CHARLES ANGELICH wrote in a message to ROY J. TELLASON:

CA>> I think it was a good thing when men could demonstrate
CA>> their expertise by fixing things. The way it is now we are
CA>> all just spectators watching others demonstrate _their_
CA>> expertise. A feeling of impotence is creeping up on
CA>> mankind and a sense of helplessness mixed with a suspicion
CA>> that we are all just victims. Not a healthy way for a
CA>> society to feel IMO. 

RJT> I think you're on to something there... 

RJT> And as Robert A. Heinlein said, "specialization is for
RJT> insects"! I guess I'll just go on doing the best I can
RJT> with what I can, and show my grandkids that example, and
RJT> see what we can do to counter the trend. 

CA> I don't feel that I have enough access to my grandchildren to
CA> counter the overall lack of interest in learning to fix
CA> anything anymore. I try. :-\ 

Yeah,  I hear ya.  We had that going on too,  solved it by moving them in
to the apartment downstairs from us when it vacated,  which makes for a lot
more contact than there used to be.  I can see the difference already,  in
the year or so since that happened.

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