Post by woodyz on Dec 8, 2015 13:15:38 GMT -7
What skills did Grandpa need to survive?
We all want to “live a long time” but we don’t want to “get old.” Funny thing, language. “Survival” is the same as “living.” If we don’t survive, we die. If we don’t live, we die. Same thing, no?
When the SHTF, modern technology (cell phones, microwave ovens) will disappear and our lifestyle will return to an 1800’s lifestyle, to Grandpa’s era. What skills did Grandpa need to survive? Not just survive and hang onto life by a whisker, but survive and prosper?
The answer is simple. There are three skills that Grandpa took pains to learn: reading, writing, and arithmetic.
This is not a cute or silly answer. This is the real answer. You wanna survive in Grandpa’s era? Learn Grandpa’s skills.
1. Reading
You will need the ability to read directions. “Turn the adjusting screw clockwise.” Today, my neighbor’s kid doesn’t know how to read an analog wall clock. She doesn’t know what “clockwise” means.
2. Writing
You will need to keep a diary. “A short pencil is worth a long memory.” What was the date you started the tomato seeds last year? And what were the results? And the year before that? And what was the variety name? And how much did you pay?
Cursive writing is three times faster than printing. It’s much more efficient than printing. My neighbor’s kid cannot do cursive writing. Nor can she read it. Nor can my doctor’s receptionist read cursive writing. She’s edjumacated. She’d have a hard time in the 1800’s.
3. Arithmetic
You can always hire somebody with a strong back for stoop labor. Always. You can today. You could in the 1800’s. But finding somebody who can “do” numbers. Without a calculator?
Different story.
The three skills that Grandpa valued – reading, writing, and arithmetic – are the same three skills that you, like Grandpa, would need to live in Grandpa’s era. Everything else you can figure out as you go along. If you have those three skills. Next question?
The Final Word
Perhaps because of my age and because I am not around young people much, it did not occur to me that the three Rs (the three “Rs”—reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic) were becoming lost in the digital age. If what Ron is saying is true, however, then indeed, these are definitely skills that need to be promoted as survival skills.
In these days of computers, smartphones, eBook readers,tablets and Xboxes, it is easy to become seduced by technology. We all need to do our part to ensure that these three vital skills are not lost.
www.backdoorsurvival.com/three-most-important-survival-skills-according-to-grandpa/
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An Interview with Ron Brown, Author of The Non-Electric Lighting Series and The NEW 2000-Hour Flashlight
.........
Given your background, knowledge and experience, what do you feel are the three most important survival or prepping skills?
These are really soul-searching questions, aren’t they? I believe the single most important survival attribute you can have, you can’t call it a skill, really, is independent thinking.
Remember Kenney Roger’s song “The Gambler”? “You gotta know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run.”
He was talking about poker, a card game. But if we substitute ‘friends’ and ‘co-workers’ for playing cards, there’s some serious truth in that song. You gotta think independently. Know when to stay with the group. Know when to walk away. Know when to run.
Second, you must take care of your health. “All happiness begins with good health,” they say. And that’s true in good times and bad.
And third, you need some salable skills. The operative word is salable. Stuff you can carry over an international boundary and they cannot confiscate. Skills that will earn you a living when you get to the other side. How to repair a bicycle. How to grade rare coins. How to sew. How to butcher a cow. How to change an automobile engine. How to hatch eggs. How to make candles.
..........
read the rest
www.backdoorsurvival.com/non-electric-lighting-series-ron-brown/
We all want to “live a long time” but we don’t want to “get old.” Funny thing, language. “Survival” is the same as “living.” If we don’t survive, we die. If we don’t live, we die. Same thing, no?
When the SHTF, modern technology (cell phones, microwave ovens) will disappear and our lifestyle will return to an 1800’s lifestyle, to Grandpa’s era. What skills did Grandpa need to survive? Not just survive and hang onto life by a whisker, but survive and prosper?
The answer is simple. There are three skills that Grandpa took pains to learn: reading, writing, and arithmetic.
This is not a cute or silly answer. This is the real answer. You wanna survive in Grandpa’s era? Learn Grandpa’s skills.
1. Reading
You will need the ability to read directions. “Turn the adjusting screw clockwise.” Today, my neighbor’s kid doesn’t know how to read an analog wall clock. She doesn’t know what “clockwise” means.
2. Writing
You will need to keep a diary. “A short pencil is worth a long memory.” What was the date you started the tomato seeds last year? And what were the results? And the year before that? And what was the variety name? And how much did you pay?
Cursive writing is three times faster than printing. It’s much more efficient than printing. My neighbor’s kid cannot do cursive writing. Nor can she read it. Nor can my doctor’s receptionist read cursive writing. She’s edjumacated. She’d have a hard time in the 1800’s.
3. Arithmetic
You can always hire somebody with a strong back for stoop labor. Always. You can today. You could in the 1800’s. But finding somebody who can “do” numbers. Without a calculator?
Different story.
The three skills that Grandpa valued – reading, writing, and arithmetic – are the same three skills that you, like Grandpa, would need to live in Grandpa’s era. Everything else you can figure out as you go along. If you have those three skills. Next question?
The Final Word
Perhaps because of my age and because I am not around young people much, it did not occur to me that the three Rs (the three “Rs”—reading, ‘riting and ‘rithmetic) were becoming lost in the digital age. If what Ron is saying is true, however, then indeed, these are definitely skills that need to be promoted as survival skills.
In these days of computers, smartphones, eBook readers,tablets and Xboxes, it is easy to become seduced by technology. We all need to do our part to ensure that these three vital skills are not lost.
www.backdoorsurvival.com/three-most-important-survival-skills-according-to-grandpa/
/////
An Interview with Ron Brown, Author of The Non-Electric Lighting Series and The NEW 2000-Hour Flashlight
.........
Given your background, knowledge and experience, what do you feel are the three most important survival or prepping skills?
These are really soul-searching questions, aren’t they? I believe the single most important survival attribute you can have, you can’t call it a skill, really, is independent thinking.
Remember Kenney Roger’s song “The Gambler”? “You gotta know when to hold ’em. Know when to fold ’em. Know when to walk away. Know when to run.”
He was talking about poker, a card game. But if we substitute ‘friends’ and ‘co-workers’ for playing cards, there’s some serious truth in that song. You gotta think independently. Know when to stay with the group. Know when to walk away. Know when to run.
Second, you must take care of your health. “All happiness begins with good health,” they say. And that’s true in good times and bad.
And third, you need some salable skills. The operative word is salable. Stuff you can carry over an international boundary and they cannot confiscate. Skills that will earn you a living when you get to the other side. How to repair a bicycle. How to grade rare coins. How to sew. How to butcher a cow. How to change an automobile engine. How to hatch eggs. How to make candles.
..........
read the rest
www.backdoorsurvival.com/non-electric-lighting-series-ron-brown/
