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>I look at the average Trig problem and I didn’t know where to start helping my son. Did you try reading the text book? It's made for children. It's high schoo

>I look at the average Trig problem and I didn’t know where to start helping my son. Did you try reading the text book? It's made for children. It's high school math. I cannot understand this mindset but I fear it is extremely common and our society is in trouble for it.

scarface74 6y ago
Yes we are in trouble because we have this thing called specialization of labor. I learned how to develop software so I could live in the big house in the burbs with the good school system and took advantage of knowing the right people with the right set of skills to help me in other areas. I also shockingly don’t cut my own grass, do my own plumbing or fix my own cars.
- twomoretime 6y ago
  >I also shockingly don’t cut my own grass, do my own plumbing or fix my own cars. I do, and you should too. These things are not difficult to learn. Moreover they are good full body workouts and, speaking from experience with my father, can be excellent bonding experiences. But that's beside the point. You're relying far too much on others if you've lost the ability to spend 5-20 minutes reading one chapter in a children's textbook for a chance to educate and bond with your child. If you can learn a new programming language or framework without someone holding your hand, you can do this basic stuff. I think people either underestimate themselves or they're willing to go to great lengths to justify their laziness.
  - scarface74 6y ago
    I do, and you should too. These things are not difficult to learn. Moreover they are good full body workouts and, speaking from experience with my father, can be excellent bonding experiences I’m sure there are dozens of things we pay for everyday that are not too difficult to learn. In business, you choose between your core competencies and what is best to outsource - your typical build vs buy decisions. Even while developing you choose when to use third party frameworks and what to build yourself. I’m not in Silicon Valley I am just in big city USA so I am in no way bragging. But by specializing in software development, that affords me the big house in the burbs, that also allows me to pay other people to cut my grass while I exercise in the comfort of my fully equipped home gym in the air conditioning. * If you can learn a new programming language or framework without someone holding your hand, you can do this basic stuff. I think people either underestimate themselves or they're willing to go to great lengths to justify their laziness.* I learned it the first time 20+ years ago, I have no doubt that I could relearn it - especially with the help - but everyone chooses how to optimize their time? Is my time spent better learning trig or doing something that can make me more money so I can cash flow his way through college?
    - twomoretime 6y ago
      >I learned it the first time 20+ years ago, I have no doubt that I could relearn it - especially with the help - but everyone chooses how to optimize their time? Is my time spent better learning trig or doing something that can make me more money so I can cash flow his way through college? We're talking about a pandemic where some degree of homeschooling has become mandatory. I'm just pointing out that the difficulty is minimal when it's a question of educating your kids. Our specializations are irrelevant. The rest, which is a different subject, just boils down to our difference preferences - I prefer to spend my spare time practicing practical skills and I think society would be far better off if other people did too. Even fixing cars gives your mind a technical workout that translates to other domains.
      - scarface74 6y ago
        Even fixing cars gives your mind a technical workout that translates to other domains. Or I could spend the time improving in the technical domain directly by bringing my laptop to the service department instead of fixing a car where they have people who can do it faster with better equipment and somehow hope that it will make me a better developer, team lead, overpriced consultant or whatever rabbit I’m chasing at the time. I’m sure the farmer would also look in disdain because you don’t grow your own food and instead go the grocery store.

scarface74 6y ago

Yes we are in trouble because we have this thing called specialization of labor. I learned how to develop software so I could live in the big house in the burbs with the good school system and took advantage of knowing the right people with the right set of skills to help me in other areas. I also shockingly don’t cut my own grass, do my own plumbing or fix my own cars.

twomoretime 6y ago
>I also shockingly don’t cut my own grass, do my own plumbing or fix my own cars. I do, and you should too. These things are not difficult to learn. Moreover they are good full body workouts and, speaking from experience with my father, can be excellent bonding experiences. But that's beside the point. You're relying far too much on others if you've lost the ability to spend 5-20 minutes reading one chapter in a children's textbook for a chance to educate and bond with your child. If you can learn a new programming language or framework without someone holding your hand, you can do this basic stuff. I think people either underestimate themselves or they're willing to go to great lengths to justify their laziness.
- scarface74 6y ago
  I do, and you should too. These things are not difficult to learn. Moreover they are good full body workouts and, speaking from experience with my father, can be excellent bonding experiences I’m sure there are dozens of things we pay for everyday that are not too difficult to learn. In business, you choose between your core competencies and what is best to outsource - your typical build vs buy decisions. Even while developing you choose when to use third party frameworks and what to build yourself. I’m not in Silicon Valley I am just in big city USA so I am in no way bragging. But by specializing in software development, that affords me the big house in the burbs, that also allows me to pay other people to cut my grass while I exercise in the comfort of my fully equipped home gym in the air conditioning. * If you can learn a new programming language or framework without someone holding your hand, you can do this basic stuff. I think people either underestimate themselves or they're willing to go to great lengths to justify their laziness.* I learned it the first time 20+ years ago, I have no doubt that I could relearn it - especially with the help - but everyone chooses how to optimize their time? Is my time spent better learning trig or doing something that can make me more money so I can cash flow his way through college?
  - twomoretime 6y ago
    >I learned it the first time 20+ years ago, I have no doubt that I could relearn it - especially with the help - but everyone chooses how to optimize their time? Is my time spent better learning trig or doing something that can make me more money so I can cash flow his way through college? We're talking about a pandemic where some degree of homeschooling has become mandatory. I'm just pointing out that the difficulty is minimal when it's a question of educating your kids. Our specializations are irrelevant. The rest, which is a different subject, just boils down to our difference preferences - I prefer to spend my spare time practicing practical skills and I think society would be far better off if other people did too. Even fixing cars gives your mind a technical workout that translates to other domains.
    - scarface74 6y ago
      Even fixing cars gives your mind a technical workout that translates to other domains. Or I could spend the time improving in the technical domain directly by bringing my laptop to the service department instead of fixing a car where they have people who can do it faster with better equipment and somehow hope that it will make me a better developer, team lead, overpriced consultant or whatever rabbit I’m chasing at the time. I’m sure the farmer would also look in disdain because you don’t grow your own food and instead go the grocery store.