On 12/6/2017 4:37 PM, sms wrote:


My belief is that the lack of mechanical ability among many youth and
adults is based on two things:

1. Japanese cars. Far fewer mechanical breakdowns and less maintenance
led to the end of dads spending time with their kids showing them how to
change oil, plugs, points, rotors, and adjust timing on high-maintenance
vehicles. The whole skill set of using tools and fixing cars was lost.
Car maintenance teaches skills that are transferable to many other
applications.

Better standard of living is part of that. We drove some really cheap
cars that broke down frequently too. We had a part time job to buy a
$50 car. Now daddy buys junior a fairly new more reliable car.


2. Immigrants from countries with low-cost labor. My Indian friend told
me that it took a lot of getting used to life in the U.S. because in
India even middle class people have multiple servants to help out, i.e.
cooks, cleaners, gardeners, drivers, etc.. In China, labor is so cheap
that the middle class hires laborers and there is no "do-it-yourself"
mentality, it is viewed as demeaning to do home improvements like
painting or fixing plumbing problems.

I could learn to like that.