VIEWPOINT No more know-how We’ve gradually lost ability to do for ourselves BY NORMAN PERAZZO For The Sunday Gazette
Recalls of unsafe toys imported from China, and lawsuits against Chinese suppliers for tainted pet foods, have focused attention on our increasing dependence on foreign suppliers as U.S manufacturing capability has diminished. I agree with the observations in Dean Poeth’s recent Viewpoint article (Not Made in America, Jan. 27): A lack of hands-on ability among management and the work force is contributing to this loss of capability. But this is only one manifestation of a wider problem. Since my parents’ — or at most my grandparents’ — generation, self-sufficiency has been severely diminished. Our succeeding generations are becoming less hands-on and more dependent on purchased services. The costs to society extend to a variety of areas: Maintaining and improving our homes. How many people complain about heating bills but can’t seem to figure out how to improve insulation? They complain about the cost and reliability of contractors, and can’t do relatively simple tasks for themselves. People were known to rebuild their own kitchens, wire in their own outlets, or solder a pipe fitting in my father’s time, but this is increasingly rare. Repairing our automobiles. Many people keep new cars (and car payments) or live at the mercy of Mr Expensive-Wrench. They not only can’t fix their own cars, they don’t even know enough to recognize a trustworthy independent mechanic. This leaves them paying premium prices at dealers, where a good portion of the money that they pay leaves our community. I doubt that there are many who have even looked at the jack in their car, trusting rather that there will be cellphone service to call a tow truck. Our health. Because of a lack of what used to be common knowledge of health issues, we take poor care of ourselves and go to doctors and even to emergency rooms unnecessarily, inflating health care costs for everyone. I heard one emergency room physician estimate that 50 percent of ER visits were made by people who didn’t need emergency care, and that 25 percent were people who didn’t really need to see a doctor. FORCES AT WORK There are other trends for which the costs are less direct, but I still find the increasing dependence disturbing. The ability to read a map was replaced first with online computer-generated directions, and now with built-in car accessories that just tell you when to turn which way. Very few people grow their own food (the best way to guarantee organic production) and a decreasing number of people hunt. I’ve heard of problems with survival training in the Army, as the soldiers can’t kill and eat wild game. Maybe this could be mitigated by some vegan alternatives, but familiarity with edible plants is a rarity. Further, even in what they buy, people don’t show what my grandparents called “common sense” even before all of the modern nutritional studies. There are numerous forces at work that encourage succeeding generations to be less focused on hands-on ability. Some are positive: Cars last longer, and need less maintenance. Certainly, the job market demands more specialization, with more focus on information technologies than hands-on work. For the ability to process data, perform modeling, trend analysis, etc., the generation entering the work force is unprecedented. But I see some negatives as well. Foremost is the fact that parents spend less time teaching their kids hands-on skills. I realize that some parents need to work more hours than they’d prefer, just to keep their kids in a safe neighborhood and in decent schools. But in some cases, the desire for pricier cars and fatter stock portfolios leads to absentee parents who are just too tired to show kids how to cook, sew, repair, etc. And the marketing agents for video games are only too ready to propose an alternative. ACTIVITY DISCOURAGED Sports and fitness activities are at least marginally beneficial, improving health and coordination. But except for costly organized sports activities, we often discourage physical activities. We continue to sacrifice swimming in Collins Lake so that we can be kind to the geese, who will certainly return to foul the waters again and again. TV adds for personal injury attorneys remind us constantly that there is a lawsuit awaiting any kind of injury, so all manner of physical activities for adults and children are either curtailed or are far more expensive to cover insurance. Remember Merken’s, Snyder’s and Central Park softball leagues? The skateboards that must be banned from much of our city property are surely not the worst outlet for youthful energy. One of the primary institutions that has promoted hands-on self sufficiency is the Boy Scouts. Map reading, cooking, fitness, first aid, and a long list of hands-on abilities are all fundamentals of Boy Scout training. Unfortunately this organization is under attack by the ACLU, which focuses on their avoidance of openly gay scoutmasters, and use the mention of “God” in the Boy Scout pledge as an excuse to have them barred from public facilities. Many of these forces leave kids with diminishing possibilities for outlets to their natural energy and eagerness. Obsession with pop stars or video games often give way to more mature vices as kids get older. So the dangers here go well beyond lead in the paint on our toys. CREATING LASTING HABITS It is my hope that the parents and grandparents of our community will take the time to pass on some of their knowledge and abilities to the newest generation. Start young, while they still like to spend time with you, and it can grow into a lasting habit. My father and my son built Christmas presents together from the time my son was 10 years old until he left for college. This has been of far more value than spending time beating level 10 on Gorgon The Nintendo DeathMerchant, or even less attractive options.
This was a fantastic article. It is so true, we have friends that don't even know how to read a tape measure. How can you do something even as simple as center a picture on the wall if can't read one. I too have fallen victim to laziness. I used to do my taxes the old fashioned way with a calculator, pencil, and lots of coffee and time. Now I do them with H&R Block and just plug in the numbers.
" Because of a lack of what used to be common knowledge of health issues, we take poor care of ourselves and go to doctors and even to emergency rooms unnecessarily, inflating health care costs for everyone. I heard one emergency room physician estimate that 50 percent of ER visits were made by people who didn’t need emergency care, and that 25 percent were people who didn’t really need to see a doctor "
Sadly, this is not a Jay Leno gag but a peer-reviewed study, by a bunch of distinguished Dutch institutions, published in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal.
Unhealthy habits can mean lower medical care costs -- mostly because you're likely to die sooner. February 9, 2008
Go ahead and laugh -- all the way to the gym. We guffawed before we winced at the Dutch study published this week that found that slim and fit people actually cost the healthcare system more than obese people and smokers. That's because puffers and the pudgy tend to die young, while health nuts live longer and so rack up higher total medical bills.
Maintaining and improving our homes. How many people complain about heating bills but can’t seem to figure out how to improve insulation? They complain about the cost and reliability of contractors, and can’t do relatively simple tasks for themselves. People were known to rebuild their own kitchens, wire in their own outlets, or solder a pipe fitting in my father’s time, but this is increasingly rare. Repairing our automobiles. Many people keep new cars (and car payments) or live at the mercy of Mr Expensive-Wrench. They not only can’t fix their own cars, they don’t even know enough to recognize a trustworthy independent mechanic. This leaves them paying premium prices at dealers, where a good portion of the money that they pay leaves our community. I doubt that there are many who have even looked at the jack in their car, trusting rather that there will be cellphone service to call a tow truck.
That is what this country has become...we specialize in 'service'. We no longer manufacture much of anything. Service is all that's left. And if this country tightens it's belt where service is concerned, we're in big trouble.
We've become a fat lazy society. What is the government ever to do with us?
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
" Because of a lack of what used to be common knowledge of health issues, we take poor care of ourselves and go to doctors and even to emergency rooms unnecessarily, inflating health care costs for everyone. I heard one emergency room physician estimate that 50 percent of ER visits were made by people who didn’t need emergency care, and that 25 percent were people who didn’t really need to see a doctor "
Sadly, this is not a Jay Leno gag but a peer-reviewed study, by a bunch of distinguished Dutch institutions, published in the Public Library of Science Medicine journal.
Unhealthy habits can mean lower medical care costs -- mostly because you're likely to die sooner. February 9, 2008
Go ahead and laugh -- all the way to the gym. We guffawed before we winced at the Dutch study published this week that found that slim and fit people actually cost the healthcare system more than obese people and smokers. That's because puffers and the pudgy tend to die young, while health nuts live longer and so rack up higher total medical bills.
And that is where national health care system will just cut us short and make the decisions for us.....baaaaaaaaaa......
...you are a product of your environment, your environment is a product of your priorities, your priorities are a product of you......
The replacement of morality and conscience with law produces a deadly paradox.
STOP BEING GOOD DEMOCRATS---STOP BEING GOOD REPUBLICANS--START BEING GOOD AMERICANS
Somebody, I really like your perspective better. I can go back to smoking all in the interest of: Love for the financial welfare of my country!!!
And we thank you for this!
When the INSANE are running the ASYLUM In individuals, insanity is rare; but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule. -- Friedrich Nietzsche
“How fortunate for those in power that people never think.” Adolph Hitler
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