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> Much like the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission, read a map, or write a check, Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their ha

> Much like the ability to drive a car with a manual transmission, read a map, or write a check, Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands—and it’s time for that to change. Ugh. Let's talk down the youngest generation of adults to justify a basic tutorial article. Ironically no one of Gen Z, that I know of, is unable to do any of those examples.

kjhgfdfg 3y ago
[flagged]
pyb 3y ago
Gen Z will be one of the most practical generations in history, thanks to Youtube.
teelelbrit 3y ago
The author is 25 (gen z) and has done multiple car reviews / car product reviews that feature his own car which is a manual...
nocman 3y ago
While I can see why you might take that as "talking down the youngest generation of adults", I don't think that is necessarily the author's intention. All three of those examples are things that many people from Gen Z often don't ever do. They are also all still valuable skills that I believe are still worth knowing. I agree that it is bad to talk down to people just because they are young. It is also bad to dismiss people because they are significantly older than you are. Both parties miss out when those things happen. Younger people often have more energy and free time, and their excitement about what they are learning can be energizing. Older people often have experience that is tremendously valuable. You can learn a great deal from someone with years of experience in a field in which you have interest. I think one of the unfortunate things about the internet is it is far too easy to default to being combative, and assume the worst about what others are saying. And yes, I include myself in that as well as others.
- csydas 3y ago
  I don’t quite get the thrust of most of your post beyond that you have a more generous understanding on the quote. As I get your post based on the amount spent on why it’s bad to dismiss older persons, I don’t think this is really what the article or GP suggested. similarly, I am not sure that it’s fair to say genz often doesn’t do a lot of the mentioned things. GenZ is full of individuals specializing in niche or old fashioned skills and showing the skills off on specific mediums. Coding and repair twitch streams are quite common, just maybe not as much as subjects that are easier to appreciate without much knowledge in the subject. It’s pretty easy for most people to grasp why a contortionist’s skill or someone skilled with sewing has a rare and unique talent. it’s a lot easier to understand what went into it and the precision and the result is very apparent. I think it’s not so clear with subjects like electronics repair as the tech might work afterwards, but there is too much to understand going into it to fully appreciate the result in its own, and thus audiences rely on the presenter to fill the gaps. The authors examples are good ones if you’re already inclined towards fixing stuff on your own; but if it were me, even with a simple fix like string lights, i’d have a hard time justifying repairs on my own as i’d need to invest into the repair kit and it would be hard to shake concerns on if I did a safe repair or if I made a mistake that needs to be fixed. I imagine it’s like this for many, as even a few years back when I did laptop repair at a university, students (even technical ones) were antsy about such manual repairs and fixes, and often just preferred to put the liability on someone else. for something really disposable like lights, a cheap phone, etc, i can easily get why people of all ages would just prefer a new one. Soldering is a fun hobby, and i think that the hobbyist community would easily eat it up if they don’t already (i’m positive you can find some electronics repair vids/channels). it is just lacking practical reasons for people to be interested and/or personalities to bring people to it.
  - DwnVoteHoneyPot 3y ago
    In your third paragraph, you point out a few things: 1) the emotional anxiety of doing the repairs, 2) putting the liability on someone else, 3) disposibility or products. You mention these as reasons of why not to do the repair yourself. All of those reasons are the main critisms of gen Z and millenials! I'm not a boomer, but: 1) Emotions are preventing repairs?? A bit of stoicism is needed. If you have the habit of repairing things, there is no anxiety. In the old hacker culture you'd think it would be a fun opportunity to disassemble and see how it works and repair it. 2) Takes some reponsibility and risks instead of putting the liability on someone else. The end result is people who are less reliant on others, less finger pointing. 3) The article is trying to promote repairing skills instead of consumer culture. Repairing and better built products instead of filling landfills. You also mention "i'd need to invest into the repair kit"... it's cheaper to repair than buy new! As you collect tools and experience, there's more and more opportunity to repair, which adds more tools and experiences... a great positive feedback loop.
reaperducer 3y ago
Let's talk down the youngest generation You're not the younger generation anymore. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Alpha https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Alpha no one of Gen Z, that I know of, is unable to do any of those examples. "That I know of" is the hallmark of Gen Z: Thinking that their experiences are the only experiences. Taking the manual transmission example, there were a number of items in the news back when manual transmission was more common about Millennial and Gen Z would-be car thieves being unable to drive away because they didn't know how to use a stick. But since you didn't know them, they must not exist.
- jakeinspace 3y ago
  Ah yes, the 12 year old adults, how could they have forgotten.
- was_a_dev 3y ago
  > youngest generation of adults Gen Alpha are yet to become adults > that I know of A disclaimer, as I am more than aware my experience is just that, my own. Just like my experience and viewpoint probably differs with other factors
cookie_monsta 3y ago
I am Gen X and I have never written a cheque in my life. Manual transmission and maps I am ok with.
- was_a_dev 3y ago
  For myself, writing cheques have been a case of supporting the older generation(s)
  - brewdad 3y ago
    My GenZ child wrote their first check a few months ago. The State Department doesn't take cash or credit cards for passport applications. The guy at the post office talked them through it and their passport arrived last week. A decade from now they'll write their second check and have to be talked through it again.
- jonhohle 3y ago
  Based on the spelling, you’re probably not from the US. Until recently, there were really no “free” ways to give independent contractors money except cash or check. That’s changing, slowly.
- purpleblue 3y ago
  You're Canadian. I'm surprised you didn't write cheques for rent, like I did when I lived in Canada.
  - cookie_monsta 3y ago
    No, Australian and we have been depositing money for things such as rent directly into people's bank accounts via telephone and internet banking for as long as I can remember. Well, no. I have a dim memory of taking my landlord big wads of cash in the early 90s. Most of the passport application/ renewal process is online, but for a child passport you just go to the post office and tap your card as if you were paying in the supermarket. I remember my dad's chequbook. It's kind of quaint to think they're still in use, like if you went into a shop and they still had that pneumatic tube system for sending messages.
replygirl 3y ago
it goes both ways. most of the gen z folks i know can't read a clock or focus on a movie
- fullstop 3y ago
  You need to meet more gen z folks.
eimrine 3y ago
> Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands But it has more and more sources of learning in comparison to my ones when I was in their age.
the_only_law 3y ago
> Just 2.4% of our cars sold today have stick shifts.[0] Gee, I wonder why these stupid kids aren’t familiar with manual transmissions. [0] https://www.carmax.com/articles/stick-shift-index https://www.carmax.com/articles/stick-shift-index
- comte7092 3y ago
  I bet they can’t even write cursive either, or ride a horse.
- mgaunard 3y ago
  That's only in the USA though.
gregshap 3y ago
Curious where you are finding a sample of Gen Z members who can all drive manual transmission?
- brewdad 3y ago
  My GenZer wants to learn but we literally don't know a single person who owns a manual transmission car. Well we know one but it's a cousin who lives 1500 miles away and we really only see at weddings and funerals.
- TremendousJudge 3y ago
  In countries that are not the USA?
- tiagod 3y ago
  I live in Portugal and you'll find more Gen Zers (with a drivers license) afraid of driving an automatic than a stick shift. If you've never driven one, automatic cars feel super dangerous as you can accelerate indefinitely even when unconscious, and even in a normal situation your left foot clutch muscle memory will make you push the brake (to the floor) without meaning to as well.
h4ch1 3y ago
I am Gen Z (1999), and learnt how to solder by being told to build a radio from scratch by my father. I had to source my own materials, find schematics, figure them out on my own at age 11. I consider myself extremely lucky my childhood wasn't one where I was given an iPad at age 4 to fry my brain completely.
flappyeagle 3y ago
you are blessed. I know millennials who can't do any of those.
purpleblue 3y ago
I'm Gen X and the only way I knew how to drive a manual was because of video games.
zahma 3y ago
The point of the article is to propose it as a fun thing to do on the side. But who solders as a hobby? I’m a millenial, and I have broken out my dad’s soldering equipment a handful of times because I wanted to try fixing something myself. (I’d hazard a guess that’s cultural more than generational, but maybe not.) I don’t know that this article did such a good job making the case for soldering as a hobby in so much as it lays the groundwork for someone who might need to use this tool to fix something his/herself. And that should be the emphasis. I can drive a manual car, swim, and perform CPR — supposedly the three things an adult should know, but damn it if I spend more time in my workshop hunched over molten metal. I got other things to enjoy, as I’m sure many people younger than myself do too.
dang 3y ago
"Please don't pick the most provocative thing in an article or post to complain about in the thread. Find something interesting to respond to instead." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
some_random 3y ago
Those damn degenerate Gen Z kids, can you believe they didn't spring fully formed into the world knowing how to do everything I now know how to?? /s

kjhgfdfg 3y ago

[flagged]

pyb 3y ago

Gen Z will be one of the most practical generations in history, thanks to Youtube.

teelelbrit 3y ago

The author is 25 (gen z) and has done multiple car reviews / car product reviews that feature his own car which is a manual...

nocman 3y ago

While I can see why you might take that as "talking down the youngest generation of adults", I don't think that is necessarily the author's intention. All three of those examples are things that many people from Gen Z often don't ever do. They are also all still valuable skills that I believe are still worth knowing. I agree that it is bad to talk down to people just because they are young. It is also bad to dismiss people because they are significantly older than you are. Both parties miss out when those things happen. Younger people often have more energy and free time, and their excitement about what they are learning can be energizing. Older people often have experience that is tremendously valuable. You can learn a great deal from someone with years of experience in a field in which you have interest. I think one of the unfortunate things about the internet is it is far too easy to default to being combative, and assume the worst about what others are saying. And yes, I include myself in that as well as others.

csydas 3y ago
I don’t quite get the thrust of most of your post beyond that you have a more generous understanding on the quote. As I get your post based on the amount spent on why it’s bad to dismiss older persons, I don’t think this is really what the article or GP suggested. similarly, I am not sure that it’s fair to say genz often doesn’t do a lot of the mentioned things. GenZ is full of individuals specializing in niche or old fashioned skills and showing the skills off on specific mediums. Coding and repair twitch streams are quite common, just maybe not as much as subjects that are easier to appreciate without much knowledge in the subject. It’s pretty easy for most people to grasp why a contortionist’s skill or someone skilled with sewing has a rare and unique talent. it’s a lot easier to understand what went into it and the precision and the result is very apparent. I think it’s not so clear with subjects like electronics repair as the tech might work afterwards, but there is too much to understand going into it to fully appreciate the result in its own, and thus audiences rely on the presenter to fill the gaps. The authors examples are good ones if you’re already inclined towards fixing stuff on your own; but if it were me, even with a simple fix like string lights, i’d have a hard time justifying repairs on my own as i’d need to invest into the repair kit and it would be hard to shake concerns on if I did a safe repair or if I made a mistake that needs to be fixed. I imagine it’s like this for many, as even a few years back when I did laptop repair at a university, students (even technical ones) were antsy about such manual repairs and fixes, and often just preferred to put the liability on someone else. for something really disposable like lights, a cheap phone, etc, i can easily get why people of all ages would just prefer a new one. Soldering is a fun hobby, and i think that the hobbyist community would easily eat it up if they don’t already (i’m positive you can find some electronics repair vids/channels). it is just lacking practical reasons for people to be interested and/or personalities to bring people to it.
- DwnVoteHoneyPot 3y ago
  In your third paragraph, you point out a few things: 1) the emotional anxiety of doing the repairs, 2) putting the liability on someone else, 3) disposibility or products. You mention these as reasons of why not to do the repair yourself. All of those reasons are the main critisms of gen Z and millenials! I'm not a boomer, but: 1) Emotions are preventing repairs?? A bit of stoicism is needed. If you have the habit of repairing things, there is no anxiety. In the old hacker culture you'd think it would be a fun opportunity to disassemble and see how it works and repair it. 2) Takes some reponsibility and risks instead of putting the liability on someone else. The end result is people who are less reliant on others, less finger pointing. 3) The article is trying to promote repairing skills instead of consumer culture. Repairing and better built products instead of filling landfills. You also mention "i'd need to invest into the repair kit"... it's cheaper to repair than buy new! As you collect tools and experience, there's more and more opportunity to repair, which adds more tools and experiences... a great positive feedback loop.

reaperducer 3y ago

Let's talk down the youngest generation You're not the younger generation anymore. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Alpha https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_Alpha no one of Gen Z, that I know of, is unable to do any of those examples. "That I know of" is the hallmark of Gen Z: Thinking that their experiences are the only experiences. Taking the manual transmission example, there were a number of items in the news back when manual transmission was more common about Millennial and Gen Z would-be car thieves being unable to drive away because they didn't know how to use a stick. But since you didn't know them, they must not exist.

jakeinspace 3y ago
Ah yes, the 12 year old adults, how could they have forgotten.
was_a_dev 3y ago
> youngest generation of adults Gen Alpha are yet to become adults > that I know of A disclaimer, as I am more than aware my experience is just that, my own. Just like my experience and viewpoint probably differs with other factors

cookie_monsta 3y ago

I am Gen X and I have never written a cheque in my life. Manual transmission and maps I am ok with.

was_a_dev 3y ago
For myself, writing cheques have been a case of supporting the older generation(s)
- brewdad 3y ago
  My GenZ child wrote their first check a few months ago. The State Department doesn't take cash or credit cards for passport applications. The guy at the post office talked them through it and their passport arrived last week. A decade from now they'll write their second check and have to be talked through it again.
jonhohle 3y ago
Based on the spelling, you’re probably not from the US. Until recently, there were really no “free” ways to give independent contractors money except cash or check. That’s changing, slowly.
purpleblue 3y ago
You're Canadian. I'm surprised you didn't write cheques for rent, like I did when I lived in Canada.
- cookie_monsta 3y ago
  No, Australian and we have been depositing money for things such as rent directly into people's bank accounts via telephone and internet banking for as long as I can remember. Well, no. I have a dim memory of taking my landlord big wads of cash in the early 90s. Most of the passport application/ renewal process is online, but for a child passport you just go to the post office and tap your card as if you were paying in the supermarket. I remember my dad's chequbook. It's kind of quaint to think they're still in use, like if you went into a shop and they still had that pneumatic tube system for sending messages.

replygirl 3y ago

it goes both ways. most of the gen z folks i know can't read a clock or focus on a movie

fullstop 3y ago
You need to meet more gen z folks.

eimrine 3y ago

> Gen Z is learning less and less about how to work with their hands But it has more and more sources of learning in comparison to my ones when I was in their age.

the_only_law 3y ago

> Just 2.4% of our cars sold today have stick shifts.[0] Gee, I wonder why these stupid kids aren’t familiar with manual transmissions. [0] https://www.carmax.com/articles/stick-shift-index https://www.carmax.com/articles/stick-shift-index

comte7092 3y ago
I bet they can’t even write cursive either, or ride a horse.
mgaunard 3y ago
That's only in the USA though.

gregshap 3y ago

Curious where you are finding a sample of Gen Z members who can all drive manual transmission?

brewdad 3y ago
My GenZer wants to learn but we literally don't know a single person who owns a manual transmission car. Well we know one but it's a cousin who lives 1500 miles away and we really only see at weddings and funerals.
TremendousJudge 3y ago
In countries that are not the USA?
tiagod 3y ago
I live in Portugal and you'll find more Gen Zers (with a drivers license) afraid of driving an automatic than a stick shift. If you've never driven one, automatic cars feel super dangerous as you can accelerate indefinitely even when unconscious, and even in a normal situation your left foot clutch muscle memory will make you push the brake (to the floor) without meaning to as well.

h4ch1 3y ago

I am Gen Z (1999), and learnt how to solder by being told to build a radio from scratch by my father. I had to source my own materials, find schematics, figure them out on my own at age 11. I consider myself extremely lucky my childhood wasn't one where I was given an iPad at age 4 to fry my brain completely.

flappyeagle 3y ago

you are blessed. I know millennials who can't do any of those.

purpleblue 3y ago

I'm Gen X and the only way I knew how to drive a manual was because of video games.

zahma 3y ago

The point of the article is to propose it as a fun thing to do on the side. But who solders as a hobby? I’m a millenial, and I have broken out my dad’s soldering equipment a handful of times because I wanted to try fixing something myself. (I’d hazard a guess that’s cultural more than generational, but maybe not.) I don’t know that this article did such a good job making the case for soldering as a hobby in so much as it lays the groundwork for someone who might need to use this tool to fix something his/herself. And that should be the emphasis. I can drive a manual car, swim, and perform CPR — supposedly the three things an adult should know, but damn it if I spend more time in my workshop hunched over molten metal. I got other things to enjoy, as I’m sure many people younger than myself do too.

dang 3y ago

"Please don't pick the most provocative thing in an article or post to complain about in the thread. Find something interesting to respond to instead." https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html

some_random 3y ago

Those damn degenerate Gen Z kids, can you believe they didn't spring fully formed into the world knowing how to do everything I now know how to?? /s