Community Chat

[Mominohio]

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@SaRina wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@jackthebear wrote:

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@Jacie wrote:

I don't disagree, technology marches forward. However, since we still use money, it would be nice if people knew how to count/make change.

SURPRISE. Have parents and teachers let us down yet again on the basics?

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different topics are being taught in the schools, we can disagree about it, but perhaps the need to make change isn't needed,  Heck if I needed to count change back now I wouldn't be able to  automatically either

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Those who don't get it, tend to be taken advantage of, whether it is the new technologies or the old skills. Best to know both, don't you think.

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Perhaps we are the fortunate ones for this reason.  We can take solace in knowing (and teaching, if we choose) those skills that are disappearing....and we can have the benefits of new technology.  But I would bet there will come a time that there is no need for the older skills. Right now, we are in transition, so both old and new are of benefit.

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People who actually believe this frighten me. 

The more we give over to others doing for us (or things doing for us) only makes us weaker and dumber.  

IT is nice to have all of today's luxuries, but so dangerous that people not only lack many of the old skills, but do so willingly and proudly. 

There will come a time in all our live (or has already) when we are in a 'fix' because some new way has failed us or is unavailable for a period of time, and only those who have older skills and the knowledge to use them will be functioning (like my GPS example I posted earlier).

[Trinity11]

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

Every generation bemoans the skills that don't carry over to the next generation. 

We no longer write with quill and ink. We no longer make our own clothes out of necessity. we no longer wash our clothes in a stream. We no longer keep horses for our only transportation. 

As technology changes, so do we change.  It's life and it's been this way since humans first evolved.

I'm 61 years old and I was never any good at reading a map nor was Math my strong suit.  I am more than happy to use technology for things that never did work well for me.

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You just have to hope that that technology never fails you.

We traveled to the Boston area a week ago, and the GPS failed us repeatedly. It kept saying it couldn't get a satellite. If we didn't have maps and the knowledge to read them, we would have been up the creek, trying to reach our destination in a new and strange area to us. Yes, we could have stopped and asked directions, but what if we were somewhere that there were few places to stop and ask?

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__________________________________________________________

I don't drive cross country.

If the trip is more than 4 hours, I fly. 

Four hours from anywhere I am, I know the route.

Planes don't get lost.

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You seem to have an answer for everything, but no real solutions for real problems. Hope that keeps working for you.

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Personally, I think her replies on this forum are well thought out. Succinct and matter of fact without snark, I enjoy her perspective. It's nice to read her replies because she is confident and seems to have no need to name call or personal attacks.

[Mominohio]

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@kdgn wrote:

The need to count change back disappeared when cash registers became sophisticated enough to tell the person what amount of money to return to the customer. 

Amount tendered minus the amount charged=change back. That's how it's been done for a very long time now. And that's how the cashier has been taught to give the change: the total return given on the receipt. 

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That is how it works. Until. Until the power goes out and you are in line at the grocery and you have to stand there forever because the cashier has no clue how to operate without her computer (it has happend to me). Until you go to a garage sale, and have no idea if you are getting the correct change for your $20. 

[Mominohio]

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@Trinity11 wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@mstyrion 1 wrote:

Every generation bemoans the skills that don't carry over to the next generation. 

We no longer write with quill and ink. We no longer make our own clothes out of necessity. we no longer wash our clothes in a stream. We no longer keep horses for our only transportation. 

As technology changes, so do we change.  It's life and it's been this way since humans first evolved.

I'm 61 years old and I was never any good at reading a map nor was Math my strong suit.  I am more than happy to use technology for things that never did work well for me.

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You just have to hope that that technology never fails you.

We traveled to the Boston area a week ago, and the GPS failed us repeatedly. It kept saying it couldn't get a satellite. If we didn't have maps and the knowledge to read them, we would have been up the creek, trying to reach our destination in a new and strange area to us. Yes, we could have stopped and asked directions, but what if we were somewhere that there were few places to stop and ask?

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__________________________________________________________

I don't drive cross country.

If the trip is more than 4 hours, I fly. 

Four hours from anywhere I am, I know the route.

Planes don't get lost.

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You seem to have an answer for everything, but no real solutions for real problems. Hope that keeps working for you.

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Personally, I think her replies on this forum are well thought out. Succinct and matter of fact without snark, I enjoy her perspective. It's nice to read her replies because she is confident and seems to have no need to name call or personal attacks.

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I have seen just the opposite. So I'll leave it to others to think what they will.

[Tinkrbl44]

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@Mominohio wrote:

Just responded in Among Friends to a post about people not knowing how to make change after a purchase.

Got me to thinking about all the simple basic skills that are being lost.

Making change

Cursive writing

Reading a map

Putting pencil to paper

Here is a story about the last one (sorry if I have shared it elsewhere)

About four years ago, my son came out of a high school basketball game, worried about a player that had be hurt and taken to the hospital. He lamented that because he wasn't on FB, he wouldn't know updates on the kid. I asked if someone could call him. He said yes and went back int the school to give a girl his number.

When he came back out, I asked if he found her and gave our number. He said, that he did find her, but she couldn't take his number, because she didn't have her phone on her (to enter his number into)!

WHAT??!! You are in a school. How many pieces of paper and writing instruments must be laying around there? No one could even take a pen and jot his number down on their hand or arm? 

It scares me what people can't do or figure out now a days.

Care to share a story about skills that just a few years ago were 'universal' but seem to have all but disappeared?

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@Mominohio

What I find even more surprising is that she didn't have her phone with her!   How did THAT happen?   Horrors!   lol

[deeva]

Even though cash registers tell the person how much change is owed, a lot cashiers don't bother to count the change before giving it to the customer. I would have been shorted $20 if I hadn't counted my change in front of the cashier.

[Melania]

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@Mominohio wrote:

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@kdgn wrote:

The need to count change back disappeared when cash registers became sophisticated enough to tell the person what amount of money to return to the customer. 

Amount tendered minus the amount charged=change back. That's how it's been done for a very long time now. And that's how the cashier has been taught to give the change: the total return given on the receipt. 

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That is how it works. Until. Until the power goes out and you are in line at the grocery and you have to stand there forever because the cashier has no clue how to operate without her computer (it has happend to me). Until you go to a garage sale, and have no idea if you are getting the correct change for your $20. 

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If the power goes out the registers don't open...moot point.

[Mominohio]

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@Tinkrbl44 wrote:

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@Mominohio wrote:

Just responded in Among Friends to a post about people not knowing how to make change after a purchase.

Got me to thinking about all the simple basic skills that are being lost.

Making change

Cursive writing

Reading a map

Putting pencil to paper

Here is a story about the last one (sorry if I have shared it elsewhere)

About four years ago, my son came out of a high school basketball game, worried about a player that had be hurt and taken to the hospital. He lamented that because he wasn't on FB, he wouldn't know updates on the kid. I asked if someone could call him. He said yes and went back int the school to give a girl his number.

When he came back out, I asked if he found her and gave our number. He said, that he did find her, but she couldn't take his number, because she didn't have her phone on her (to enter his number into)!

WHAT??!! You are in a school. How many pieces of paper and writing instruments must be laying around there? No one could even take a pen and jot his number down on their hand or arm? 

It scares me what people can't do or figure out now a days.

Care to share a story about skills that just a few years ago were 'universal' but seem to have all but disappeared?

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@Mominohio

What I find even more surprising is that she didn't have her phone with her!   How did THAT happen?   Horrors!   lol

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Ha! Yes! For many today, that would be a breakdown moment! 

I will admit that I'm disgusted at my 19 year old. We didn't let him have a cell phone till high school, then it was a grandma flip phone, no texting, no Internet. When he turned 18, he bought and paid for his own smart phone and the plan.

I thought we taught him that life went on without those things, but his face is buried in it more than I care to see. I know he can function without it, I do see him do it, but I still can't believe how attached he has become in such a short time.

[Jacie]

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@kdgn wrote:

The need to count change back disappeared when cash registers became sophisticated enough to tell the person what amount of money to return to the customer. 

Amount tendered minus the amount charged=change back. That's how it's been done for a very long time now. And that's how the cashier has been taught to give the change: the total return given on the receipt. 

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Yup, that's assuming the cashier knows how to add up what's on the register for change. They can't even seem to get that amount correct.

[Karnerblue]

Skills are taught and passed down.  If we don't take the time to do it, then you can't really blame the younger generation -- they are brought up with the tools they need for the future.  How many of us really know how to fend for ourselves if we really needed to.  Like I mean kill for food or fish, skin an animal and cook it.  Find shelter or start a fire without matches.  It's just the way of the world.