Is anybody mourning the loss of Manly /Womanly arts?

badabing106

I was in the Wicklow gap hunting for game last weekend. I had built my rabbit trap and was spraying it with apple cider as bait. A group of teenagers emerged and asked what l was doing. I explained to them what I was doing, and they looked at me as if I had two heads!?

I was in lidl in the summer and someone was buying garden fencing. He was trying to put it in the boot. He put a dingy cord around it. I said that could be hazardous if your not lucky, do you have any rope to put a truckers hitch on it? He gave me the same look that Hillary Clinton gave Bill Clinton at the presidential inauguration, when he was admiring Ivanka trump. I had some spare rope and showed him how to fasten it down safely. He was more than appreciative ,and couldn't believe that no one had ever taught him this before

Sardonicat

They're giving you funny looks because you display the skills of an accomplished serial killer.

badabing106

Another time a group of us were driving to electric picnic and witnessed a distressed couple at the side of the road, they had a flat tyre. I asked them did they need a hand.I always leave 2 hours early in case of emergencies like this. They didn't have a wrench, but said it was okay as they rang the AA. I said you'll be waiting at least 3 hours, you don't want to miss the concert. I offered to change the Tyre for them, and they were on the road again in 20 minutes

Larbre34

I don't think I'd include baiting/hunting etc, but this lack of practical skills in the younger generation is a noted issue.

I heard a radio piece about it a year ago or so, a school has set up in Seattle to teach practical domestic skills to college kids from wealthier backgrounds, whose entire focus till now has been on studies and social life and haven't a clue how to cook, mend, tend a home and garden, clean a place hygienically, prepare for a spell outdoors etc etc. The school charges a bloody fortune too.

Its a function of the last 100 years, our great-grandparents could stretch every penny, wasted nothing, mended everything. Our grandparents could do most of that but were better educated and had more ambitious jobs. Our parents grew up in a convenience age, where services were a huge business, but still largely retained the learned skills they saw in their parents. But when it comes to us and even moreso our kids, in the western world, we'd be useless if a major disaster befell us.

NSAman

Forget your hunting and wilderness training... young people have never used a mop to clean a floor....

Hammer89

badabing106 wrote: »

I was in the Wicklow gap hunting for game last weekend. I had built my rabbit trap and was spraying it with apple cider as bait. A group of teenagers emerged and asked what l was doing.

That's why you attracted teenagers instead of rabbits. For rabbits you need to use lettuce, not cider.

ZX7R

Neighbors called to me Christmas morning asking me to build there daughters doll house I kid you not.
Both a very well Educated extremely good jobs.
I am amazed that they can tie a shoe lace

badabing106

I was staying over in a house on Stephen's day. The house had run out of coffee filters, and were annoyed that they could not have their morning coffee. I asked them did they have any kitchen towels to use as a coffee filter instead? They had loads spare, coffee tasted just as good

Tell me how

I was surprised recently when a friend told me she had some baking to do while I was visiting. She got a packet of scone mix, added milk and put it in the oven. I asked would she ever mix ingredients herself and she said she wouldn't have a clue how to.

Same lady uses a window cleaner because she or her husband don't know how to do it right (her words).

Tell me how

Tell me how wrote: »

I was surprised recently when a friend told me she had some baking to do while I was visiting. She got a packet of scone mix, added milk and put it in the oven. I asked would she ever mix ingredients herself and she said she wouldn't have a clue how to.

Same lady uses a window cleaner because she or her husband don't know how to do it right (her words).

Your username serves a function.

Tell me how

ZX7R wrote: »

Neighbors called to me Christmas morning asking me to build there daughters doll house I kid you not.
Both a very well Educated extremely good jobs.
I am amazed that they can tie a shoe lace

Actually, this reminded me. I helped a friend assemble flat pack furniture to save him hiring someone to do it.

Sardonicat

I use a window cleaner. I'm not incapable
But

I have arachnaphobia, actually full blown, not just don't like spiders will vomit with panic if I get too close to a spider so can't do the downstairs outside

And

I have dyspraxia so can't do the upstairs outside cos I'd get stuck up the ladder and also, spiders

Window cleaner does the kitchen window inside above the sink cos I can't get up to that, or, more accurately, I cant get down again . Last time I did that one myself I ended up stuck on top of the kitchen units for 2 hours until someone got home and helped me down. Once he'd picked himself up off the floor where he'd been rolling around laughing at me for 5 minutes.

kneemos

badabing106 wrote: »

I was in the Wicklow gap hunting for game last weekend. I had built my rabbit trap and was spraying it with apple cider as bait. A group of teenagers emerged and asked what l was doing. I explained to them what I was doing, and they looked at me as if I had two heads!?

I was in lidl in the summer and someone was buying garden fencing. He was trying to put it in the boot. He put a dingy cord around it. I said that could be hazardous if your not lucky, do you have any rope to put a truckers hitch on it? He gave me the same look that Hillary Clinton gave Bill Clinton at the presidential inauguration, when he was admiring Ivanka trump. I had some spare rope and showed him how to fasten it down safely. He was more than appreciative ,and couldn't believe that no one had ever taught him this before

Should've got some cheap nasty Chicken, tastes the same as Rabbit.

Sardonicat

Tell me how wrote: »

ZX7R wrote: »

Neighbors called to me Christmas morning asking me to build there daughters doll house I kid you not.
Both a very well Educated extremely good jobs.
I am amazed that they can tie a shoe lace

Actually, this reminded me. I helped a friend assemble flat pack furniture to save him hiring someone to do it.

That's bad! Even I can assemble flat pack ! Takes me a bit longer than most but I can get it done.

Plumbthedepths

OP sounds like an Irish version of McGuyver, or if one wishes to be less flattering "a know it all'.

NSAman

badabing106 wrote: »

I was staying over in a house on Stephen's day. The house had run out of coffee filters, and were annoyed that they could not have their morning coffee. I asked them did they have any kitchen towels to use as a coffee filter instead? They had loads spare, coffee tasted just as good

Seriously?????????

Worst I have heard is a friend who is intelligent, wealthy and hard working who calls in an electrician to change a light bulb... now I am not talking something difficult, just a light bulb....

looksee

I saw an article recently where a surgeon was bemoaning the fact that student doctors had no dexterity skills and it was very difficult to teach them to stitch up a wound as they had no experience of using needles/tools.

Timberrrrrrrr

Plumbthedepths wrote: »

OP sounds like an Irish version of McGuyver, or if one wishes to be less flattering "a know it all'.

Not really, it's come to my attention over the years how little the younger generation know about basic life skills.

New guy (24ish) started in my place last year, we were having an issue with a conveyor belt guard and i asked him to get me some 9mm penny washers.

His reply was "whats a washer"?

I grew up building bikes, go karts and all sorts of things that would land you in hospital for half the summer because that's what we did as kids, sh/t even meccanno taught us about washers lol.

looksee

On the whole flat-pack thing, generally flat packs have become so very well designed that there is real satisfaction in assembling them into a really nice piece of furniture. We had a set of shelves recently from Argos that was entirely held with wooden dowels up until the last 4 locking screws. It had to be done in order and smoothly, but it was a most impressive bit of quality construction when it was done.

Sardonicat

looksee wrote: »

On the whole flat-pack thing, generally flat packs have become so very well designed that there is real satisfaction in assembling them into a really nice piece of furniture. We had a set of shelves recently from Argos that was entirely held with wooden dowels up until the last 4 locking screws. It had to be done in order and smoothly, but it was a most impressive bit of quality construction when it was done.

Yeah, but it's not difficult is it?

hightower1

I'm actually mouthing "What?" at my monitor here reading some of these examples, like seriously ... a fully grown adult was going to hire someone to assemble flat pack furniture?

Although in saying that, I'm 33, my partner is 25 - went to light a fire last night and she didn't have a notion of how to go about it. Was sorta amazed as it was kind of second nature to me. I just thought "It's a fire, we mastered making these things a LONG time ago, heck, we have a whole sector of employment dedicated to putting this stuff out!"

Raheem Euro

Eastern european immigrants are very adept in all the "lost manly arts".
I wonder how much will carry down to second generation.

looksee

Sardonicat wrote: »

Yeah, but it's not difficult is it?

No its not difficult, that is part of the point I am making. One time flat packs were a maze of instructions and dodgy connections. Now they are so well made that there is actual satisfaction in putting them together (and I say that as someone who has done a fair bit of woodworking/assembling/constructing things).

irish_goat

Never mind not knowing how to catch (and skin/gut) your own dinner, a lot of young adults barely know how to cook a dinner.

Bassfish

I learned to iron, sow and wash clothes when I joined the FCA at 15 as my mother who was from an 'old IRA' family refused to touch my 'free-stater' uniform
My dad showed me how to change fuses, wire plugs and solder wires. These were just jobs people did as routine a couple of decades ago, as normal as filling a dishwasher today! I'm only talking the 90s here!

Sardonicat

hightower1 wrote: »

Although in saying that, I'm 33, my partner is 25 - went to light a fire last night and she didn't have a notion of how to go about it. Was sorta amazed as it was kind of second nature to me. I just thought "It's a fire, we mastered making these things a LONG time ago, heck, we have a whole sector of employment dedicated to putting this stuff out!"

I was going to mention the inability to set a fire. I also had to instruct a 25 yo in how to operate a front loading automatic washing machine. The same 25yo threw away a frying pan of mine she'd borrowed after she burnt some food in it. Rather than soak it and wash it she replaced it.

I've encountered blank stares when asking people if they've checked a fuse box to isolate the source of a power outage or if they've bled their radiators that wouldn't heat up fully.

Having said that, my mother could hand make clothes from scratch and both she and my dad could cultivate a garden to supply our spuds and veg. I can't do any of those things. Also, although not a tradesman my dad was very "handy" and could make basic wooden furniture and do repairs and was a fantastic painter and decorator. Again, not a hope from me beyond rubbing a roller of paint up and down a flat surface.

Sardonicat

looksee wrote: »

Sardonicat wrote: »

Yeah, but it's not difficult is it?

No its not difficult, that is part of the point I am making. One time flat packs were a maze of instructions and dodgy connections. Now they are so well made that there is actual satisfaction in putting them together (and I say that as someone who has done a fair bit of woodworking/assembling/constructing things).

This is my point also. Someone posted about someone who hires people to assemble flat pack stuff. If I, who lack the capacity to understand diagrammatic information and who frequently confuses my left and right hands and forgets that I'm holding an object so it ends up being dropped and with the manual dexterity and fine motor skills of a pruned tree stump, can assemble flat pack furniture that looks lovely and is functional, then ANYONE can!

robindch

badabing106 wrote: »

I was in the Wicklow gap hunting for game last weekend. I had built my rabbit trap and was spraying it with apple cider as bait. A group of teenagers emerged and asked what l was doing. I explained to them what I was doing, and they looked at me as if I had two heads!?

I remember a few years back, I was down at my parents house with my kid. We'd brought the iPad for some reason and my kid had opened up the Amazon app and was lining up a few books to buy. Parents looked at my kid as if she had two heads.

sk8erboii

robindch wrote: »

I remember a few years back, I was down at my parents house with my kid. We'd brought the iPad for some reason and my kid had opened up the Amazon app and was lining up a few books to buy. Parents looked at my kid as if she had two heads.

But why? Everyone does online shopping

Roger Hassenforder

Young Roger got a Google Home thing from santa. Unpacked it, installed an app on my phone, connected it to the wi-fi and synched to my Spotify in about 15 mins.
Is now shouting at it to tell him jokes and play baby shark.

He's 9 and thinks Santa came down the chimney with it.

Richard Hillman

I am always perplexed when I find out people that I know are unable to tie a formal tie. I taught myself, no videos, just trying it out over again.

Would love to be able to do things like changing plugs and low skilled wiring. I think I'll give it a go over the next week. A new year's resolution.

Sky King

Whatever about hunting rabbits with your bare hands etc, tying a few basic knots (bowline, truckers, reef knot etc) is a skill that everyone should have.

It takes 5 mins to learn how to tie a bowline. That is a hugely valuable, time saving and useful skill you'll have for life.... fantastic payback for effort expended.

friendlyfun

looksee wrote: »

I saw an article recently where a surgeon was bemoaning the fact that student doctors had no dexterity skills and it was very difficult to teach them to stitch up a wound as they had no experience of using needles/tools.

What's that got to do with their youth? Sounds more like lack of experience or training.

They can hardly be blamed. As technology progresses, it becomes harder to fix by yourself.

Kids and teens can't fix anything they use, whereas I could for a lot of things when I was young.

Even people with skills have trouble. A competent mechanic can't deal with cars he doesn't have the diagnostic tools for for example.

Tell me how

friendlyfun wrote: »

What's that got to do with their youth? Sounds more like lack of experience or training.

I think that that is the point. If they had been more accustomed to physical activities such as making or mending things when they were younger, they would be more adapt at picking up the skills for their profession.

I have seen a graduate engineer operate a set of pliers with two hands (one on each handle of the pliers) because he wasn't familiar with holding it in one hand.

Wibbs

Deleted User wrote: »

They can hardly be blamed. As technology progresses, it becomes harder to fix by yourself.

and it's made so it can't be fixed so easily. Makes more business sense to flog them a new one, or make it so difficult for the home DIY type to get parts, so they have to pay a premium to bring it to a dealer. Cars a very good example of this. It's happening across the board with many items. Not repairable/throwaway, add complication where it's not required, repairable but parts are only available(with extra charges) from the manufacturers/dealers. Win win for the tills.

sk8erboii

Tell me how wrote: »

I think that that is the point. If they had been more accustomed to physical activities such as making or mending things when they were younger, they would be more adapt at picking up the skills for their profession.

I have seen a graduate engineer operate a set of pliers with two hands (one on each handle of the pliers) because he wasn't familiar with holding it in one hand.

I agree. The previous generation really did a poor job of bringing up the new. Truly the worst

Lady Haywire

NSAman wrote: »

Seriously?????????

Worst I have heard is a friend who is intelligent, wealthy and hard working who calls in an electrician to change a light bulb... now I am not talking something difficult, just a light bulb....

looksee wrote: »

I saw an article recently where a surgeon was bemoaning the fact that student doctors had no dexterity skills and it was very difficult to teach them to stitch up a wound as they had no experience of using needles/tools.

My aunt is a retired nurse, her daughter a doctor 3 yrs older than me. Neither of them knew to check the fuseboard to see if a trip had switched when the power went out in one part of the house. I also change all the lightbulbs, had to show her how to use her new oven, change a plug, set up the new wifi, go into the attic if anything is needed, set the oil timer, buy briquettes and store them in the shed, tell her the tires on her car are balder than a coot & get them changed asap.....
All of the above was in the last month or so, probably loads more over the years i just do for them without thinking now :pac:

Sardonicat

Wibbs wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

They can hardly be blamed. As technology progresses, it becomes harder to fix by yourself.

and it's made so it can't be fixed so easily. Makes more business sense to flog them a new one, or make it so difficult for the home DIY type to get parts, so they have to pay a premium to bring it to a dealer. Cars a very good example of this. It's happening across the board with many items. Not repairable/throwaway, add complication where it's not required, repairable but parts are only available(with extra charges) from the manufacturers/dealers. Win win for the tills.

Moulded plugs that you can't open to change the fuse. Has to be chucked and a new lead with plug ordered and paid for.

Tell me how

sk8erboii wrote: »

I agree. The previous generation really did a poor job of bringing up the new. Truly the worst

I'm not sure if it is simply the blame of the previous generation. Years ago, toys such as model kits were popular. These thought dexterity and the use of basic tools. More recently, computer games consoles are probably the dominant toy. They imbue less physical or mind skills than the earlier pastimes in my view.

CrankyHaus

I actually think practical skills are making a serious comeback thanks to the Internet.
Youtube, Wikihow, Forum sites like this are all fantastic resources that people 20 years ago did not have.

Wibbs

Wibbs wrote: »

and it's made so it can't be fixed so easily. Makes more business sense to flog them a new one, or make it so difficult for the home DIY type to get parts, so they have to pay a premium to bring it to a dealer. Cars a very good example of this. It's happening across the board with many items. Not repairable/throwaway, add complication where it's not required, repairable but parts are only available(with extra charges) from the manufacturers/dealers. Win win for the tills.

And with everything being designed to fail after a few years anyways, the parts and expertise don't really exist anywhere in a community, nor the motivation to fix something you'll be replacing anyway.

There are certain old models of general household items in high demand by people who are into the "buy it for life" thing. I'd be one of them if I bought a place.


Oh, and check John Deere and what they do. Farmers can't repair their own tractors. What sort of practical education is that for a farmer's son..

Sardonicat

Lady Haywire wrote: »

NSAman wrote: »

Seriously?????????

Worst I have heard is a friend who is intelligent, wealthy and hard working who calls in an electrician to change a light bulb... now I am not talking something difficult, just a light bulb....

looksee wrote: »

I saw an article recently where a surgeon was bemoaning the fact that student doctors had no dexterity skills and it was very difficult to teach them to stitch up a wound as they had no experience of using needles/tools.

My aunt is a retired nurse, her daughter a doctor 3 yrs older than me. Neither of them knew to check the fuseboard to see if a trip had switched when the power went out in one part of the house. I also change all the lightbulbs, had to show her how to use her new oven, change a plug, set up the new wifi, go into the attic if anything is needed, set the oil timer, buy briquettes and store them in the shed, put up the Christmas tree/lights.....
All of the above was in the last month or so, probably loads more over the years i just do for them without thinking now :pac:

I really don't want to be treated by a dr. who can't read an instruction manual/ look up youtube to work out how to operate a new appliance. I'm not even joking. That is shocking stuff .

Lady Haywire

Sardonicat wrote: »

I really don't want to be treated by a dr. who can't read an instruction manual/ look up youtube to work out how to operate a new appliance. I'm not even joking. That is shocking stuff .

She's actually quite smart, just sees things like that as beneath her or a mans job. Not sure if that makes her better or worse. I don't get on with her anyway :pac:

EdgeCase

My granny RIP (who was in her mid 80s) used to constantly have to sort things out for the couple in their 20s next-door. She was big into DIY and gardening and would take on any project.

The neighbor was trying to start a lawnmower with a damp spark plug which she sorted out in 2 mins.

He also didn't know how to wire a plug, so she had to teach him to do that.

And she vented all their radiators for them.

She had him doing all sorts of stuff almost like he was her apprentice for a while.

batgoat

Tell me how wrote: »

I'm not sure if it is simply the blame of the previous generation. Years ago, toys such as model kits were popular. These thought dexterity and the use of basic tools. More recently, computer games consoles are probably the dominant toy. They imbue less physical or mind skills than the earlier pastimes in my view.

Loads have gained skills from this generation that they would never have learned previously. I've got dyspraxia so coordination is awful. So tbh, I'm never gonna be amazing at actual craftsmanship. But I can do electronics, play with arduinos and considering building a drone next year. (all the parts will be 3d printed) I can also make beer from scratch. The accessibility of information is so huge at this point that self teaching is something that's becoming increasingly more common.

Can also think of people in their forties that wouldn't know how to switch out a fuse or have many of the skills that their generation is expected to have.

my3cents

Sardonicat wrote: »

Moulded plugs that you can't open to change the fuse. Has to be chucked and a new lead with plug ordered and paid for.

Never seen one that you can get to the fuse. I even think that its a requirement that the fuse can be changed.

It may not be obvious on a lot of new 13 Amp molded plugtops but there is normally a slot you can stick a screwdriver into to lever out the fuse cover and fuse.

Zaph

It surprises me some of the things that people are surprised at younger people not being able to do. If you grew up with central heating then why in god's name would you even need to know how to light a fire? Or when would you even get the opportunity to do so? Similarly with ties. I used to wear a tie to work every day until maybe 15 years ago we changed the dress policy in work to smart casual. Since then I've only ever worn a tie at weddings and maybe the odd funeral. At this stage the majority of guys in the company probably last wore a tie when they came for their interview, so it's not something that they're going to need to know how to do on a daily basis. Times move on and some skills become less and less necessary over the years.

scarepanda

.

Sardonicat

my3cents wrote: »

Sardonicat wrote: »

Moulded plugs that you can't open to change the fuse. Has to be chucked and a new lead with plug ordered and paid for.

Never seen one that you can get to the fuse. I even thin that its a requirement that the fuse can be changed.

It may not be obvious on a lot of new 13 Amp molded plugtops but there is normally a slot you can stick a screwdriver into to lever out the fuse cover and fuse.

OK, thanks, I'm gonna check that one out on the Christmas tree lights plug.

A few months ago had the issue with a medical device my dad uses. I actually phoned the manufacturers asking how to open the plug and I was told I couldn't and would have to order a replacement.

Tell me how

Sardonicat wrote: »

OK, thanks, I'm gonna check that one out on the Christmas tree lights plug.

A few months ago had the issue with a medical device my dad uses. I actually phoned the manufacturers asking how to open the plug and I was told I couldn't and would have to order a replacement.

Many leads have fully moulded plugs which cannot be opened but as pointed out, the fuse should still be replaceable.
the manufacturer may have misunderstood and thought that the lead was damaged/malfunctioning outside of the fuse issue.