topic Re: So many lost skills in Community Chat

So many lost skills

Mominohio — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:36:58 GMT

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?

Re: So many lost skills

Meowingkitty — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:40:47 GMT

I used to work with a girl who gave her step daughter, aged 13 or so, a watch. She had no clue what is was or how to tell time that wasn't digital.

Re: So many lost skills

Winkk — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:43:05 GMT

I totally agree. A lot of younger people don't know how to do anything unless it's computerized.

Re: So many lost skills

Laura14 — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:44:14 GMT

When my two nieces sat next to each other on the couch and started texting back and forth to one another, I lost all hope in mankind.

Re: So many lost skills

Jacie — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:45:34 GMT

I always check my change, the kids are clueless. Three out of four times at my local coffee shop they blow it.

Re: So many lost skills

jackthebear — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:46:11 GMT

well people don't ride horses to town anymore either, life moves on

Re: So many lost skills

PenneyT — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:47:31 GMT

I'm just trying to keep up with NEW skills, lol!

I guess that basic cooking skills are waning.

But I think that most skills that are 'lost' are lost because of time. People are so busy now, largely because of the need for two incomes. My mom used to embroider; I don't think people have as much free time. And kids now have to become tech-savy so quickly. Older folks may see modern technology as add-ons or optional, but it's really not. The basic skill sets now are so much more advanced when people go to apply for jobs, for example, that I'm glad children are getting trained early for what is now required knowledge.

Re: So many lost skills

Desertdi — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 13:49:28 GMT

Times have changed...........I take shorthand, and operate office machines such as teletype machines, addressographs, multiliths, accounting machines such as the Marchand................ Nobody has even HEARD of this stuff....at least not in recent history (!)

Re: So many lost skills

depglass — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:01:01 GMT

I once went to our small town museum in the Carnegie Library building. Four women were standing next to a telephone switchboard, the kind where two wires were put into a board with holes completing a connection. I worked on one of these in the 60's and really felt old explaining what it was. That's when they still had person to person calls, the person wasn't there, you didn't pay for the call.

Re: So many lost skills

bri20 — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:03:46 GMT

there are many lost skills. I hate to see young kids out down though

Re: So many lost skills

qualitygal — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:14:27 GMT

Good take!! How about the people interviewed on the street, who do not know, common questions or not able to identify people by their faces and these are voting age people, some college students, parents, etc. They can access so much now electronically in the snap of a finger and yet, so much is missed.

I began to wonder if the calendars we have now, that show say WWII anniversary dates of things in history. I just feel like, when did they quit teaching history? Current events? etc.

I guess if it doesn't apply/it doesn't interest. I get that. But then, when I went to school, it wasn't about that. What happened, electronics. Some good, some not so good.

Re: So many lost skills

violann — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:15:11 GMT

Typically, "cradle raised" computer users will say

"I can find the answe to ANY QUESTION by simply using my computer"

Here's a problem as I see it- many of the people in the "cradle" group have no idea what they're asking about, or how to ask.

Re: So many lost skills

VanSleepy — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:17:37 GMT

A friend who is a lot younger than I am asked me for a certain recipe. I got out an index card and started to write it down, and she looked at me like I was nuts lol

Re: So many lost skills

hckynut — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:17:40 GMT

@Mominohio

I left my response in that thread also. Happy to see you taught your kids how to do basic math without a calculator. It is a shame that so many have to rely exclusively on electronics to do simple add/subtract and divide.

I an typing this on our tablet from my hospital room. Been here since Saturday afternoon with suspected heart issues. Also since my Hemoglobin numbers have dropped drastically, once again, internal bleeding is the suspect.

Have a Pandanoscopy(Colonoscopy and Endo) in 1 procedure, scheduled for tomorrow. So looks like I will be drinking my 20th Gallon of GoLytley Colon Cleaner later today.

Anyways, math/bookkeeping/general business were my main classes in high school. Working with money, in my opinion, a person needs more than exclusive electronic devices to complete cash and other transactions.

hckynut(john)

Re: So many lost skills

Trinity11 — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:19:49 GMT

@hckynut wrote:

@Mominohio

I left my response in that thread also. Happy to see you taught your kids how to do basic math without a calculator. It is a shame that so many have to rely exclusively on electronics to do simple add/subtract and divide.

I an typing this on our tablet from my hospital room. Been here since Saturday afternoon with suspected heart issues. Also since my Hemoglobin numbers have dropped drastically, once again, internal bleeding is the suspect.

Have a Pandanoscopy(Colonoscopy and Endo) in 1 procedure, scheduled for tomorrow. So looks like I will be drinking my 20th Gallon of GoLytley Colon Cleaner later today.

Anyways, math/bookkeeping/general business were my main classes in high school. Working with money, in my opinion, a person needs more than exclusive electronic devices to complete cash and other transactions.

hckynut(john)

O/T John I am so sorry to hear that you are in the hospital. I will pray that all goes well and you will be home quickly with your wife and beautiful sweet pets...

Hang in there!

Re: So many lost skills

hckynut — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:24:37 GMT

@Laura14

My feeling is some kids want to escape reality, and maybe even interacting with their wonderful aunt. It is a shame some young ones will have a hard time communicating with real people later in life when it is imperative.

To me it is a shame, to me anyways. Just my opinion

hckynut(john)

Re: So many lost skills

SaRina — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:27:55 GMT

@jackthebear wrote:
well people don't ride horses to town anymore either, life moves on

I was going to point this out. We also don't light kerosene lamps or cook our meals over the fire.

It's sad to us because these are things we grew up doing and we are now in the midst of change. But as humankind evolves, so must technology and our ways. We will most likely look very different in the long-term future too.

Re: So many lost skills

goldensrbest — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:27:45 GMT

John, hope it turns out good for you.

Re: So many lost skills

Allegheny — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:28:31 GMT

I was told this by a friend.

Her young co-worker (twenty something) placed a phone call and got a busy signal. Young person couldn't figure out what the beeping meant.

Re: So many lost skills

mstyrion 1 — Tue, 26 Apr 2016 14:30:37 GMT

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.