Good morning Indy,
Loved the Nov 23 rabbit hole! The best part was the Monday Morning Radio page with Tim Ringo’s point about not hiring people with college degrees. It definitely caught my attention.
To me the only thing a college degree reveals is one’s perseverance in achieving a long term goal (and in some cases, the hesitance in venturing out into the real world, what with the often seen 5-6 year long bachelor degree stints.)
Many years ago, NPR’s Terri Gross on FreshAir interviewed a Ford Motor Company engineer who voiced his concern regarding engineers who had bachelors and masters degrees, and no”hands on” mechanical experience. He reflected that these bright people created amazing, beautiful car and component designs that were not functional at all, and he thought this was due their never having their hands fix or create anything; it was all theory with no application. In Occupational therapy school, the fancy term for this is “knowledge of results”, the mind-eye-hand experience of direct action and immediate feedback of the results of that action.
Fancy terms aside, to me it is easily explained by the word “Connection”.
In healthcare, the connection of human touch has been interrupted by the Corona virus, bringing telemedicine to the fore. Telemedicine and its associated technology (robotic surgeries) has its place as a “backup plan” and yet it seems ill-advised as a standard healthcare strategy.
To me, surrendering the ability to be present with another person, is yet another separation from our true nature as humans and it has an immediate and longterm effect on our wellbeing.
To me, part of the bliss of being a human is being able to craft something with one’s hands. It is immensely satisfying to have an immediate effect on materials, to “make a mark”
(As I write this I imagine you, Indy, “making your mark” upon a tree, or a fire hydrant. And I imagine that is satisfying to you. 🙂 )
And I know your person, Roy, prefers to use a door handle instead of a “fancy fob thingy” to open the door of his truck. This exhibits a knowledge of results-connection.
This Thanksgiving, as I sit at our table of 8 (and two hounds under the dining table,) connection in all ways, always, is what I am thankful for.
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your peeps, Indy, but remember: turkey is dangerous for doggies as it can trigger pancreatitis.
Just go whole hog (ham and bacon).