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

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

#61

Post by milansm »

Riverheart wrote: post #46
falcor84 wrote: post #14

Here's Lazarus Long's list, from Heinlein's "Time Enough for Love", which I had actually just posted on another thread recently: "A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch man…

Counterpoint from Mr S. Holmes :) Only learn skills that are truly applicable to your life. "You see," he explained, "I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot…

Note that every single item from the parent comment is actually applicable, practical skill, unlike the knowledge about the solar system.

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

#62

Post by Dowwie »

tumblerz wrote: post #56

Learn any moderately complex system very well. From past personal experience: get an old vehicle and make like new; learn linux on machine not best-suited to it; and, with out getting overly specific, gain skills by getting involved with people outside your milieu--volunteer, or get a side job that teaches you a useful skill via mentors with perspectives you do not normally encounter. In my experience, learning a com…

Endurance is absolutely a great life skill. We can do so much more than we think we can when we learn how to manage our thoughts. It is what enables people to become navy seals, cardiologists, pioneers in one's field, or all of the above if you are Jonny Kim. Jonny spoke at great length on Jocko Willink's podcast if you are interested in his story of personal triumph: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yujP3-AxXsI

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

#63

Post by Riverheart »

milansm wrote: post #61
Riverheart wrote: post #46

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Counterpoint from Mr S. Holmes :) Only learn skills that are truly applicable to your life. "You see," he explained, "I consider that a man's brain originally is like a little empty attic, and you have to stock it with such furniture as you choose. A fool takes in all the lumber of every sort that he comes across, so that the knowledge which might be useful to him gets crowded out, or at best is jumbled up with a lot…

Note that every single item from the parent comment is actually applicable, practical skill, unlike the knowledge about the solar system.

It's very unlikely that I or the OP will ever,

butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, build a wall, set a bone, or pitch manure.

And recognizing that these aren't personally valuable skills is a worthwhile skill.

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

#64

Post by Retric »

bserge wrote: post #50
Retric wrote: post #30

Probably the most important skill people are skipping is etiquette. Which I think says a lot about HN. Communication (texting, listening, etc), maintaining and creating relationships, avoiding injury, relaxation, exercise, cooking, healthy eating, self defense, first aid, swimming, types of reading (fun, searching, learning), searching, separating truth from fiction, knowing when to seek help, a hobby, cleaning, main…

Social etiquette drives me up the wall sometimes. I get it, it's necessary, and I do follow it, but there are some that just make zero sense. In fact, most of them make no sense. It's just social constructs made by people, and some go to war over it. Ridiculous. I don't want to shake hands, I don't want to smile, I don't want to sit down if you do. It's like, why does it matter to you? I literally couldn't give half…

Etiquette is really a language. If you mean red and say blue people can only go by what you said. Specific words have specific meanings because of convention not some innate property of the universe.

Similarly, body language has a specific meaning based on convention, so people will assume you mean what your saying.

PS: The posture convention is based on norms of physical fitness and body weight which make standing up strait close to the default. Assuming being overweight becomes the long term norm things may change.

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

#65

Post by ghaff »

Riverheart wrote: post #63
milansm wrote: post #61

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Note that every single item from the parent comment is actually applicable, practical skill, unlike the knowledge about the solar system.

It's very unlikely that I or the OP will ever, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, build a wall, set a bone, or pitch manure. And recognizing that these aren't personally valuable skills is a worthwhile skill.

I'd argue that at least knowing the basics of splinting is a good skill to have. (I keep up to date on wilderness first aid.) And many people know and sometimes use the basics of sailing/seamanship--it's not something exotic. I wouldn't really say I can "design a building" but I know some basics of construction which I think is pretty common.

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

#66

Post by x87678r »

bserge wrote: post #50
Retric wrote: post #30

Probably the most important skill people are skipping is etiquette. Which I think says a lot about HN. Communication (texting, listening, etc), maintaining and creating relationships, avoiding injury, relaxation, exercise, cooking, healthy eating, self defense, first aid, swimming, types of reading (fun, searching, learning), searching, separating truth from fiction, knowing when to seek help, a hobby, cleaning, main…

Social etiquette drives me up the wall sometimes. I get it, it's necessary, and I do follow it, but there are some that just make zero sense. In fact, most of them make no sense. It's just social constructs made by people, and some go to war over it. Ridiculous. I don't want to shake hands, I don't want to smile, I don't want to sit down if you do. It's like, why does it matter to you? I literally couldn't give half…

I think it telegraphs if you care about us or not. If you dont care about what I think, what will happen if down the road things get rocky? You probably wont care about me then either and will bail or be unreliable.

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

#67

Post by bserge »

x87678r wrote: post #66
bserge wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Social etiquette drives me up the wall sometimes. I get it, it's necessary, and I do follow it, but there are some that just make zero sense. In fact, most of them make no sense. It's just social constructs made by people, and some go to war over it. Ridiculous. I don't want to shake hands, I don't want to smile, I don't want to sit down if you do. It's like, why does it matter to you? I literally couldn't give half…

I think it telegraphs if you care about us or not. If you dont care about what I think, what will happen if down the road things get rocky? You probably wont care about me then either and will bail or be unreliable.

What? And if you force me to do your social song and dance, does that telegraph that you don't care about me?

I care about the person and the work. Not about whether they hold their spoon and knife in the right hand.

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

#68

Post by bserge »

Retric wrote: post #64
bserge wrote: post #50

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Social etiquette drives me up the wall sometimes. I get it, it's necessary, and I do follow it, but there are some that just make zero sense. In fact, most of them make no sense. It's just social constructs made by people, and some go to war over it. Ridiculous. I don't want to shake hands, I don't want to smile, I don't want to sit down if you do. It's like, why does it matter to you? I literally couldn't give half…

Etiquette is really a language. If you mean red and say blue people can only go by what you said. Specific words have specific meanings because of convention not some innate property of the universe. Similarly, body language has a specific meaning based on convention, so people will assume you mean what your saying. PS: The posture convention is based on norms of physical fitness and body weight which make standing u…

Eh, isn't that why language was invented? Late Stephen Hawking would've had a hard time with body language and even intonation. Fortunately, we have words that convey exactly what we want.

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

#69

Post by Retric »

bserge wrote: post #68
Retric wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Etiquette is really a language. If you mean red and say blue people can only go by what you said. Specific words have specific meanings because of convention not some innate property of the universe. Similarly, body language has a specific meaning based on convention, so people will assume you mean what your saying. PS: The posture convention is based on norms of physical fitness and body weight which make standing u…

Eh, isn't that why language was invented? Late Stephen Hawking would've had a hard time with body language and even intonation. Fortunately, we have words that convey exactly what we want.

Edit: To your point, physical disabilities are meaningful, but hawking is in large part known for his difficulties communicating not being rude. Etiquette still applies to the written word for example.

Anyway, you can’t speak without interrupting the speaker, but you can gesture. Similarly, people don’t constantly walk around repeating I am angry/sad/happy/etc. Etiquette is a constant framework and channel of communication where spoken language is for specifics. The words you say can be less important than the volume, timing, etc of how you say them. Grunts may work assuming they fit in with social conventions.

The grammar of etiquette is similarly important. Prisoners may fight each other, but the vast majority of the time their doing something else. Fail to communicate well, and it may just get you killed.

PS: Though I may be overusing the etiquette as language analogy, it’s a very close fit.

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