[MicroNik]

sometimes I think i should be in England..

 

[Vikingatheart]

I should have been a Swedish viking. 

 

[rroseperry]

Quote:

I should have been a Swedish viking. 

no Grados, you might want to think about this

 

[kyuuketsuki]

Who has time to think about Grados when you are plundering a village?
 
Quote:

no Grados, you might want to think about this

 

 

[bigshot]

It's wrong to assume that having a record of a past golden age is the same thing as having a living culture. The past should inform the present, not act as a substitute for it.

 

[Uncle Erik]

I have to agree with the state of education. It used to be a lot better. A local junk/book store has been a rich source for me lately.

One point in particular is a 1956 Popular Mechanics book of projects for boys that I picked up. This was geared for kids around 10-16 50 years back and it's sophisticated compared to what's around today. There are radio and telephone projects on a level comparable to a CMoy build, as well as a bunch of stuff that would freak out today's parents. Not least the taxidermy, but also things like rafts, treehouses, and motor-driven go-karts. The cultural difference is striking. This was a mass-market book, but it's full of real adventure for kids with a little help from their fathers. We'd be better off if children were still encouraged to build and experiment.

Another great book I found is a 1950s book about basic audio. It actually has schematics and walks you through all the basic circuits. 50 years ago, people commonly built their own gear.

You can't help but notice how far the culture has fallen. I've also found excellent books about farming at home, construction, and much else. It used to be common to know these sorts of things. I don't want to rant, but it's sad how commercialism has replaced doing things yourself. I feel lucky that I was able to take electronics in high school (no longer offered there) and grew up with woodwork and a ham who built his own gear. I've also learned a bit about wrenching on cars and motorcycles from a good friend, but he's a bit of a throwback, too.

 

[Mkubota1]

I'm glad I took basic electronics, band, had P.E., and wish I took a shop class- although for the latter I ended up learning that on my own.  To see where our culture has gone, all you have to do is take a look at Radio Shack.  They used to have their electronic components in plain view on pegs; but now it's all in drawers in the back of the store.  The display that used to have those electronic circuit kits for kids is now a table full of cell phones and iPod accessories.  This is what they had to do to stay in business.  Idiocracy aside, I still think we live in a pretty good time and place.  I'm just not sure how long it will last.
 
"We use our intelligence to structure our environment so that we can succeed with less intelligence."  -Andy Clark

 

[scytheavatar]

Question: why bother about what that's popular and topping that worthless billboard charts?

 

[kingpage]

Quote:

I have to agree with the state of education. It used to be a lot better. A local junk/book store has been a rich source for me lately.

One point in particular is a 1956 Popular Mechanics book of projects for boys that I picked up. This was geared for kids around 10-16 50 years back and it's sophisticated compared to what's around today. There are radio and telephone projects on a level comparable to a CMoy build, as well as a bunch of stuff that would freak out today's parents. Not least the taxidermy, but also things like rafts, treehouses, and motor-driven go-karts. The cultural difference is striking. This was a mass-market book, but it's full of real adventure for kids with a little help from their fathers. We'd be better off if children were still encouraged to build and experiment.

Another great book I found is a 1950s book about basic audio. It actually has schematics and walks you through all the basic circuits. 50 years ago, people commonly built their own gear.

You can't help but notice how far the culture has fallen. I've also found excellent books about farming at home, construction, and much else. It used to be common to know these sorts of things. I don't want to rant, but it's sad how commercialism has replaced doing things yourself. I feel lucky that I was able to take electronics in high school (no longer offered there) and grew up with woodwork and a ham who built his own gear. I've also learned a bit about wrenching on cars and motorcycles from a good friend, but he's a bit of a throwback, too.

I had a feeling that in 50 years, people will read some wikipedia pages as well as Q&A websites, and saying the same thing as you. "People back in 2010 actually learned about these advanced concepts and theories and 15 year olds ask questions about how to build a virtual ground circuit and properly test different things, but now in 2060 people rely on computer generated knowledge (rather than like wikipedia) and no troubleshooting is needed anymore because AI fixes problems before they affect us and it basically does our thinking for us. There's also no need to learn theories as we tell the computers to do such and such without having to understand anything behind the abstract objects. Commands like "build an audio amplifier that is bright, with smooth mids and a huge soundstage" or "optimise the graphic rendering of this video game by 20%".
 

 

[bigshot]

I was once discussing this subject with some college age friends, and they insisted that education today was as good as in the past. I happen to own a set of St Nicholas magazine, which was the premiere magazine for children at the turn of the 19th century. I pulled one at random off a shelf and read a letter to the editor out loud...

Dear Editor,

Last month you published a myth about Persephone and Hades. I found it interesting because I own a book where the myth of the abduction of Persephone is told with the names Prosperia and Pluto instead of Persephone and Hades. Why are the names different in my book?

St Nicholas Reader
Age 10

Dear St Nicholas Reader

Prosperia and Pluto are the Latin names for the gods in this myth. Persephone and Hades are the Greek names.

Editor

Age 10! My friends conceded. They had no idea who Persephone was. I had to remind them of a Disney cartoon they had seen that was based on the Abduction of Persephone myth.

 

[bigshot]

Question: why bother about what that's popular and topping that worthless billboard charts?

Popular music used to be great music.

 

[Mkubota1]

Quote:

I had a feeling that in 50 years, people will read some wikipedia pages as well as Q&A websites, and saying the same thing as you. "People back in 2010 actually learned about these advanced concepts and theories and 15 year olds ask questions about how to build a virtual ground circuit and properly test different things, but now in 2060 people rely on computer generated knowledge (rather than like wikipedia) and no troubleshooting is needed anymore because AI fixes problems before they affect us and it basically does our thinking for us. There's also no need to learn theories as we tell the computers to do such and such without having to understand anything behind the abstract objects. Commands like "build an audio amplifier that is bright, with smooth mids and a huge soundstage" or "optimise the graphic rendering of this video game by 20%".

 
I have a feeling you are right.  We do the exact same thing with all forms of art too-  everything was better 'back then'.  We probably are getting less intelligent and less capable in some areas.  But we always manage to survive and in many ways flourish.  How long will it last is anyone's guess.

 

[Prog Rock Man]

Scotland has produced two bands that I have/do really like; The Simple Minds back in the 1980s and Mogwai now. I would have been better off musically either in Sweden or around Portland, USA as so many bands I like tour there now.

 

[bigshot]

We'll forgive Scotland for Rod Stewart then.

 

[rroseperry]

No one younger than a certain age ever believes this, but there was a time when Rod Stewart was a great singer. His work with the Small Faces and Jeff Beck, as well as the solo work before (or just after) "Ev'ry Picture" is worth the listen.