Ask HN: What are good life skills for people to learn?

Cooking

Learning how to cook would be fairly near the top of my list. More specifically learning how to cook a few dishes well (ideally ones that you like).

If you're in an environment where cycling's viable, I'd rank that alongside or even above driving (it can be cheaper, healthier, more sustainable, consumes less parking space at home and in the community, produces less pollution, and generally provides easier self-maintenance options)

How to manage yourself when tragedy inevitably strikes

How to take advantage of people... that way they are less likely to be taken advantage of

Restraint enough that, though they know how, they don’t take advantage of others

How to look for sense of self satisfaction within yourself rather than in the approval of others

Not really a skill, but a habit of intense exercise at least 30m a day. Running and swimming are great for this.

Similarly, a habit of reading books.

Personal finance

learn to swim