What fundamental "things" should People know how to do?

originally posted by: LesMisanthrope
a reply to: VP740

Admittedly, it is an aesthetic skill, and a matter of taste on my part, but writing in one form or another has been around for thousands of years. To lose that seems dreadful.

It's a gigantic threat to erudition too. The presumption being that one who cannot write in cursive cannot read it.

That pretty much excludes our children from ever pursuing their own avenues of research with any degree of independence denying them access to most of recorded history, no apocalypse necessary.

originally posted by: Skid Mark
Change a tire. Check fluids on a car. Think. Garden. Preserve and can food. Hunt. Cleaning your kill and butchering. Also things that are no longer done because of technology has made them "useless". What happened in New York back in the early 2000's showed that the power grid isn't invulnerable. If it went down permanently a lot of people would be so screwed because they don't know basic survival skills.

I remember here in the UK a few years ago that a few thousand people had to be evacuated from their homes because it was winter and the gas supply failed. With no central heating or gas cookers and as you say totally inept without the convenience that modern life brings they were screwed.

It amazes me that millions if not billions of people cannot even cook never mind hunt, forage or survive.

To most people in the UK candles are little scented things you use when having a bubble bath not something you have in case the lights go out.

To me the most important skills beyond developing one's physical ability would be the ability to read and then to know where to find knowledge in written form.

If you can read and write down find knowledge, then you can more or less have the opportunity to discover and learn just about anything others have learned and recorded before you.

After those, there is the ability to record your own discoveries and efforts which means the ability to write and write well. There are a host of skills that go into that. You can learn many of them through reading.

Refining all of it takes practice.

People should also know how to learn from their mistakes. I know a lot of people who just can't do it.

Brush teeth at least twice a day
Drive
Wire a plug
Roll a joint
Carry 3 pints of beer with 2 hands
Pitch a tent
Entertain a lady
Open door for the lady
Cook a Sunday roast
Clean the kitchen, unblock drains, bleed heaters
Identify garden birds
Start a fire
Have an interesting record collection with some vinyl

The most single important thing one has to have to survive is how to delegate.
That way everyone else does what you want. Eccept if you're on your own and the only thing you need to know is how to forage for food and water. Feed the body first, the luxeries like shelter and warmth comes second.

a reply to: bigfatfurrytexan

Humanity adapts until adapting is not an option. Then what?

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

The most important conversations one can ever have are those with our true selves.

a reply to: mamabeth

FIRST necessity in all situations: don't panic!

Good job!

a reply to: Ghost147

I would rather die a hero than a hermit.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

I accept that you feel there will always be power in which to plug in your typewriter or word proccessor. I will leave it there.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

And you can write about my travels in my hypothetical apocolyptic world. Dot those ' i ' s....

My writing is already ugly and I am ok with that.

a reply to: Skid Mark

If it went down permanently a lot of people would be so screwed because they don't know basic survival skills

Sadly, true.

It was in this spirit that I became curious as to what others felt essential to be able to do.

originally posted by: woodwardjnr
Brush teeth at least twice a day
Drive
Wire a plug
Roll a joint
Carry 3 pints of beer with 2 hands
Pitch a tent
Entertain a lady
Open door for the lady
Cook a Sunday roast
Clean the kitchen, unblock drains, bleed heaters
Identify garden birds
Start a fire
Have an interesting record collection with some vinyl

Bleed heaters? Do explain, please....

I may need to know this someday soon ( like in 2017).

Thank you for your contribution.

a reply to: crayzeed

When alone, find shelter, water, then food. Survivorman says so!

a reply to: Ghost147

I disagree. If you have benefit of community in an apocolyptic scenario, it is the working together for the survival of all in community that will increase survival. Relationships and trust will be essential.

You can always walk away and go it alone...

a reply to: NewzNose

What fundamental "things" should People know how to do?

Conduct business and trade...

I'm thinking the distillation of alcohol, a small bar, perhaps a few girls out back. No sense in going crazy with out a few creature comforts.

originally posted by: olaru12
a reply to: NewzNose

What fundamental "things" should People know how to do?

Conduct business and trade...

I'm thinking the distillation of alcohol, a small bar, perhaps a few girls out back. No sense in going crazy with out a few creature comforts.

The ability to make alcohol in a post apocalyptic future is greatly underestimated. from medicinal and inebriation to sterilisation and preserving. Alcohol and distillation would be a fine commodity.

a reply to: NewzNose

then you die. And it happens in measures, with the weak dying first. The lucky and strong last longer.

Regardless...humanity has a very long history. One that has outlasted terror birds, cave bears, saber tooth cats, and lizards that make dragons look like timid pets.

say please and thank you to strangers. also hold the door open.

also refraim from burping and coughing, i hate that.


i think thats enough.

wiring a plug? thats from the 50's when appliances came withouth plugs, and people couldnt wire plugs ,
hence electrical accidents and lawsuits.

now all appliances are provided with plugs.

hence no need to know how to wire a goddamn plug.