On That Note
It pains me to admit that I cannot drive a manual vehicle. But, growing up, there was no reason for me to learn this skill, and there still isn't a need for it (except for pride). Our technological and mechanical advances have made the necessity of this skill obsolete. In fact, I think farming is one of the last professions where driving a stick-shift is somewhat practical.
In all honesty, I am not all that broken up about my inability to drive a manual. See, I have ridden in a manual car before, and the lurching caused by shifting gears reminds me of a cat hacking up a hairball. Perhaps the driver was just too new to his car for a smooth transition. It was the one and only time I have ever felt car sick.
However, there are several skills like this that are becoming obsolete, and more are slipping down that slope every day. Cursive, using a telephone and reading a clock are just a few of the skills I have noticed that have fallen off the cliff in recent years. And this, to me, is concerning.
Technological advances seem to be entering the stage so fast it is hard to keep up. For every sticky situation, there is now a "Brand New!" tech solution.
One I have seen slip into farming and transportation is autonomous vehicles, threatening the use of manual vehicles in the near future.
Autonomous is becoming quite the buzz word. I first heard the term when discussing labor shortages in agriculture. Farmers have been struggling to find workers to drive tractors and combines for years. The Brand New! technological solution? Driverless tractors! This idea of autonomous machines has spread to semi-trucks and is now being considered for helicopters used to put out wildfires and spray crops.
I'm not saying this is all bad. It is a practical solution to the labor shortage issue. But will it wipe out some age-old skills within the realm of agriculture? It seems to me that we are embracing new technologies so fast that we are not stopping to consider the repercussions. There are some skills that people need to maintain in case of emergency in order to keep operations running smoothly. In today's world, it is imperative to pass down traditional skills to our youth, so they have the capabilities to continue if a situation requires it.
On that note, be sure to share your knowledge and skills with the next generation. They may need it someday.