Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks • Hacker News Board

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#11

Post by KC8ZKF » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 7:44 AM UTC

Scarblac wrote: post #8

Corrado wrote: post #2

I actually wanted to be a garbage truck driver when I was little. I think it was the power to crush stuff that really stirred my imagination. The smell never really bothered me much and I figured that you would get used to it anyway. The dirty never bother me much either; I was constantly playing in our neighbors backyard that we called the dirt-hole. Yup, garbage man was almost the perfect job. Instead, my love for…

I've been thinking about being a garbage man (not the truck driver) for one day a week. Physical work, outside, and it seems your mind could subconsciously work on the big problems in the rest of your life while doing it.

Everybody hates a tourist.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#12

Post by meddlepal » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 7:59 AM UTC

ajkjk wrote: post #4

This didn't address my favorite theory: that (some) kids are programmed to learn as much as they can about the nearby megafauna, and in this world the closest approximation is these big garbage/fire/construction vehicles.

I still think big construction and demolition equipment is cool as an adult.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#13

Post by isolli » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:10 AM UTC

ajkjk wrote: post #4

This didn't address my favorite theory: that (some) kids are programmed to learn as much as they can about the nearby megafauna, and in this world the closest approximation is these big garbage/fire/construction vehicles.

There's also a similar theory to explain why boys are more interested in cars than girls (which my kids have proven convincingly, albeit with a low sample size): boys, as future hunters, are attracted to preys that move, hence, in the modern environment, to balls and cars.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#14

Post by skavi » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:19 AM UTC

isolli wrote: post #13

ajkjk wrote: post #4

This didn't address my favorite theory: that (some) kids are programmed to learn as much as they can about the nearby megafauna, and in this world the closest approximation is these big garbage/fire/construction vehicles.

There's also a similar theory to explain why boys are more interested in cars than girls (which my kids have proven convincingly, albeit with a low sample size): boys, as future hunters, are attracted to preys that move, hence, in the modern environment, to balls and cars.

Are you perhaps discounting the societal influences pushing your kids towards their respective interests?

If they view any amount of advertising or interact with other children who do, for example, they could already have ideas about what is "appropriate" for them to like.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#15

Post by pwm » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:25 AM UTC

wanderr wrote: post #6

I thought that getting to ride on the outside of a vehicle was the coolest thing ever.

Haha same! :) Very interesting how common this experience seems to be.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#16

Post by globular-toast » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:32 AM UTC

skavi wrote: post #14

isolli wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also a similar theory to explain why boys are more interested in cars than girls (which my kids have proven convincingly, albeit with a low sample size): boys, as future hunters, are attracted to preys that move, hence, in the modern environment, to balls and cars.

Are you perhaps discounting the societal influences pushing your kids towards their respective interests? If they view any amount of advertising or interact with other children who do, for example, they could already have ideas about what is "appropriate" for them to like.

What societal influences? If anything society is discouraging boys from being boys and telling girls it's cool to do boy things, yet boys still end up being the ones interested in technologies that were developed by men before them like engines, cars and computers.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#17

Post by okusername » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:36 AM UTC

skavi wrote: post #14

isolli wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also a similar theory to explain why boys are more interested in cars than girls (which my kids have proven convincingly, albeit with a low sample size): boys, as future hunters, are attracted to preys that move, hence, in the modern environment, to balls and cars.

Are you perhaps discounting the societal influences pushing your kids towards their respective interests? If they view any amount of advertising or interact with other children who do, for example, they could already have ideas about what is "appropriate" for them to like.

There is research showing male rhesus monkeys to have preference for wheeled toys

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2583786/

We shouldn't discount possible genetic influences on preferences.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#18

Post by otabdeveloper4 » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:37 AM UTC

ajkjk wrote: post #4

This didn't address my favorite theory: that (some) kids are programmed to learn as much as they can about the nearby megafauna, and in this world the closest approximation is these big garbage/fire/construction vehicles.

> kids are programmed

No, kids aren't computers.

It's an easy and facile analogy, because we work with computers all day, and are intimately familiar with them. That's precisely why the analogy is wrong.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#19

Post by Scarblac » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:39 AM UTC

KC8ZKF wrote: post #11

Scarblac wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been thinking about being a garbage man (not the truck driver) for one day a week. Physical work, outside, and it seems your mind could subconsciously work on the big problems in the rest of your life while doing it.

Everybody hates a tourist.

Yes, I didn't think of that. It would suck unless the whole crew was people just doing it for one day a week.

Re: Why Kids Love Garbage Trucks

#20

Post by heinrichhartman » Mon, Dec 09, 2019, 8:41 AM UTC

skavi wrote: post #14

isolli wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There's also a similar theory to explain why boys are more interested in cars than girls (which my kids have proven convincingly, albeit with a low sample size): boys, as future hunters, are attracted to preys that move, hence, in the modern environment, to balls and cars.

Are you perhaps discounting the societal influences pushing your kids towards their respective interests? If they view any amount of advertising or interact with other children who do, for example, they could already have ideas about what is "appropriate" for them to like.

My girl was 9months when sh started acrively pushing for bracelets, fancy hats, etc. I took her to a bike shop, an she immediately went for the pink Helmet with stars.

We dressed her in neutral cloths (second hand), we dont have a TV. Her mother does not wear juwlery or makeup. To us this appears innate.