Vintage Things That Have Disappeared In Your Lifetime?

[Fading Fast]

...Someone has to mine the dilithium crystals.

very good analogy. I say it all the time, but not as elegantly, but "someone has to pay the bills, period, full stop, or nothing else happens."

 

[Fading Fast]

It's much the same with most things, you don't need to know the science of the internal combustion engine in order to drive a car.

For some people all technology at the toaster level and beyond is just a magic box. My Mom is smart - she's navigated through a lot in life on wits and intelligence, but technology to her is all Houdini. She pushes a button, turns a switch or taps on an icon and has no idea why it works - it's all magic to her. Some of the most useless conversations I have had in my life have been trying to explain technology to my mother - she has solved some incredibly difficult human interaction situations, can organize reasonably complex projects, but the vacuum cleaner works by voodoo in her world.

 

[Fading Fast]

I work as a plumber to pay the bills. I easily make twice or three times what a teacher brings in. So do many of the electricians and carpenters I know. It isn't really so much scary, but at times I think it's a little sad, that it is such an undervalued job.

Probably a topic (maybe THE topic) better suited for your thread on declining standards in education, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

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Pay reflects not only what someone is willing to pay to get something done (i.e., what society is willing to pay teachers), but what someone is willing to work for to do it. Part of the reason teacher pay is comparatively low is because so many people want to be teachers and find non-financial rewards in the work. I know many teachers, have several in my family and know many friends who want to teach as a second career once they've paid off debt or met some other goal. I know several couples where one teaches and the other one happily subsidizes their lifestyle so that the teacher part of the partnership can do what they love doing.

Besides police and firemen, I don't know of any other career where I know so many people who want to do it and see the pay as only part of the reward. My point is that the supply of teachers is high even at comparatively low salaries because it is something many people want to do, will do for less money than they would do other things and derive a lot of non-financial satisfaction from the career.

Let me emphasize, I am not saying this is right or wrong at a societal level, but I believe it is a reality that the desire to teach is great and, thus, drives down the price of teachers as school districts don't want to pay more than they have to for qualified teachers as they, like everyone else, have competing demands on their limited resources (money for compensation).

 

[scottyrocks]

Shame that there's no glass in the booth. The slats at the top, underneath the crown, had the word: 'TELEPHONE' imprinted on the glass, and were illuminated.
I, and many like me, have one gross memory of using those booths. Coming out of a late night venue, last buses long gone, taxi queue a mile long, you could
jump that queue by phoning for a cab. That's if you don't get knocked over by the stench of stagnant urine when you open the booth door.

That's not the actual one I saw. I just picked it out of a google image search. I believe the one I saw had glass.

 

[HudsonHawk]

For some people all technology at the toaster level and beyond is just a magic box. My Mom is smart - she's navigated through a lot in life on wits and intelligence, but technology to her is all Houdini. She pushes a button, turns a switch or taps on an icon and has no idea why it works - it's all magic to her. Some of the most useless conversations I have had in my life have been trying to explain technology to my mother - she has solved some incredibly difficult human interaction situations, can organize reasonably complex projects, but the vacuum cleaner works by voodoo in her world.

You don't have to understand aerodynamic lift to fly on an airplane, you just have to purchase a ticket. And in general that's a good thing. That's the benefit of technological advancement...not everyone has to invent the wheel.

 

[Fading Fast]

You don't have to understand aerodynamic lift to fly on an airplane, you just have to purchase a ticket. And in general that's a good thing. That's the benefit of technological advancement...not everyone has to invent the wheel.

I agree. I just re-read my post and don't think I made my point clear. I was trying to say that many smart people don't know or care how technology works and that is fine. So what that it is all magic to my mother, she has other skills and qualities that have helped her, her family, her friends and society.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I agree. I just re-read my post and don't think I made my point clear. I was trying to say that many smart people don't know or care how technology works and that is fine. So what that it is all magic to my mother, she has other skills and qualities that have helped her, her family, her friends and society.

Oh I got your point, and I agree. I wasn't challenging anything you said, just sort of reinforcing it.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Besides police and firemen, I don't know of any other career where I know so many people who want to do it and see the pay as only part of the reward. My point is that the supply of teachers is high even at comparatively low salaries because it is something many people want to do, will do for less money than they would do other things and derive a lot of non-financial satisfaction from the career.

On the other hand, though, I think there are more than a few people who become teachers who go into it because what else are you supposed to do with an English or History degree? I had a few teachers like this, and you could always tell whose heart was in it and whose wasn't.

 

[GHT]

My Mom is smart - she's navigated through a lot in life on wits and intelligence, but technology to her is all Houdini. She pushes a button, turns a switch or taps on an icon and has no idea why it works - it's all magic to her.

That's me too, it's probably because it doesn't interest me. I've never learned how to use the internet on my smart phone, but as I don't get withdrawal symptoms when away from a computer, I can't see the point of a phone internet connection, for me that is, not judging what others want or do.

My neighbour, called round recently and asked if I could explain a mathematic problem to her. Turns out one of her sons was having a hard time understanding the binary system. I grabbed my old school text book and went back to her house with her. There, the lad was into some web site or other that was supposed to be a helpful explanation. Poor boy was all but in tears. "You should have spoken up in class if you didn't understand," I suggested. "Switch your computer off, and let's have a hot drink," I said, putting my, well worn, dog-eared text book down. We chatted away about football, about Suzie, (like him, she's 14 and lives opposite,) and just about everything else that was wrong with his world.

When he had perked up a bit, we looked at his course work. "What can be perceived to be difficult about the binary system," I said, "is getting the normal, multiple of ten out of your head. You have to think of it like a light switch only two positions. On & off. In other words; Zero & one." We went through his set homework, then he looked at the examples in my text book. I set him a few simple problems, he raced through them. "All correct," I said encouragingly, "now let's see why your homework is a problem." Problem? No problem, he cracked it.
Later, after he had finished, I told him that the binary system was the basis of computing. He gave me a quizzical look. So I explained that if you replace zero and one with pulse/no pulse you have a computerised form of the binary system. He looked at me for a moment, then said: "If you know that, how come you have to ask me to transfer a picture from an email to your phone?" "Good question," I replied, as I gathered up my book and went back home.

 

[philosophygirl78]

Of course, there are also many good people who work hard, enjoy their work, and are grateful to be able to provide for their family being a "stooge". Someone has to mine the dilithium crystals.

I work as a plumber to pay the bills. I easily make twice or three times what a teacher brings in. So do many of the electricians and carpenters I know. It isn't really so much scary, but at times I think it's a little sad, that it is such an undervalued job.

Probably a topic (maybe THE topic) better suited for your thread on declining standards in education, but I thought I'd throw that out there.

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There really is no excuse for the lax and failing primary education system in the US. It is very telling of where government and political interests lie. And it is Not with the People.

 

[philosophygirl78]

It's all lies I tell you, all lies!

 

[dh66]

Pay reflects not only what someone is willing to pay to get something done (i.e., what society is willing to pay teachers), but what someone is willing to work for to do it. Part of the reason teacher pay is comparatively low is because so many people want to be teachers and find non-financial rewards in the work. I know many teachers, have several in my family and know many friends who want to teach as a second career once they've paid off debt or met some other goal. I know several couples where one teaches and the other one happily subsidizes their lifestyle so that the teacher part of the partnership can do what they love doing.

Besides police and firemen, I don't know of any other career where I know so many people who want to do it and see the pay as only part of the reward. My point is that the supply of teachers is high even at comparatively low salaries because it is something many people want to do, will do for less money than they would do other things and derive a lot of non-financial satisfaction from the career.

Let me emphasize, I am not saying this is right or wrong at a societal level, but I believe it is a reality that the desire to teach is great and, thus, drives down the price of teachers as school districts don't want to pay more than they have to for qualified teachers as they, like everyone else, have competing demands on their limited resources (money for compensation).

No dispute from me as to this post.....and I think the very first words you wrote sum up the long and short of it. I think an awful lot of people just take teachers, as well as police and firemen, postal workers, garbage men, etc....for granted and just don't place that high a value on their role to society. I guess they've just not had a good enough taste of what it would be like without them around.




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[dh66]

There really is no excuse for the lax and failing primary education system in the US. It is very telling of where government and political interests lie. And it is Not with the People.

An overall well educated voting population would be the worst thing that could happen to the government around here.

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[philosophygirl78]

An overall well educated voting population would be the worst thing that could happen to the government around here.

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Evidently...

 

[LizzieMaine]

No dispute from me as to this post.....and I think the very first words you wrote sum up the long and short of it. I think an awful lot of people just take teachers, as well as police and firemen, postal workers, garbage men, etc....for granted and just don't place that high a value on their role to society. I guess they've just not had a good enough taste of what it would be like without them around.




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When I'm dictator people will be paid according to the value of their contribution to the well-being of society. Teachers will be very high up on the list. As will garbage collectors.

 

[ChiTownScion]

On the other hand, though, I think there are more than a few people who become teachers who go into it because what else are you supposed to do with an English or History degree? I had a few teachers like this, and you could always tell whose heart was in it and whose wasn't.

Heck, I'm old enough to remember men becoming teachers because they wanted to avoid being drafted and serving in Vietnam. They stayed in it until the war wound down and Selective Service was no longer a reality, then went on to get their MBA's or to law school. I'm not judging: by the time I turned 18 the draft had just been suspended so I never had to face it, even if my attitude at the time was "if they really want me, let 'em send the notice." My best friend was one of the very last draftees: I always wished that they'd called me rather than him, although the only "combat" he ever faced was getting a pass on weekends to drive from Ft. Leonard Wood to St. Louis to see a Cards- Cubs game.

 

[Stearmen]

When I'm dictator people will be paid according to the value of their contribution to the well-being of society. Teachers will be very high up on the list. As will garbage collectors.

Oh great, when Lizzie becomes Dictator Of The World, I will be living under a bridge! Thanks.

 

[Zombie_61]

There really is no excuse for the lax and failing primary education system in the US. It is very telling of where government and political interests lie. And it is Not with the People.

An overall well educated voting population would be the worst thing that could happen to the government around here.

I've been saying something similar for decades. The U.S. Government (or any government, I suspect) wants "their" society to remain generally uneducated so that John and Jane Sixpack won't be able to figure out what they're really up to.

 

[Trenchfriend]

Same in Germany, since decades. Hauptschule, Realschule, Gymnasium are worthless. There is no effect on education wished by the government. Year after year, there are only topics treated, without any correlation. First, on Berufsschule, you see, what's the real thing.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

I think there may be some confusion between education, which is basically learning a given set of supposed facts in order to pass exams...... & knowledge.
I don't think governments are particularly worried about an educated populace, the political fraternities are savvy enough to know that there will always be a large number of sheeple in need of direction & that since the average Johnny, whatever his educational acheivements, can rarely see beyond the end of his own nose, you simply have to offer him what he wants to hear, to get elected.
Most are content with the staus quo, which is why they maintain it by voting for the same mindsets come election day, , there is security in what you are used to & even if some folk bitch about it from time to time, the political dell'arte can be assured of a rosy future.