Posted on 12/28/2014 12:12:37 PM PST by familyop
Danielle George, Professor of Radio Frequency Engineering, at the University of Manchester, claims that the under 40s expect everything to ‘just work’ and have no idea what to do when things go wrong...This year’s Royal Institution Christmas Lectures are entitled ‘Sparks will fly: How to hack your home’ she is hoping it will inspire people to think what else they can do with common household objects...Ideas include using a magnifying glass and shoe box to turn a mobile phone into a rudimentary projector; how to use tin foil to make too small batteries fit correctly and how to turn a bottle of water into a lamp.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
But they sure know how to protest for social justice.
The electronic gadgets made now are not made to be repaired. They are made to ne used and thrown away.
One of my inherited nephews once destroyed a perfectly good car, because it didn’t occur to him that the oil should be checked once in a while
Technology has become disposable.
Costs more to fix it than to replace it.
Those being called to enroll in a program at an expensive, politically correct university? Probably so, but sponsoring propaganda and controlling multiple political parties might be more important to them later on.
It didn’t occur to my kids that a Christmas tree ornament with a missing hanger could be “fixed”. They were going to throw it out. So I told them to glue in a paper clip or something and they did do it. The older girl is making progress with DIY resourcefulness and can do some maintenance on her motorcycle. I go around fixing everything all the time — much more satisfying than buying new Chinese junk.
>>Isn’t that cute. How many over-40s can repair or re-purpose electronic gadgets now? Answer: nearly none.<<
How many under-40s can do it? Answer: nearly none.
Very few components today are fixable — all are disposable.
But I am willing to wager hard dollars more over 40s can build a PC from scratch (myself included) than the Playstation generation and younger. It would amaze me if anyone under 40 could change a battery on a Galaxy.
There’s a minor epidemic of people calling emergency services because they’re locked in their cars and can’t get out. They don’t understand that the doors can be unlocked without the key fob remote. I don’t hold much hope for such people as far as acquiring any sort of mechanical inclination at all, let alone understanding how to repair anything. They’re getting ever more helpless outside a video game.
As a kid wasn’t very good at fixing them but I was damn good at taking them apart!
Isn’t that what black tape is for?
Yes, we baby-boomers don’t know a thing about this stuff! We have to call in somebody if the toilet acts up!!! How different from my father’s generation.
There are subdivisions in technology, as there are branches of science, and general knowledge of what is in each group is useful.
Likewise there is some degree of technological overlap, as there is overlap in the branches of science.
But eventually, people need to discard information that is less useful, as long as they remember that it exists.
A great example, for most people, is algebra. It can be extremely useful, if you need it, but most people seldom need to involve themselves with it in their daily lives.
It’s been a few years since I put a PC together, give me an hour or so.
“Isn’t that cute. How many over-40s can repair or re-purpose electronic gadgets now? Answer: nearly none. That’s beside the point, though. Older technologies may be more useful, more repairable and more replaceable in the near future. “
Fer sure. I did electronics and computer stuff for years. Got tired of constant change & etc. My young one of 25 years can deal with stuff now. Like replacing surface-mount components on an ailing video card using the toaster oven. But we did school him in welding and machining. And he’s my go-to gunsmith.
Weird thing was he knew about other very technical subjects outside of physics. He ground his own mirrors for decent sized telescopes and handloaded ammo that he used to routinely win benchrest matches at the gun club.
Guess the point is that these people have existed for a while. Everything I know (which isn't that much) about working on my house I learned on my own. My neighbor was amazed that I had hung my own TV on the wall. What is that, about a 20 minute job, where 15 minutes is looking for the tools?
‘we baby boomers’
You must have a mouse in your pocket, miss marmelstein.
When I was first married and money was tight, I brought the carburetor from a Dodge 318 engine into the house and following the instructions, installed the re-build part kit, put it back on the engine and it ran like a top.
Just yesterday I installed some cool Magpul stuff on my only Christmas present that many might consider gunsmithing.
With all due respect ya da da da ... speak for yourself.
Most of the people I know fix things and handle themselves.
Think like a conservative: lefties think like hapless losers.
Just sayin’, don’t get mad.
>>It’s been a few years since I put a PC together, give me an hour or so.<<
I assume you are over 40... ;)
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