What has happened to men?

[Mermaid]

I blame the parents

I had this neighbor years ago who used to get his mom (and her friends) to drive down from a neighboring state to paint his condo. I actually painted one of the rooms for him.

Does he not know how to paint? I dunno. I just think he couldn't be bothered.

My current boyfriend is a fairly lazy guy. He'll do the mechanical things that he enjoys doing like tinkering with his car and motorcycle, but it takes a lot of nagging to get him to do the small repairs around here that the landlord doesn't take care of.

Hell, I ended up replacing the latch on the back screen door because I got tired of waiting for him to do it.

Can't fathom one of the metro guys incapable or unwilling to change their own light bulbs. I'd probably laugh at them.

Basic skills every adult should have (in my opinion) - change light bulbs, replace the air filter on your car, replace a shower head, replace a toilet seat, connect basic home electronic components, paint a room without getting paint everywhere else but on the walls, hang pictures on the wall(s), assemble cheap particle board furniture... and be able to boil water (basic stove usage 101) or use a barbeque grill to cook meat to where it is no longer dangerous to eat. I would also say that it's extremely useful in this day and age to know how to obtain, install, and use anti-virus software for your computer (but then again, I'm a tech so it doesn't really count).

 

[jeepinjeepin]

I don't understand how folding a flag is such a crucial skill (and admittedly don't know the "right" way to do it), but I'm guessing it's just an American thing

2 lengthwise folds bringing the bars to the stars. Fold triangles from the bars to the stars. Tuck remainder inside last fold. All that should be seen are the stars on blue.

 

[Bobby_M]

I think flag etiquette is about the most useless skill on earth. The kind of thing most of this list concerns is that of self sufficiency. I think bouts of natural disaster brings more of this necessity to the forefront. If you had to bail from the city like they do in the typical disaster movie, would you be able to kick ass and provide for your family. Hey, you there, can you gut a deer? No but I can fold the flag for you.

I almost don't blame the 3rd generation city dwellers. If you make a ton of money to pay for things to be done for you, whatever.

 

[Irrenarzt]

focking hipsters the lot of em.

 

[neko]

I'm not a real handy person, but I can usually figure something out if I try. The garbage disposal stopped working so I took it apart, found the aquarium pebble jammed in the side, and put it back together. No problem.

Sometimes I would rather pay a professional for specialized jobs because I've seen what kind of crappy jobs people can do when they don't understand everything. Changing a lightbulb and general maintenance is not specialized.

 

[JJL]

I agree that people should have some basic idea of how to take care of themselves and their belongings, but the Pop Mech list is a little ridiculous. If the question is could I do the things on the list, the answer is sure I either know how, or could figure out how to do most of them. But many of these I've never needed to do. For instance knowing how to use a sandbalster. I can honestly say I've never run into a situation that necessitated the use of a sandblaster, but I'm sure I could figure it out.

 

[Great_Neck_Brewer]

I think flag etiquette is about the most useless skill on earth. The kind of thing most of this list concerns is that of self sufficiency. I think bouts of natural disaster brings more of this necessity to the forefront. If you had to bail from the city like they do in the typical disaster movie, would you be able to kick ass and provide for your family. Hey, you there, can you gut a deer? No but I can fold the flag for you.

I almost don't blame the 3rd generation city dwellers. If you make a ton of money to pay for things to be done for you, whatever.

If you're not a vet, you wouldn't understand

 

[jeepinjeepin]

I think flag etiquette is about the most useless skill on earth. The kind of thing most of this list concerns is that of self sufficiency. I think bouts of natural disaster brings more of this necessity to the forefront. If you had to bail from the city like they do in the typical disaster movie, would you be able to kick ass and provide for your family. Hey, you there, can you gut a deer? No but I can fold the flag for you.

I almost don't blame the 3rd generation city dwellers. If you make a ton of money to pay for things to be done for you, whatever.

I'm not sure if that was a general jab or one more locally aimed towards me. I own pistols, rifles, and shotguns. I have killed deer with muzzleloader, centerfire rifle, and shotgun. I have also cleaned said deer. I have also knocked squirrels out of trees with a .22 rifle. That same .22 harvests mistletoe at Christmas time.

Did I mention that I was until recently an ASE certified master auto tech. I am a diesel mechanic now so I didn't bother renewing it. I am a decent welder too.

Between my wife and I we have 3 4wds. A tahoe, grand cherokee, and a wrangler. Speaking of my wife. She is a better shot than I am with rifle or pistol. She wants an AR-15 for her birthday/our anniversary.

We would probably be able to hang during the not so typical doo doo smacking the fan scenario.

 

[dallasdb]

I had a buddy tell me he needed a new gas grill. I asked him why and he said it wouldn't light. I went to his house (for a bbq ironically) and it wouldn't light. I could hear the gas and new it was coming out somewhere. So I bent down, followed the gas line and saw it came disconnected. No tools needed, I lifted up the line and put the tubing over the inlet of the element. Flame lit right up!

He was going to buy a new grill because he couldn't figure it out!!!

This is also the same friend who has me do all of his mechanic work on his car. I don't mind because I like showing him but he has no interest in doing it himself in the future. He said he'd rather pay someone. He is from Kentucky and I'm from Southern California.

His dad was a government employee and my dad was a general contractor that forced me to do all of the projects with him since I was old enough to turn a wrench!

I think most men now are okay with paying someone to do their work.

I, being frugal, can't stand paying someone unless I give it a shot first. This last weekend my DIY tendencies did get the best of me. I changed my wife's transmission filter a few weeks ago by watching a few videos on Youtube and figuring it out. So I decided to change my tranny filter as well.

I got under my car, dropped the pan, swapped the filter and bolted everything back up. Just needed to add the fluid.... but couldn't find the dipstick. Turns out it was a sealed/closed transmission!!!! CRAP. So I grabbed a tow chain and had my wife pull me to the closest auto shop. They filled it for free and had a good laugh with me. Didn't charge me a dime but the manager asked me to tip his guy. I gave him $20 and wrote a great review for his boss.

Sometimes DIY can get you in a little too deep but at least I'm a MAN.

 

[jeepinjeepin]

If you're not a vet, you wouldn't understand

Thank you. I'm not a vet but a do appreciate what they have done. A fellow mechanic is a 1st Sergeant Army NG. Twenty some odd years of service. 2 tours in Iraq. A kid two doors down grew up into a young man who would guard the tomb of the unknown before doing a tour in Afghanistan. Add in the many guys that I went through high school with that have been or are currently overseas and you get a man who cries during the national anthem and appreciates a tightly folded flag.

 

[dfc]

Here's the link.
http://www.popularmechanics.com/home/skills/4281414

Check out number 17....at least we got that covered!

‎7 - I can use one, I'm just not very proficient at it.
11 - No clue.
15 - I've used one before and broke my friends needle.
18 - No clue.
37 - I don't even know what a faucet cartridge is.
38 - I've never been much of a plumber.
43 - No clue.
51 - Never done it.
53 - Never done it.
56 - I don't know what a rip current is.
72 - Meh.
77 - I know how to take pictures. I don't know what constitutes the perfect portrait though.
89 - No clue.
96 - Never used one.
100 - Never used them.

 

[dfc]

Poolside ********? Exactly. Yeah I do the cooking too. I am terrible at watching the kids even though I do it.

I have to come clean. I don't work on the car too much. I have done a lot of work on cars but I hate it. Would rather pay someone to do it. We have a good mechanic that doesn't overcharge. Hell with it.

Same here. I've done small stuff like changed brakes, oil, fix a flat etc. and I've even done more advanced stuff like swapping a door, lowering my truck, etc. I prefer to pay someone else to do it.

 

[dallasdb]

As I read through the list, I was recalling learning these things (installing lighting, felling a tree, learning to shoot, hitching a trailer, split firewood, grill outside, fold a flag, all the outdoor and medical stuff) and realized I had learned it almost all of this in Boy Scouts. Great program.

I'm an Eagle Scout, always will be! I still put it on my resume and I got my first job in High School because it was on there (and it was really the only thing I had on there so it worked out well!)

I plan on putting my boys in scouting, when they get older. The early years in cub scouts are fun but the later years around 9-10 years old is where they really start to learn. Boy Scouts are a great program and it pisses me off that Obama is the first president that will not sign/send a congratulations to Eagle Scouts.

I received a letter from Presidents Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush Jr. and a lot of local government and Congressman for my state. I still have it all in a box and it is one of the only sentimental items I will hang onto.

 

[rycov]

WTF is a French Knife?

anybody know?

 

[rycov]

just looked it up. its another name for a chef knife

 

[Laughing_Gnome_Invisible]

I've just finished fixing a new ceiling fan to the existing light fitting in the kitchen. The two are different makes and aren't supposed to be connected in a single assembly at all. Do I win a man card or a Darwin award?

 

[rycov]

i guess we'll see eventually

 

[HexKrak]

Gender rolls only use is to help people remember what equipment they have between their legs. I think everyone should know how to swing a hammer and operate basic (power)tools. I think most people are just lazy.

Thinking back, my mom taught me almost as much as my dad did when it comes to being handy with tools, and giving me the confidence to know I can do it myself.

 

[BenjaminBier]

Interesting, there isn't a single communication, empathy, social, or stress-management skill on the whole list.

What is this the 1950's?

 

[bottlebomber]

Interesting, there isn't a single communication, empathy, social, or stress-management skill on the whole list.

What is this the 1950's?

Word.

 

[BenjaminBier]

There are some pretty manly DIY communication skills out there... Bar fight resolution, lie detection, best-man speech giving, and so on. "Don't call in the hostage negotiator honey, I'm going to do it myself."

 

[viking73]

As a machinist of 12 years, I know in our shop (modern cnc) we can scarcely find anyone willing to train. Oh, and, half of my friends went through various universities around the country, and are still struggling to pay their loans off meanwhile making significantly less than I do. If there's a real legitimate reason for going to school, such as a particular career to be pursued, that's great. But most of these people just went to college because their HS counselors/parents told them its the thing to do, but now they are drifiting around doing stuff like teaching developmentaly disabled kids, or working for Social Servicies. There degrees are earning them nothing.

We have the same problem here. Everybody seems to want to work retail. Getting your hands dirty doesn't seem to be something anybody wants to do.

If you're not a vet, you wouldn't understand

Not a vet, but I have many friends that are. And they've all been thanked for their service.

 

[lschiavo]

I have a buddy and I doubt he could use a hammer. It always bugged me a bit that he had no interest in knowing how to repair anything.

Many years back I visited him in Texas. He rear ended a lady and ended up with a small leak in his radiator. He couldn't get his car to a shop for a while and still needed to get to work. Before I left I showed him how to top off the radiator with water and told him to check it before each trip. So he calls me a few days later and tells me he blew up the engine. Laziness! Plus his insurance paid for a new engine so he learned nothing.

 

[jgln]

47 posts in and still no mention of manly virtues such as being supportive and loving to family, reliable and trustworthy to friends, chivalrous or any of that other good stuff that anyone can be while holding a purse.

47 posts and still no more mention of this..."I remember going into an apartment to do a renovation for some Japanese girls who were going to school nearby."

 

[dfc]

I blame the parents

I had this neighbor years ago who used to get his mom (and her friends) to drive down from a neighboring state to paint his condo. I actually painted one of the rooms for him.

Does he not know how to paint? I dunno. I just think he couldn't be bothered.

My current boyfriend is a fairly lazy guy. He'll do the mechanical things that he enjoys doing like tinkering with his car and motorcycle, but it takes a lot of nagging to get him to do the small repairs around here that the landlord doesn't take care of.

Hell, I ended up replacing the latch on the back screen door because I got tired of waiting for him to do it.

Can't fathom one of the metro guys incapable or unwilling to change their own light bulbs. I'd probably laugh at them.

Basic skills every adult should have (in my opinion) - change light bulbs, replace the air filter on your car, replace a shower head, replace a toilet seat, connect basic home electronic components, paint a room without getting paint everywhere else but on the walls, hang pictures on the wall(s), assemble cheap particle board furniture... and be able to boil water (basic stove usage 101) or use a barbeque grill to cook meat to where it is no longer dangerous to eat. I would also say that it's extremely useful in this day and age to know how to obtain, install, and use anti-virus software for your computer (but then again, I'm a tech so it doesn't really count).

Or you could just use a mac.

 

[Bobby_M]

I'm not sure if that was a general jab or one more locally aimed towards me.

It wasn't even a jab and certainly not aimed at you. I just posted directly after you did. I was just commenting that knowing how to fold a flag is not a big deal IMHO.

 

[Airborneguy]

Even though I am the go-to flag folder for my "office", and the guy who does the raising and lowering to half-mast whenever needed, I definitely don't think flag folding is an important skill for a man to have.

 

[Bobby_M]

Thank you. I'm not a vet but a do appreciate what they have done. A fellow mechanic is a 1st Sergeant Army NG. Twenty some odd years of service. 2 tours in Iraq. A kid two doors down grew up into a young man who would guard the tomb of the unknown before doing a tour in Afghanistan. Add in the many guys that I went through high school with that have been or are currently overseas and you get a man who cries during the national anthem and appreciates a tightly folded flag.

I'm plenty patriotic and I have nothing but respect for our military but it doesn't mean I think flag folding is a skill every "man" should have. It's not indicative of disrespect.

 

[Homercidal]

But it's also SOOOO easy to do... Much easier than say, tying your shoe laces...

 

[Bobby_M]

But it's also SOOOO easy to do... Much easier than say, tying your shoe laces...

So is picking your nose and wiping your ass but it's not something that needs to make it on a list.