The way things work
This post http://neanderpundit.com/?p=1365 By Og got me thinking. You know that book "the way things work"? I wore one out by age 8. Total tatters. I actually called the publisher to report two spelling errors and one factual mistake at age 7. But i digress. The book inspired me at a young age. I grew up on a farm. Anyone whos read some of my flashbacks knows that. I knew from an early age that things had alot of work behind them that doesnt show up in the finished product.
Example: Go buy a pound of beef from the grocery store.
Some butcher had to slaughter that cow and grind the meat.
Some farmer raised that cow from a calf,.
Some worker at a factory produced the tractor that fed that cow.
Some tech a pharmceutical company made the drugs that kept that calf alive.
Someone at a refinery made gas that ran the tractor that fed that cow.
Some truck driver delivered the cow to the sluaghterhouse.
And on, and on, and on.
Betcha you didnt know that a worker at a tractor plant came to your table everytime you had a burger did you?
How many of you readers know how a TV works? No? Maybe a simple AM radio then. I can make one out of a paper clip, razor blade, some wire and a TP tube. Can you?
How many of us know how to make simple auto repairs or lay carpet or build a garage? How many of us could stich up a bad cut or know the correct dosage amount of injectable anti-biotics to give someone? We are at a point in out world where specialization has taken over to a frightening degree. the advent of the 24 hour customer service line and the clickable "help" button have made far too many people saw "fix it" to someone else. Those kind of luxuries didnt exist just 20 years ago. Sure if your car broke down there was a repir shop. But usually your uncle Ed or neighbor Bob had a look at it and usually they could set it right without too much fuss.
Im 27 years old. Ive been alot of things in my life. Beekeeper, Diary worker, ASE certified auto tech, tractor mechainic, AC tech, and i even worked at a Nursing home mopping floors for a few weeks in between other jobs. I currantly am a DENR certified water treatment plant operator. I can drive a tractor, a bulldozer and probably an airplane or helicopter in an emergency. I can fix almost any mechanical object made given a littel time.
I recently had my yearly evaluation at work for raises and advancement. I found out (by accidetn i think) that i was the second highest paid worker at my plant because of my abilities in fabrication and my ability to quickly assimilate info regarding my job. Case in point; Recently we did some reapirs on an old military forklift we have out here at the plant. The seat we put on was about eight inches taller that the old one and you banged you head on the rollover cage. The manager and superintendent were wondering who they could have rebuild it as they didnt want ot spend a bunch of money. I said i could. Bring me out the torch, arc welder and cut-off saw and ill make it myself. Then we dont have to pay anybody else. They looked at me like i had a hole in my head. The general manager didnt think anyone outside of a machine shop could fix it. All i needed was the aforementioned tools and the steel. About two hours worth of mockup, a quick prototype and a short production run of spacers and it was done. Just as strong or stronger than factory. The manager was dumbfounded that i could do all that work with simple metalworking tools and my hands. Appreantly they had contacted a machine shop about doing it before they mentioned it to me and the machinist had told them he needed plasma cutters and bed mills and a bunch of other tools to make them strong enough.
A quote from Heinlen applies:
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -Heinlein, Lazarus Long
My wife is a teacher. Thats all she knows. She could probably make a passable secretary or maybe a waitress but that's it. She knows next to nothing about how things work or more importantly WHY they work. I'm no techno geek like some guys. I couldnt tell you the first thing about what makes a computer chip work. I can't do math above about a 10th grade level. But you ask me any of the basics and i can rattle it off. Ask the guy at radio shack how to chop down a tree or overhual a generator and you'll get the idea.
Someday when all the techno goodies cease to function and the grocery store is empty, There will be hordes of techies and office staff that know tons about living but don't know jack about staying alive. And there will be little old me. With my furnace made from old 55 gal drums and a rabbit over the spit shot with my AK i built from parts. Cushy? No. Alive? Yes.
What category do you fit?
Example: Go buy a pound of beef from the grocery store.
Some butcher had to slaughter that cow and grind the meat.
Some farmer raised that cow from a calf,.
Some worker at a factory produced the tractor that fed that cow.
Some tech a pharmceutical company made the drugs that kept that calf alive.
Someone at a refinery made gas that ran the tractor that fed that cow.
Some truck driver delivered the cow to the sluaghterhouse.
And on, and on, and on.
Betcha you didnt know that a worker at a tractor plant came to your table everytime you had a burger did you?
How many of you readers know how a TV works? No? Maybe a simple AM radio then. I can make one out of a paper clip, razor blade, some wire and a TP tube. Can you?
How many of us know how to make simple auto repairs or lay carpet or build a garage? How many of us could stich up a bad cut or know the correct dosage amount of injectable anti-biotics to give someone? We are at a point in out world where specialization has taken over to a frightening degree. the advent of the 24 hour customer service line and the clickable "help" button have made far too many people saw "fix it" to someone else. Those kind of luxuries didnt exist just 20 years ago. Sure if your car broke down there was a repir shop. But usually your uncle Ed or neighbor Bob had a look at it and usually they could set it right without too much fuss.
Im 27 years old. Ive been alot of things in my life. Beekeeper, Diary worker, ASE certified auto tech, tractor mechainic, AC tech, and i even worked at a Nursing home mopping floors for a few weeks in between other jobs. I currantly am a DENR certified water treatment plant operator. I can drive a tractor, a bulldozer and probably an airplane or helicopter in an emergency. I can fix almost any mechanical object made given a littel time.
I recently had my yearly evaluation at work for raises and advancement. I found out (by accidetn i think) that i was the second highest paid worker at my plant because of my abilities in fabrication and my ability to quickly assimilate info regarding my job. Case in point; Recently we did some reapirs on an old military forklift we have out here at the plant. The seat we put on was about eight inches taller that the old one and you banged you head on the rollover cage. The manager and superintendent were wondering who they could have rebuild it as they didnt want ot spend a bunch of money. I said i could. Bring me out the torch, arc welder and cut-off saw and ill make it myself. Then we dont have to pay anybody else. They looked at me like i had a hole in my head. The general manager didnt think anyone outside of a machine shop could fix it. All i needed was the aforementioned tools and the steel. About two hours worth of mockup, a quick prototype and a short production run of spacers and it was done. Just as strong or stronger than factory. The manager was dumbfounded that i could do all that work with simple metalworking tools and my hands. Appreantly they had contacted a machine shop about doing it before they mentioned it to me and the machinist had told them he needed plasma cutters and bed mills and a bunch of other tools to make them strong enough.
A quote from Heinlen applies:
A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects. -Heinlein, Lazarus Long
My wife is a teacher. Thats all she knows. She could probably make a passable secretary or maybe a waitress but that's it. She knows next to nothing about how things work or more importantly WHY they work. I'm no techno geek like some guys. I couldnt tell you the first thing about what makes a computer chip work. I can't do math above about a 10th grade level. But you ask me any of the basics and i can rattle it off. Ask the guy at radio shack how to chop down a tree or overhual a generator and you'll get the idea.
Someday when all the techno goodies cease to function and the grocery store is empty, There will be hordes of techies and office staff that know tons about living but don't know jack about staying alive. And there will be little old me. With my furnace made from old 55 gal drums and a rabbit over the spit shot with my AK i built from parts. Cushy? No. Alive? Yes.
What category do you fit?
posted by Silicon Wolverine at 4:49 PM
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