My grandfather could fix things, and he imparted this upon my father, who imparted it upon me.

I have an uncle that will deconstruct a car's engine to every individual part, clean each one, replace and repair anything that is worn, and put it back together again.

I haven't dissected an engine like that, but I imagine I could. I think the biggest obstacle to fixing things isn't lack of knowledge, but lack of confidence.

user-inactivated:

Neat idea. kleinbl00, I think you would like this article.

    The societal shift toward products that are untouchable, robotic and useless when single parts break has given rise to a number of unfortunate consequences. First off, our landfills have swollen: The average American throws away 4.4 pounds of trash per day, compared to 2.68 pounds in 1960, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

    Additionally, we’ve been forced into shallow relationships with our material possessions and have become increasingly dependent on manufacturers. And finally, overall craftsmanship has declined, and we possess fewer objects worth taking pride in and passing to the next generation. (No one’s going to inherit my $32 athletic watch.)


posted 3752 days ago