Basic Life Skills No-One Has Anymore

[Booze Zombie]

The problem with modern society is we're dependent on specialists, if something goes wrong we call up someone "trained to do it", why would we do it?
After all "we're not qualified".

I'm personally not a fan of it, it almost reeks of a caste system, like we're all just waiting around for the handyman caste to fix shit for us.
I myself am more a fan of personal growth and learning, but I suppose I can't blame people for taking advantage of convenience, even if it does leave them about as capable as puppies...

 

[rabidmidget]

That reminds me, I'm going to be (almost) independent next year and there is still a f*ckton of life skills I don't know (at least I can cook though).

Man, there is gonna be A LOT of trial and error.

 

[Humble85]

Was it parents simply not passing them down?

This in my case.

Same here. Now, living on my own, I really miss the simple skill to fill holes in my socks. And I'm just learning it now...There are many basic "life" skills I dont`t have, i.e. changing a flat on a car. But that's the funny thing: For most people, those skills arent necessary in their day-to-day lives. If your socks have holes, you throw'em away and buy new ones, or something.

 

[jultub]

I'm a scout, so I learned a thing or two about handling knifes at least. Apart from that, I can cook enough to survive, but I'm not very good at it. My sewing skills are limited to very simple repair, but I don't see it as necessary since I generally buy clothes that holds together really well for the price I pay for them, and I can always buy new if the old gets torn.

 

[Alzam]

Either I'm too young or my parents just don't do/teach me that kind of thing.

 

[Terramax]

I have had six---SIX!---ex-girlfriends to whom I have had to teach the skill of "how to write a check."

Isn't that her way of hinting she expects YOU to be paying?

 

[Unia]

It's not all just a matter of one household, as in whether or not your parents taught you something. The general consumerism in western culture has come to a point where we are discouraged to mend broken things or craft things on our own.

Think of any electronic appliance, with a dozen small tidbits that could break. Any spare parts, provided they are sold anywhere, will cost more than a whole new appliance. Grocery stores are full of processed foods and ready-cut and seasoned meat.

Me and my mother disagree on the whole sock-mending issue. I say by the time the sock needs mending, the threads are worn so thin that there will be a new hole by the mended spot in no time. Not to mention clots of criss-crossing thread under the heel don't feel too nice.
I still like knitting socks so...yay me?

Also, my father showed me how to change a flat tire but I know I could never get it done on my own. I simply lack physical strenght! And any professionals at a car shop use these drills to screw the bolts in place anyway...

 

[Chrinik]

Noone taught me English, or how to cook, or how to disembowel someone with a bayonett, I had to learn it myself. It´s a weird weird world we live in now.


On a more serrious note. If my "practical" clothes break, IE field uniforms or working clothes or socks, I usually tend to them with a needle and a string and fix the *****.

Also, my knife is a gift, if I wouldn´t sharpen it, it would become dull and useless.
And I think you cannot just go in some store and buy an HS-574 AK47 Bayonett. XD.

I´m a terrible cook, but I could survive a few days with the right ingredients. I also tend to spice up the normal "insta food" shit myself.

 

[Ickorus]

I know how to do all three of those things, does that make me strange?

 

[SenseOfTumour]

I'd suggest that's it's not really a problem so long as maybe 0.1% of us knows how to do everything, across the population, then most skills can be taught, if some natural disaster hit the planet and took out electricity tomorrow, I'm sure there'd be courses organised in the middle of town on how to make a camp fire, how to preserve heat, how to store foods longer now there's no freezers, and all the other basic things electricity serves to do for us.

1 person who can skin and butcher an animal soon becomes 10.20, 100, if he's willing to share his knowledge for the greater good, or simply doesn't want to have to do ALL the work

Really, I can understand why so many old skills have fallen out of favour as you have to weigh the cost of replacement, against the value of your free time. When socks are like 5 pairs for $5 and T shirts are $2 and jeans can go for $5, it's understandable that people don't break out the yarn so much.

 

[LitleWaffle]

Locally, it seems the ability to read, speak, or write English has left us, and gone forever.

Otherwise, basic repair skills. Society is more disposable than it used to be.

Reading? Are you serious? My goodness I hate people.

OT: I know how to cook basic things because its basic. Take that, logic!
Ironing isn't difficult, nor is repairing some things. I will slap any who are unable to write as well.

 

[Dirty Saint]

I can't say the reason, just that you're referring to "common sense". Nowadays, it's a goddammed superpower.

 

[joshuaayt]

The skills are vanishing because they are not so important now. Sharp knives can be bought cheaply, as can new clothing and most of anything. Cooking is less complex- it is very possible (And even common among students and the like) to live purely on microwaved goods from a supermarket.
And I say why not? Now we can focus on our new innovations, like video games. In fact, I can safely say that I'd rather just play video games.

 

[snow]

Meh, I lacked in a lot of general fields of knowledge when I was younger. It wasn't the fault of my parents or schooling, I just didn't really care at the time.

Usually once you move out, the little know hows of this and that come at you full swing. Which is surprising for me to say, I've become Mr. Fix-it at the apartment when 3 or 4 years ago I wouldn't have the slightest clue.

 

[gl1koz3]

I certainly don't know how to cook, but... man... not being able to sharpen a knife...

Agreed on parents being at fault. Part of them worship their kids. Which is wrong.

 

[Danallighieri]

Whiel I can't mend clothes, I can cook well enough and know how to sharpen blades

 

[Coranico]

Is the ability to mourn a life skill?
I want that one, even through everything bad that has happened to me and others around me it hasn't affected me in any way.

Also the skill of being entertained by a wheel and a stick, that skill is slowly dying...

 

[Ironic Pirate]

The skill I'm lacking is the ability to not feel guilty. I feel guilty really easily. Although this is also kind of good, as it means I rarely let people do things for me. I don't know why this is though, maybe it's because I was pretty much raised by a babysitter that was incredibly kind but also very poor.

EDIT: Yes! 1600th post, which is important because as everyone knows 1600 is one of the best numbers.

Well now you went and ruined it by posting somewhere else. Nice job, Dango.

Joking aside, motherfucking writing, yes that counts as a basic life skill. It's like some people picture what they want to say, think happy thoughts, and then start pounding on the keyboard for a few seconds. Damn it!

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Lessee....what do I know how to do that's practical?

I can cook. (not chef level but not McDonalds either)
I can do the dishes (undervalued), also can sharpen knives with steel, never tried it with a stone but I can only assume the principle is similar.
I can do the laundry.
I can properly clean a place. (top to bottom. Floors/glass/surfaces/walls/bathrooms)
I can change a tyre/oil/car lights/air filter/brake fluid/brake shoes. (Still not great on the engine, I tend to pick these things up as and when the problem arises, so I'm just waiting on my sparkplugs/etc to go) All the car stuff I learned from my dad, and I'm looking into getting myself a sweet ratchet set like he has.

I wouldn't mind learning how to sew/mend clothes as I've lost a few buttons on some of my favourite pieces. Re-wiring plugs wouldn't be unwanted either (think I'll get on that today).

Don't know much outdoor stuff, areas I've lived in have all been too urban. I might see if anyone I know can teach me how to fish, I'm not that far from the ocean.

One of the main life skills I'm proud of is my ability to properly shop for food. None of this buying today's meal alone when you're hun........okay I still do that but I can do it properly too: Budgeting, buying for the week/month etc, buying a range of meats/veg/staples/fruit/sweets etc so as not to be eating crap all the time.

I have to say I quite like this thread, quite introspective, useful to see what relatively easy skills you can muster/learn to aid and impress.

Also the skill of being entertained by a wheel and a stick, that skill is slowly dying...

In a similar vein, the ability/desire to like playing outdoors with the other guys/gals/kiddies (age dependent) rather than staring at a screen all day.

 

[Sebenko]

I have had six---SIX!---ex-girlfriends to whom I have had to teach the skill of "how to write a check."

Isn't that her way of hinting she expects YOU to be paying?

Hints are for pussies. And that's a pretty terrible hint anyway.