The reason why modern men struggle with basic handy skills.

[armbarforhire]

most cars, you change the bulb itself, it's not that difficult, no more difficult than changing the lights under a light cover assembly, not like it's worlds apart.

The ones I had fall on the remove bumper category.

 

[GolovKing]

Not quite sure I agree with your thesis. Yeah, a lot of stuff is more complicated to fix, but if and when that happens I would move that out of the “basic handy skills”. There are plenty of basic handy skills that have pretty much never changed for decades and decades. Basic electrical work like installing a dimmer switch is no more complicated now than it was 40 years ago. The fundamentals of minor dry wall repair have not changed. Changing a tire has not changed. Etc.

I remember about 6 years ago I worked with a lawyer who was about two or three years younger than me. He was usually pretty late getting into the office, usually showing up around 9:30am or later. One day he showed up at about 8:45am. When I asked him why he was in so early he said it was because his wife had brought in some handy man to do some really minor shit, like fixing a loose towel rack and changing some light bulbs etc. He said he felt really emasculated so he needed to get the fuck out of there so he came into work almost an hour early to avoid the shame.

I mocked him mercilessly for years over that.

Why in the hell would he even admit to that?

 

[chrisdiaz]

My dad made me do a lot of stuff with him/for him around the house when I was young. I hated it then but I appreciate it now.

Basically lack of dads not yelling at their kids. I can still hear him saying "dont do a half assed job" and getting the thumbs up meant I did good.

 

[PaddyO'malley]

Gentle parentin' nuh build men fam mi thot mi faddah yellin' at me while mi hol' di flash light was waste of taym but now wen mi do ting mi seh "oh yah mi memba dat measure twice cut once big man ting" mad confidence boost wax on wax off

also mi see mi faddah mess up lotta taym show mi nobody rly kno how fi do evryting just fek it til yuh mek it ting work oot eventually mi tink di yute mad scared of failure fam real talks easier fi pay di brownskin fi do it plus tools expensive AF haffi spend a fat bag

tl;dr di yute dem:
-have cripplin' fear of failure
-need step by step instructions detailed but nuh too detailed plus flow charts fi edge cases and fi wen yuh fck up
-find it easier fi pay sum1 instead of strugglin' an' pushin' thru
-broke af LMFAOLL

imho

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

Why in the hell would he even admit to that?

I don’t know, but now you have me wondering if they’re swingers and he was telling me because he wanted me to go over and install a dimmer switch and fuck his wife.

 

[mozfonky]

The ones I had fall on the remove bumper category.

yup, the vw i had was like that, made no sense, I was barely able to fit my hand in to get the bulb in without all that though.

anyway, there are often hitches to any diy job, I've had bulbs that were stuck in and broke off when I tried to remove them. Ya know, murphy's law, you have to allow for it and not act like everything is trouble free when it's not. but hell, I don't see the point of scheduling an oil change, or going in and having some meth head do it, taking more time and giving less care to the job than I would myself.

 

[DragRacer]

Same here, my Uncle was a NASA engineer who worked on Apollo propulsion, and led the design team for the SkyLab fairings.
He’s almost 80 now, and I have to help him figure out how the remote on his TV works.

My uncle was a rocket scientist and he couldn't fix anything! Well, as best as I know. He never has cared much to work on items around his house or on his old Corvette.

For Christmas this year I bought myself a handy man fixit yourself book. I read the first few pages, looked at many of the pictures and kind of decided it wasn't for me. I suppose someday I'll do some chore mentioned in the book but for now it is so easy to call someone up and have them come over to repair some item.

This Wednesday I have a repair guy coming out to fix some siding on the house. The Christmas book I have has a section dedicated to fixing house siding. I thought about following the books instructions but thought better of it. I don't want to climb up to the second story of the house.

 

[chardog]

Same here, my Uncle was a NASA engineer who worked on Apollo propulsion, and led the design team for the SkyLab fairings.
He’s almost 80 now, and I have to help him figure out how the remote on his TV works.

my wife is worse, she's half his age and cant use a computer.....................

I teach my sons the ropes, but a lot of stuff I'm too lazy to do properly and I dont want to teach, like changing an outlet without turning off the breakers, definitely dont do my own oil changes, and with an electric car, that doesnt exist. We changed ceiling fan, hot mopped some roof parts, cleaned the solar panels, removed the toilet, she they arent totally useless.

 

[GSP_37]

The internet has them thinking they're hot shit when they're dumbshits. Posting dumb shit to get likes doesn't translate into any sort of useful competence.

 

[Hellowhosthat]

When I read people slag off the younger generation for not knowing these kinds of skills I always think they're kind of slagging off their own generation for being the first one not to hand them down.

 

[mozfonky]

Same here, my Uncle was a NASA engineer who worked on Apollo propulsion, and led the design team for the SkyLab fairings.
He’s almost 80 now, and I have to help him figure out how the remote on his TV works.

nutty

 

[Phlog]

You're on most of it I reckon. Furthermore I'd place an emphasis on the learned helplessness of growing up valuing items which one cannot fix due to their prefabricated electrical nature.

The increasing complexity has engendered an attitude which reduces effort in the endeavour.

I say this because really all you have to be able to do is use the internet on a basic level to fix almost anything these days. I built a house, developed a trade, fixed my car, learned parenting skills, learned to play American football, learned to lift weights etc etc all just finding experts and adopting their advice.

I don't think I'm particularly capable but modern tech makes it so easy.

I remember having to order decades out of date books into the library to learn how to fix stuff in my childhood.

 

[Belaya Smert]

Self sufficiency has been replaced by disposable products not made to last. Often with non serviceable parts.
Every person should have some ability to fix and repair. Basic carpentry, electrical, and automotive knowledge is a benefit.

 

[Don Quixote]

That’s certainly true. Especially working under the hood of cars. Everything is so hard to get to now and replace.

It hit home recently when I was overlooking an old family heirloom car from the late 60’s.

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

You're on most of it I reckon. Furthermore I'd place an emphasis on the learned helplessness of growing up valuing items which one cannot fix due to their prefabricated electrical nature.

The increasing complexity has engendered an attitude which reduces effort in the endeavour.

I say this because really all you have to be able to do is use the internet on a basic level to fix almost anything these days. I built a house, developed a trade, fixed my car, learned parenting skills, learned to play American football, learned to lift weights etc etc all just finding experts and adopting their advice.

I don't think I'm particularly capable but modern tech makes it so easy.

I remember having to order decades out of date books into the library to learn how to fix stuff in my childhood.

You are a smart guy. I wish I could build a house.

 

[Phlog]

You are a smart guy. I wish I could build a house.

Thanks, I wish and reckon you could do it too, it's not as if it's rocket science, and that's not exactly brain surgery!

I think it's just finding smarter people than oneself and doing what they suggest.

I guess distilled it's learning from other people's mistakes.


It's fucking quiet in here these days. I'm increasingly thinking about creating an AI forum for me to live in. You'll be in it!

 

[Takes Two To Tango]

Thanks, I wish and reckon you could do it too, it's not as if it's rocket science, and that's not exactly brain surgery!

I think it's just finding smarter people than oneself and doing what they suggest.

I guess distilled it's learning from other people's mistakes.


It's fucking quiet in here these days. I'm increasingly thinking about creating an AI forum for me to live in. You'll be in it!

lol thank you.