Is society becomming too soft?
I sometimes wonder how so many people manage to successfully undertake trips into the outback and deal with problems that inevitabely arise from time to time and then get back
home in one piece.
Whatever happened to self-reliance, or the challenge that many thrive on, to be able to analyse and resolve everyday problems, the ability to identify likely sources of problems before they manifest into something unmanageable.
Have forums and the like discouraged people from thinking for themselves or researching and finding the answer(s) for themselves? Is there a need for people to be able to do this?
Is there just too much reliance on the internet and the ability to just ask someone else to solve your problem or suggest solutions for you.
I fully understand that many people like to talk about their undertakings, their adventures, their next big trip and forums can be ideal for that.
With petrol/fuel prices rising more and more seem pre-occupied with it and appear incapable of deciding for themselves if they should spend a few thou and go bush or perhaps stay
home or do something entirely different. Many are asking other people to decide for them - or so it seems.
To many, on fixed incomes, self-funded retirees, pensioners (they were the group overlooked in the recent budget) etc the cost of consulting tradesmen (people) to resolve mechanical or electrical, plumbing or painting problems can be prohibitive. Many such people have developed skills enabling them to deal with many of the everyday problems be they
home maintennance, vehicle maintennance, cooking skills, survival skills,
first aid etc.
I often wonder how many of those who fall into the category of being 'basically hopeless and useless in such matters' have a shed in their backyard, spent time with their dad or uncle or big brother and were inducted into the school of D.I.Y. I wonder what percentage actually grew up on a
farm and learnt to weld, service a vehicle, skin a rabbit, slaughter a lamb, milk a cow, throw a wheat sheaf, sew a bag (or two) of wheat at harvest time and so on. Is this what is lacking in society today. Perhaps Boy Scouts, Defence Force(s) training etc gave many a sound footing in self-reliance and independence. Not saying such skills make these people any better than the next bloke BUT they do stand out in a crowd, or in particular on a
forum. To all those who took the time to listen to the old timers waffle on, repeatedly asked questions of elders such as how, why, when etc I say thank you. It's people like that who really do make a difference in everday life and their unselfish nature in sharing their knowledge with so many others is indeed a wonderful aspect of their character.