hire. The question never let me down,and I believe that it it may be even more critical today than ever.
Oh, EKO, You've touched the very core of my being. I'm a boomer. 72 trips around the sun so far. My dad was one of the greatest generation. What that man could do with his hands was unreal. He taught all nine of us (yep)how to build and fix stuff. I spent my career in HVAC. Never went to college. High school guidance counselor told me I would live to regret that choice. I built a nice business. Sold it. I am comfortably retired. Sufficient wealth. No regrets. I am blessed with three children, all now in their forties. I taught the 2 boys on the job. In the garage on weekends. They both know stuff. One teaches HS English. The other teaches HVAC to an ever burgeoning class. These kids know nothing. They must be taught the most basic things. My heart breaks for them. The English teacher's two boys, both now teens, build things in their dad's garage. He (with help from YouTube) teaches them. I teach them. They watch. They learn.
The pendulum is indeed beginning to go the other way. But, we have a long row to hoe.
For the record, that motorcycle picture brought me back to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I MADE my Fiance read that book, and she is still my wife 32 years later!!
PS - I am not sure she finished it, but she did start it!!
The lack of skills comes largely from economic prosperity, but it’s also because many of our things are made out of such cheap materials that their useable lifespans can’t realistically be extended. Doesn’t make sense to replace the motor in something that has failing switches, a cracked housing, etc. Also, replacement parts are often so expensive that it makes more sense to just replace the whole thing. Perhaps the upcoming generation will replace quality materials and manufacturing along with rediscovering the skills of their forebears
My friend taught himself how machine, weld, fabricate all the parts he could no longer find for the very old car restorations he does as a hobby. But, he did have shop classes so he had a foundation. So sad the shop classes went by the way. They were often the only classes bringing some of the teen boys to school each day.
Yep, well said Skipper. I have a house full of engineered obsolescence. It's truly disgusting. I never hesitate to pickup something useful from an antique shop. The old stuff is durable and repairable.
It is my life story as well as I was raised on a farm in the 1960's & 70's and learned skills such as carpentry, welding, plumbing, electrical, stone and tile masonry, animal husbandry, forestry (from planting to felling timber and logging with a cat and winch on the timberland portion of the farm), heavy equipment operation, diesel and petrol engine mechanics, business / household finance etc.
As to the young guys coming up, us old dogs are happy to teach if you are willing to learn. Yes, you can make a VERY good living in the trades and even apply that to a business that you can scale to what ever your appetite for growth is. You set your goals, not some faculty lounge puke setting goals for you by your obedience and compliance with fiat edicts. That soy saturated, bespectacled known nothing that doesn't know the difference between a crescent wrench and box wrench, cannot pass on to you anything you cannot learn on your own and with a little guidance from a practical and stoic mentor.
Fun fact, that for every five old guys that are retiring from the trades each day, there are only two new guys coming in. This is why is takes so long to get anything done in America these days, and NO, a boat load of zero skilled illegal immigrants will not solve that. Those useless people are merely fresh voters that will support who ever it is that delivers your stolen tax dollars to them to feed, house, clothe and provide enough left over for them to pay cash for a Bentley along with ensuring rioters are paid sufficiently to burn your neighborhood to the ground, stormtrooper your church services, rape your daughters and kill you if you don't keep their gravy train chugging along.
A man with knowledge and practical skills when everyone is dying of thirst, can be king with a cup of water from a well he built when everyone else was too busy practicing hypergamy, social media validation or dying their hair pink.
America is going to choke on this oversight of promoting things that give the elite masters perceived control, while mentally enslaving the average guy. It is only going to get worse before it gets better for them. For you on the other hand, it's gravy time if you have the skills because you can charge what ever you want and they will pay it because they have to.
Bask in the golden sun, those of you that choose useful knowledge and skills above useless fluff.
But at 68 years of age I want a T shirt that points up to my head and says "FIELD EXPEDIENT" as my whole life has been making do with the stuff you have.
P.S. this is basically my life story.
Mine too... although I continued to work on cars, do household renovations etc on my time off. Both of my kids watched/absorbed. My son didn't like to get his hands dirty. My daughter loved it.
Unfortunately, things didn't work out well. Marriage ended. Daughter took up skydiving; now dead. Son got into Reddit while in university; now decided he's a girl. Likelihood of grandkids... effectively nil.
On the upside, second marriage is amazing. Her son is prolific; currently at seven grandkids (four different mothers so not ideal). We have a good relationship with some of them. Hopefully things will keep getting better.
😕
Sad..
Mine as well Eko.
My Dad used to tell me... "If you can take it apart you darn well better remember how to put it back together again. Because I ain't gonna help you."
I learned, my Son learned, and at least one of my grandsons has learned, these lessons.
You are what you can do. So, at least try!
Sometimes you read something so true and glaringly simple....
To all those who still know how to work with their hands, fix things, build things and grow things, we salute you.
Another brilliant, insightful and poignant article, EKO. I have watched this erosion of skills over my adult life. Sadly, I also see it in my medical profession, not just the loss of skills to make and fix things, but the loss of physical diagnosis and clinical skills that I was taught in medical school and residency and are no longer being taught. Doctors are taught to follow algorithms and insurance guidelines rather than critically analyzing an individual. Patient tailoring treatment to the individual. Another casualty of the same forces that pushed the changes you describe - corporatization, DEI, political correctness, “image”…there are so many negative forces at play. It’s so different from when I grew up my grandfathers and father did exactly what you are describing and taught my brothers and me a lot of of these skills, although my brothers more so than me. My grandmother and mother were the ones that taught me cooking and sewing skills as opposed to repairing a car that my brothers learned, but your point is well taken, and I have seen this cultural change in emphasis and the snobbishness that pushes young people towards a college degree whether it’s right for them or not. In most cases these days it’s not. I’m glad to see the cultural shift and I appreciate your describing it so magnificently…as you do so well. We may do a program on this subject for our faith over fear seminar that we do every week on subjects on many topics to help people with insights tools and sound medical information to make informed choices on many fronts for improved health and resilience and maintaining our freedom.
So true, Elizabeth. Modern Medical Schools in my State were not interested in what I offered for free to teach medical students and postgraduates.
Beautiful message! And I’m witnessing this happen with my grandchildren!! Thank you :) 🇺🇸🙏🏻
Excellent article. As a female student in the 1960s I tried to take shop classes, but was told I was not allowed that I must take home economics instead.
Now in my 80s, my garage has more tools than anything else. I can barely fit room for my car. Some of my guy friends that visit are often amazed and say I have more and better tools than theirs.
I wish I could have had shop back in 1960.
that is awesome DQ.
I wrote this from my perspective but know it applies to many women, too.
I WASN'T EXPECTING THIS: MY REACTION TO YOUR SUBSTACK TODAY JUST MADE ME CRY! THE AMERICA I GREW UP IN IS COMING BACK. I HAVE NOT RECOGNIZED IT FOR DECADES. THIS IS THE WORK OF GOD ALMIGHTY MOVING MIGHTILY AGAIN AMONG US AND ITS MARVELOUS IN MY SIGHT. CONFOUNDING SO MANY OF THE "BLACK-PILLERS"/ I LOVE IT.
Wonderful post, EKO! As a kid in the 60s I had to make things and fix what I had because I couldn't afford to buy new stuff. I taught myself electronics, after a bit of initial help from my Dad who was a chemist, but had been a radio operator for the Army Air Corps in WW2. I learned enough to build a low-power broadcast (AM) transmitter in '68 at 13 years old, mostly from scrounged parts -- along with two friends, we put that station on the air for almost 3 years and logged over 20,000 phone calls for requests/dedications from listeners.
Then I went off to college and became an electrical engineer (what else) and now I'm one of three owners of a company that makes control and measurement equipment for the power grid. I've loved every minute of it, and can't imagine having done anything differently. Now 71, I'm still actively involved, designing stuff -- probably won't stop until I can't keep going anymore.
These days I would not advise young folks to get technical degrees -- just go out and start doing things, making things, writing code, whatever. If you have the inclination, you'll soon find out what you're good at, and opportunities will soon find you. They call these kids (and some older than 'kids') 'makers.' All the book learning in the world can't teach you the creativity required to make things. You can learn analytic tools, perhaps, and they can be useful; but you can only learn creativity by doing -- by building things. Things you visualize and like President Kennedy, asked at his young age why he felt qualified to lead the greatest nation on Earth, said "Some see things as they are, and ask 'Why?' I see things as they could be, and ask 'Why not?'
Ask why not, and then make it so.
Love this! Thank you!
Spot on, Wild Bill. Bravo!
This is a great article. And it reminds me of all the things I can do that either my dad taught me or I just had to figure out.
Thank you!
My granddaughter’s boyfriend is a marine diesel mechanic. He works on ferries and huge ships and yachts. He always hangs his head when he tells someone what he does, seemingly apologizing. He believes anyone can do that job. Someone sometime told him mechanics are stupid and couldn’t go to college. And he believed it. I call him on it every time I hear that crap. He’s a sharp man and can fix anything mechanical.
I’m forwarding this article to him.
Another amazing insight, EKO. Thanks.
You’re a great man
So George, I know YOU know this, but it bears repeating loudly and often. Here's how stupid that young man is: has a skill set that probably less than 5% of the general population has. Has ZERO college debt. Probably earns more than the average college grad with a Masters. And someone, somewhere has to be SMART enough to fix this sh*t. I trust your granddaughter sees this and hangs on to this guy. He is a winner in every sense of the word.
Agree with most, Bill... Only disagree with his being stupid. If I put myself in his shoes, with the constant barrage of "Men are toxic," "Only the college educated/credentialed have an worth," and the elitist, "Those who get their hands dirty are low class and low value," I can imagine the reflexive need to apologize for all those things would be a survival skill when living being enemy lines on the West Coast. I'm hoping my granddaughter will see he's a keeper, but that is not my call. Lol...
Good point. He is most likely eeing it through a different lens than you or I.
Through 45 years of interviews, hiring staff from receptionists to senior managers, there was one question which I asked every candidate; what can you do with your hands? Make model planes, sweaters, car repairs, furniture??? An affirmative answer suggested curiosity, motivation, pride and perseverance; all qualities which I knew would crucial to their success. A “No” answer was a no- hire. The question never let me down,and I believe that it it may be even more critical today than ever.
Gold, Fred.
Oh, EKO, You've touched the very core of my being. I'm a boomer. 72 trips around the sun so far. My dad was one of the greatest generation. What that man could do with his hands was unreal. He taught all nine of us (yep)how to build and fix stuff. I spent my career in HVAC. Never went to college. High school guidance counselor told me I would live to regret that choice. I built a nice business. Sold it. I am comfortably retired. Sufficient wealth. No regrets. I am blessed with three children, all now in their forties. I taught the 2 boys on the job. In the garage on weekends. They both know stuff. One teaches HS English. The other teaches HVAC to an ever burgeoning class. These kids know nothing. They must be taught the most basic things. My heart breaks for them. The English teacher's two boys, both now teens, build things in their dad's garage. He (with help from YouTube) teaches them. I teach them. They watch. They learn.
The pendulum is indeed beginning to go the other way. But, we have a long row to hoe.
For the record, that motorcycle picture brought me back to "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance". I MADE my Fiance read that book, and she is still my wife 32 years later!!
PS - I am not sure she finished it, but she did start it!!
The lack of skills comes largely from economic prosperity, but it’s also because many of our things are made out of such cheap materials that their useable lifespans can’t realistically be extended. Doesn’t make sense to replace the motor in something that has failing switches, a cracked housing, etc. Also, replacement parts are often so expensive that it makes more sense to just replace the whole thing. Perhaps the upcoming generation will replace quality materials and manufacturing along with rediscovering the skills of their forebears
My friend taught himself how machine, weld, fabricate all the parts he could no longer find for the very old car restorations he does as a hobby. But, he did have shop classes so he had a foundation. So sad the shop classes went by the way. They were often the only classes bringing some of the teen boys to school each day.
I agree, new stuff doesn’t last for $&#!
Yep, well said Skipper. I have a house full of engineered obsolescence. It's truly disgusting. I never hesitate to pickup something useful from an antique shop. The old stuff is durable and repairable.
This is so beautiful it moves me to tears.
Thank you, EKO.
Thank you for posting this EKO.
It is my life story as well as I was raised on a farm in the 1960's & 70's and learned skills such as carpentry, welding, plumbing, electrical, stone and tile masonry, animal husbandry, forestry (from planting to felling timber and logging with a cat and winch on the timberland portion of the farm), heavy equipment operation, diesel and petrol engine mechanics, business / household finance etc.
As to the young guys coming up, us old dogs are happy to teach if you are willing to learn. Yes, you can make a VERY good living in the trades and even apply that to a business that you can scale to what ever your appetite for growth is. You set your goals, not some faculty lounge puke setting goals for you by your obedience and compliance with fiat edicts. That soy saturated, bespectacled known nothing that doesn't know the difference between a crescent wrench and box wrench, cannot pass on to you anything you cannot learn on your own and with a little guidance from a practical and stoic mentor.
Fun fact, that for every five old guys that are retiring from the trades each day, there are only two new guys coming in. This is why is takes so long to get anything done in America these days, and NO, a boat load of zero skilled illegal immigrants will not solve that. Those useless people are merely fresh voters that will support who ever it is that delivers your stolen tax dollars to them to feed, house, clothe and provide enough left over for them to pay cash for a Bentley along with ensuring rioters are paid sufficiently to burn your neighborhood to the ground, stormtrooper your church services, rape your daughters and kill you if you don't keep their gravy train chugging along.
A man with knowledge and practical skills when everyone is dying of thirst, can be king with a cup of water from a well he built when everyone else was too busy practicing hypergamy, social media validation or dying their hair pink.
America is going to choke on this oversight of promoting things that give the elite masters perceived control, while mentally enslaving the average guy. It is only going to get worse before it gets better for them. For you on the other hand, it's gravy time if you have the skills because you can charge what ever you want and they will pay it because they have to.
Bask in the golden sun, those of you that choose useful knowledge and skills above useless fluff.
Your reward is just beginning.
Thanks, EKO.
I thought I was weird 🤔
But at 68 years of age I want a T shirt that points up to my head and says "FIELD EXPEDIENT" as my whole life has been making do with the stuff you have.
Thank you, Dad, for my education.