What industries and things will disappear when our generation dies off? This occurred to me when we were in a store recently buying greeting cards. None of our children or grandchildren send greeting cards anymore. It is kind of like writing a letter with paper and a stamp...young people just don't seem to do it. The U.S. Postal Service struggles as no one uses first class mail much, which used to be their exclusive bread and butter. Perhaps both the Postal Service and the Greeting Card industry will go away.
We use a landline for a business phone, as I don't want the world following me wherever I go. We come home to messages and address them then. Our cellphones are for friends and family.
I have thought about this question, too. We have already lost some of the trades that were done by specialized craftsman. Almost everything is mass-produced nowdays, where a lot of things were once handmade by people who had learned the trade (or the art) from their father or mother. Even back in the 1950’s when I was growing up, most people had at least a small vegetable garden in their back yard when they lived in town, and a large garden for the folks who lived out in the country. I remember my family buying live chickens and butchering them, and since they were usually roosters or older stewing hens, they became chicken noodle dinner. It used to be that skilled craftsmen made everything from watches, to jewelry, to horse saddles; but now those items are usually made in some other country if they are handmade. Saddles are not even always leather anymore, now they are nylon with a fiberglass tree instead of a wood and rawhide one. This is something that will be a serious problem if ever there is a large (worldwide) catastrophe of some kind, and many people die, all of the modern technology is gone, and people have to survive somehow and start over. How many of the young adults now can sew their own clothing, or even cook whole meals from scratch ? Cars would not run, and most men have no idea of how to plow a field with a mule, or plant crops, or even how to cut wood for heat. ( they probably would not know even how mules are produced, since mules are a sterile hybrid equine) Many of the things that the people generations before us had, are no longer used, or even necessary (like an ice box), and we can’t do some of the things that were done routinely by people in the early 1900’s. So, the young people of today, will probably have things that we would never imagine; but they will have lost some of the arts that our generation has been proficient in, as well.
Thinking. Yes, that’s it.....thinking will disappear. As it is, more and more people rely solely on something or someone to provide what used to be known as independent thought. Instead of a person crunching numbers or analyzing a problem, an answer will come forth based on logic according to artificial intelligence. Intuition, knee jerk reactions and reasoning will be a thing of the past when the computers are finally allowed to make all of the future decisions. It’s no joke, it’s going to happen and how long it’s going to take is anyone’s best guess but at the rate that it’s already going it will not be long coming unless at some point they turn the switch off.
Spot on ! And a disaster in itself, the consequences are dire, we're seeing more evidence of it - won't be long enough Bobby ! Brains giving out common sense, emotion and know how - will be elusive
It is my personal thought that computers should not even be allowed in school with the exception of those students who are taking a computer class and even then they should only be allowed in that classroom. No cells, no computers, no tablets. Just pencil, paper and a book.
In our lifetimes, we have seen the end of several businesses and industries, and the consolidation of others. Yeah, people are still eating potato chips but I can remember when nearly every town had a potato chip factory. You don't see shops of people who repair televisions, refrigerators, and other appliances anymore. Although there are still some perhaps, there aren't many shoemakers around anymore. I can remember when shoes were brought in to be repaired or resoled before they were scrapped for new ones. I suppose that expensive clocks can still be repaired, but you don't see clockmakers or repair shops anymore, and I don't think jewelers do that now either. We are witnessing the decline and future demise of bookstores, as books themselves are becoming less common. New generations, and even many from our own generation, prefer digital books, if they read at all. I'm not sure how taxi companies are going to survive Uber and Lyft.
Things are forever changing...that's the way it was when we were young and that's the way it will be...I see no problem with change. It's really not our world anymore... I see the younger generations differently than most of you...don't know why. I see things as more competitive and education harder than when I went to school. It's not easy to get into a university....saw that with the oldest grandson. He had to have a GPA of 4.2 plus a solid score on the ACTs, plus community service. There's only a certain amount that will be accepted and many are qualified...Cal Poly turned away 2500 or put some on a waiting list. I'm sure my grandsons aren't unique...when I read some of the posts, I just don't see it. Sure there are slackers that do nothing but eat junk food and play video games but I personally don't know any. This is a sore subject with me and I wasn't going to reply... maybe I need a break again.
Of course there will always be exceptions, just talking generally and of the outlook to come Its true - we don't use our brains enough
I didn't view this thread as being about the education of young people or their competitiveness. That has been discussed elsewhere, I think, but this thread is about industries and other things that are going to disappear with our generation. I didn't see this question as being a judgment on any generation.
Then I posted it in the wrong thread...sue me I'm just feeling I don't have much in common with views on here. Best to step back for awhile.