Defiance

[MechMan]

I have always preferred older cars. I enjoy working on them and only myself and the mechanic that my family has used for 50 plus years have ever touched my cars and that was for things I can't do in my current space. I bought my first and probably last new car in 2017 when my daughter was born. At the time I still had my 98 Camaro and they really weren't the best for car seats. Once we move and buy a house I will be getting myself an 84-88 G Body. Not a fan of all the electronic gizmos that come standard now.

 

[joesregalproject]

That scenario is so scary I wish studying "WALL-E" was mandatory in schools and especially government. "Silent Running" too.

Its already coming true

 

[joesregalproject]

I am of the opinion that having full control over everything you own, weather it is your house, your car, your washing machine, ect, is the way to true enlightenment. Everything we have is so technologically advanced these days understanding it is the mark of true wisdom. In the 1800's or before having full grasp on a topic like agriculture was highly critical because everyone DIRECTLY relied on being fed. Knowing how to grow another bushel of wheat, more nutritious beans or a larger pig meant you and your family could survive. Today, we still rely on food but there are so many other things we rely on that technology has provided like cars, electronics, appliances, ect.

I would argue an understanding of something technical like digital or analog control circuits, is more important today than an understanding of law, medicine, or economics (the core classical "I'm smart!" jobs). There isn't a day that goes by often you aren't exposed to an electronic glitch, whereas law or economics however important, and lucrative, don't apply to everyone. They started eliminating shop class to fill with more "smart" classes, but its REALLY hard to apply and understand calculus in engineering when you can't understand something simple like 3/4" plywood is sufficient to build a step stool from when you have never done anything tangible. Although shop classes could use some revamping, and I am glad STEM is a thing they teach hard now, schools push STEM way to hard these day focusing too much on the theory side of things and not engaging kids to build what they learn with.

I actually read the book in HS mentioned in that first article and pretty timely.

I'm getting off on a tangent here, but I can't keep my mouth shut about this. The reason school districts began eliminating shop classes is because of standardized testing. The better a school performs on standardized tests, the more funding they get. Next thing you know, all schools cared about were test scores. Pushing more science, math and English equals better standardized test scores was the logic.

What they forgot was that not every kid is meant to be an engineer or a doctor or scientist or CEO. A lot of people are meant to work with their hands or own a small business, etc. With shop classes eliminated, those kids who are were the hands-on type were forced to take academic classes instead of shop or practical skills classes. The result was a lot of those kids couldn't take the stress of all academic classes and more advanced maths and sciences and ended up flunking or dropping out. So while the natural born geniuses excelled, the kids who would've made great tradesmen wound up left behind having learned no practical skills or having dropped out and don't even have a high school diploma.

And another part of this was that those kids were led to believe that there is something wrong if you aren't of above-average intelligence, which of course is absolutely false. That certainly didn't do any favors for mental health and self esteem, and I think it (along with social media) is one of the huge reasons we've seem such an uptick in depression and other mental illnesses in teens and young adults.

No child left behind... my *ss.

 

[Local Hero]

I daily drive my 86 GP

Some people think I shouldn't, but I buy cars to drive and enjoy... not to house in a garage like a trophy.

I can also fix it without a $15,000 computer to Tell me whats wrong.. One free website does the trick

I have some sensors, but not Hundreds. I can replace a headlight without disassembling half of the front end.

Parts are WAY cheaper. Starter for a SBC? $30 for a cheapie. Starter for my wife's new car? $319. Wheel bearings? $10, 10 minutes... Hers? $79 and drop the entire front suspension.

Pro's and Con's abound, but Ill always take something from the 60's-70's-80's over this new sh*t.

Goes without saying, but the recognition is pretty cool as well. People see it and want to talk... I can't tell you how many times I've heard "man, I had a ~Insert G-Body here~ when I was in high school". It stands out. Cars nowadays? They don't stand out much. One of three things happen every time I drive that car: 1) I get offered money for it. 2) people stop and talk about it. or 3) someone walking stares at it as I drive by so much so, they're turned around staring at it. And I don't mind that at all.

-Gonz

Gonzo save me a bunch of typing. Well said and I feel the same way.

 

[pontiacgp]

Gonzo save me a bunch of typing. Well said and I feel the same way.

he save me too...

 

[MechMan]

"Everyone is a genius. But if you a judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree it will iive it's whole life thinking it is stupid." Albert Einstein.

 

[pagrunt]

Just to add to the "WALL-E" theory, I could of swore I saw a BMW commercial that shown the car being un locked by a smart phone. I'll direct this one in the right direction-F*CK YOU Apple, Samsung, & all pushing the smart phone for doing everything but to wipe ones @$$. But I bet they are working on an app for that too. The "modern" world is getting too dependant on a over priced battery operated device. As for shop classes, one buddy made a to scale functioning gallows in construction (teacher gave an A for it then destroyed it) & another milled out a custom aluminum bowl with a custom made oak case for it.

 

[jiho]

Meanwhile, I bet they try to control which app you can wipe.

Me, I don't have a cell phone! Ha-ha! Take that! Yet during the Carr Fire, with the power out and people unable to use their phones (towers were out), I calmly used my old school Ma Bell landline to call both 911 and CalFire and find out what was going on.

 

[455'ed80Regal]

I'm starting to think the movie "Wall-E" is slowly becoming reality- A bunch of fat stupid people mindlessly floating around on recliners.

I was thinking the exact same thing when I started reading this.

 

[jiho]

Also don't forget that a fair amount of brainwashing goes on too. I'm pretty sure the insurance industry is behind most of these "improvements" because the average driver is actually quite below average. Imagine the profits when the cars themselves can avoid collisions. Look at all the life-saving features in cars right now yet insurance rates are higher than ever. Why? Thus they tout all these "conveniences" to the gullible public who are so easily influenced that after being bombarded with advertising- will believe anything. I'm thinking the average lemming would love tapping his phone and a self operating public conveyance shows up at his door ready to take him wherever he wants. No brain input at all! Until it drives off a cliff or into a lake. That's why I still ride a bicycle- the greatest human powered vehicle ever invented.

Insurance companies are big institutional investors on Wall Street. So they no doubt own car and tech companies, enough to influence their behavior, and media companies too. (They are of course the reason the NHTSA exists, so that goes without saying.)