Americans getting softer? What’s your opinion?

Fixastuff · Jul 9, 2021

2LaneCruzer said:
I remember reading an article many years ago, written by a military officer concerning the ability of the American soldier during WWII. The gist was basically this: The American soldier, those from rural areas in particular, was far more skilled in general than those of other nations. They were resourceful; they could improvise and adapt machinery; they could make most everything work and could repair and maintain their equipment in the field.

I know my Dad was like that; he could fix a water well or a caterpillar dozer; he could make those old finickey cars run; I even saw him put rings in my brother's bug eyed Sprite.

I'm kinda known as a mad scientist around my parts. I make excavator buckets/grade beams, made my own weight drop post driver for the mini excavator, made a 26ft vibrating scree board to pour my concrete slab.(some of my recent stuff) One of my younger neighbors(26yr old) and one of my older neighbors (83yr old) and I were talking, the younger was commenting on my redneck engineering(I try to use what I have on had and don't measure as much as make to fit) the older gentleman took offense and told the 26yr old it was guys like me that allowed USA to win the world wars... I'm not sure if he's correct or not but it is one heck of a compliment!!

Jstpssng · Jul 9, 2021

Fixastuff said:
I'm kinda known as a mad scientist around my parts. I make excavator buckets/grade beams, made my own weight drop post driver for the mini excavator, made a 26ft vibrating scree board to pour my concrete slab.(some of my recent stuff) One of my younger neighbors(26yr old) and one of my older neighbors (83yr old) and I were talking, the younger was commenting on my redneck engineering(I try to use what I have on had and don't measure as much as make to fit) the older gentleman took offense and told the 26yr old it was guys like me that allowed USA to win the world wars... I'm not sure if he's correct or not but it is one heck of a compliment!!

My father was like that. I once saw him tell a greenhouse customer what was wrong with his car without touching it. The guy had spent buko bucks at a garage but they couldn't figure out what was wrong. Father popped the hood, held his hand over the running engine, and like an oracle said "You need new plug wires."

That fixed the problem, he said that he could feel the energy leakage when his hand was over the wires.

Now people just watch "Reality Shows" to see what others can do.

GeneV · Jul 9, 2021

Society getting soft is an organic process. As life keeps gets easier thanks to innovation, as daily challenges continue to diminish and societal safety nets extend, by default your average citizen growing up with all that will be a softer/weaker version of the previous generation. That in itself is not the death knell for a nation. But what is though, a large segment of the population disrespecting and desecrating love for country and it's history...national suicide, that stuff. I see pain on the horizon, but the good news is...that's gonna harden up a whole lot of soft people.

Jchonline · Jul 9, 2021

Diggin It said:
Hey Dude, if you need a trench 3 feet deep and 300 feet long are you going to use a stick with a piece of metal at the end, a hydraulically powered scoop, or pay somebody else to do it?

Um dynamite....duh

Jchonline · Jul 9, 2021

City life makes people soft. I was guilty of it for years. My kids are way softer than I ever was. Growing up on a farm teaches you something life in the suburbs cannot. We moved to the mountains, off grid a few years ago and it has been hard but refreshing. We love it. The boys get to spend time doing things they never had the opportunity to do in earlier years.

MossRoad · Jul 9, 2021

Jchonline said:
Um dynamite....duh

It's tractor related at the very end...

2LaneCruzer · Jul 10, 2021

Fixastuff said:
I'm kinda known as a mad scientist around my parts. I make excavator buckets/grade beams, made my own weight drop post driver for the mini excavator, made a 26ft vibrating scree board to pour my concrete slab.(some of my recent stuff) One of my younger neighbors(26yr old) and one of my older neighbors (83yr old) and I were talking, the younger was commenting on my redneck engineering(I try to use what I have on had and don't measure as much as make to fit) the older gentleman took offense and told the 26yr old it was guys like me that allowed USA to win the world wars... I'm not sure if he's correct or not but it is one heck of a compliment!!

I'm pretty sure he was...and is...correct. These skills have grown out of necessity; there hasn't always been an Auto Zone or a Walmart three blocks away.

rekees4300 · Jul 10, 2021

Hay Dude said:
Has America gone soft? YES, in my opinion. There are many examples of this and few of how we are getting tougher.

Softness isn't about countries. It's about the declining necessity of physical activity to survive. The Neanderthals did not have grocery stores stocked by millions of farmers. They were hunter/gathers running around 24/7 to fight/kill animals for food. The whole human race is becoming softer because advanced technology has resulted in less physical activity needed by individuals.