I’ll tell ya, growing up poor goes a long ways to learning how to fix things but these days the stuff they make was designed not to be fixed in the first place.
Bustednuckles
Documenting The Death Of America
I’ll tell ya, growing up poor goes a long ways to learning how to fix things but these days the stuff they make was designed not to be fixed in the first place.
I grew up in the disposable economy. My dad never taught me how to fix anything, and I’m clumsy at best with my hands. That said, I’m very proud of how my millennial son is able to quickly Google about his dishwasher, and then fix it. I think he’s kept at least 3 appliances going that way. Even rewired the kitchen lighting (which was originally done by a drunk monkey that hated all of humanity). He has no fear of any home maintenance activity.
Okay, but how many guys say “google it” because they got tired of being asked to fix something and were berated for doing it “wrong”. Okay honey, if you know I’m doing it wrong, that means you know how to do it right. It’s all yours.
Yeah. Designed obsolescence is a major problem.
Looks like the whiny bitch syndrome has swarmed on that one. Listen, honey, Der Google has shown me how to do a buncha stuff, especially when it comes to working on car windows and changing headlight bulbs, and you can kiss my ass if you don’t like it, both sides. Have a nice day.
Mediocrity tip: watch more than one video about how to do whatever because you just might find there’s more than one way to skin a cat and an easier one as well.
Already there, WWW – each video has at least ONE thing it brings to the repair process. Great point!
Now, I learned back in the 50s-60s-early 70s hpw tp repair stuff, and your point about stuff is NOT made to be fixed is semi-valid. Most items are designed to be snapped together which *significantly* cuts down labor time, ad as a result you practically have to destroy the covers and internal mechanisms in order to get to or repair it! Glue, solder, and hot air welding is your friend…
Leigh does a good job at his place keeping things fixed, brought back from the dead, or improved upon. He’s One Of The Old Guard that you should get to know When The Balloon Goes up, believe me!
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without!” is a good mantra to have, and also a good bit of tools and a fixit attitude!
Thanks for the props, Igor.
Much appreciated.
Leigh
Whitehall, NY
My understanding is she is not bashing “Googling”, she is deriding men who don’t know, don’t care to do anything about it, and tells their other to look it up to do it theyself.
Yep, youtube is your friend when it comes to fixin stuff like cars.
Been saying the word fixin, all my life. My good yankee Minnesota friend would always comment, what you fixin.
Been fixin shit as often as I could most my life because I’m a cheap bastard or it gets me a new tool.
Ask me about my new pole saw, fixed that fuckin 2-1/2 foot diameter trunk cottonwood at the new house without askin but for forgiveness after, she was not happy, cottonwood, I didn’t give a fook.
Yea, I bought a car with 26k miles, it has broken down twice in 2 weeks. do I check into the lemon law? I don’t know.
Feature not a bug with no techs on the backend. It’s stupid, spent 10 years at General Motors, two places where dealers made most of their money, F & I (financing and insurance(warranties) and the back end (repair shop).
Call a small town dealer, ask their shop foreman if the manufacturer is seeing those problems on a regular basis. If so, file a product complaint online to document it. Pursue the dealer to fix under factory warranty. If not resolved file better business bureau complaint and email ford, Lincoln,Chevy, dodge or whomever directly and then bend over, it’s slower than the justice system.
If you get blown off let the factory know your stories going viral but be careful of defamation, just tell the facts.
Email the factory directly weekly for documentation
Was born mid last century. We repaired everything that supported us and I learned by watching then past age 7, helping then doing. Have imparted as much of this as possible to the kids and now grands, but disposable fast-to-obsolescence electronics is killing the skills. I am an EE with 40 years of hands on mechanical experience, even I have trouble now with repairing anything build after the year 2000, was able to repair a fritzed microwave unit from about that date, still had some discrete components. Aside from automobiles which are getting so complex as to be a lost DIY art, on those so far I am keeping up. Have to have a specialized computer to actuate something as simple as an electric parking brake, bleed hydraulics of trace a fault. I pray the younger gens get back into U.S. manufacturing or the future is grim..
Points taken dear, but chill out. If your man turns to Google, be grateful that he knows what he doesn’t know, and is motivated enough to go learn.
Decades ago while I was still in the gun biddness, a customer brought me his Chinese Type 54 Tokarev that wouldn’t run. Off to YooToob I went, and found a disassembly video, which allowed me to spot the part my customer had installed backwards.
Here is how you learn how to do stuff…you go out and do it! I met plenty of book smart/experience poor people in my life that could not hack it in a real situation.
My old man broke shit and it was my job to fix it. No thanks, no praise for figuring out just an ass whipping incoming for failure. Not gonna pretend that is the best way to learn, but it is effective.
I grew up on a farm. I can fix things.
I was raised on a farm. I can fix most things made in the last century. Stuff made in this one are a bit over the top but the basics still count.
Google can help but approach with caution. Some of the how too do’s go a bit astray.
My understanding is she is not bashing “Googling”, she is deriding men who don’t know, don’t care to do anything about it, and tells their other to look it up to do it theyself.