End of an era.

[Travlr]

I'm just a baby compared to most of you at only 36 years old. I can rebuild an engine, build fence, handle cattle, run equipment, hammer nails, fabricate, weld, but also cook dinner, do laundry, clean house, etc. So I feel I'm a jack of all trades. And I know plenty of young people that can do the same.

Sometimes I feel people see a few younger people that "need an app for that or they are lost" and just assume that everybody in that age bracket is the same.

I've got kids that "can do" and they are teaching their kids to work and use their hands too. But I see differences in how their kids latch on to that ethic and later in life they will have some differences in ability. I hope they all do fine but they have made their own bed...

 

[cfpinz]

I had a similar conversation with a good friend yesterday. America is described as the land of opportunity, not land of entitlement. The opportunity is there if you choose to seek it.

 

[Lucky]

One of the things I've noticed when working with kids 12-20 is that you can't be too rough with them anymore. They get they're feelings hurt so easy it's ridiculous. You almost just have to tell yourself at least it's 3/4 done and I can come back and fix it myself later. Growing up working with my grandfather, uncle, a a few bosses that still stand out to me they'd yell or give you a hard time even when you did a good job. When I got a little older I realized why they did it. Life is hard and if you fold at the least little bit of pressure how are you ever gonna make a go of it. I learned allot from those guys. Wether at home or work I work alone 90% of the time now. It just seems easier not having to explain every move you make to someone.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Kenny I have slowed way the heck down. Just my day job mostly and it is salaried so if I get after hours or weekend call out its for free. That sucks but the salary is awesome. Sold most of the farms. Just have 7 rentals and some small acreage. Most of the cows are long gone. Like you I have worked my whole life. Started at bottom, went to college at night, worked two jobs, struggled for years. Had some setbacks, made some mistakes, made some great moves too. 65 years now. Thought about calling it early, Thought about selling out the real estate and becoming a freeloader off the interests and my fidelity investments. Heck I entered politics and got myself elected. What a mess that is. Someone is always mad at you now matter what you do.

 

[kenny thomas]

Kenny I have slowed way the heck down. Just my day job mostly and it is salaried so if I get after hours or weekend call out its for free. That sucks but the salary is awesome. Sold most of the farms. Just have 7 rentals and some small acreage. Most of the cows are long gone. Like you I have worked my whole life. Started at bottom, went to college at night, worked two jobs, struggled for years. Had some setbacks, made some mistakes, made some great moves too. 65 years now. Thought about calling it early, Thought about selling out the real estate and becoming a freeloader off the interests and my fidelity investments. Heck I entered politics and got myself elected. What a mess that is. Someone is always mad at you now matter what you do.

Politics? Say it ain't so. Hahaha

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

One of the things I've noticed when working with kids 12-20 is that you can't be too rough with them anymore.

One thing I've noticed working with, working for, and employing many 50-70yos is they were raised to be such tough guys that they are pi$$ poor communicators. They only way they know how to attempt to communicate is by yelling and screaming and being a harda$$. They are unable to have polite kind conversations to get their point across, and don't take criticism at all.

 

[Travlr]

One thing I've noticed working with, working for, and employing many 50-70yos is they were raised to be such tough guys that they are pi$$ poor communicators. They only way they know how to attempt to communicate is by yelling and screaming and being a harda$$. They are unable to have polite kind conversations to get their point across, and don't take criticism at all.

So basically... normal conversation and communication for their times... and nowadays seen as abnormal because the world has been feminized and everything needs to be unoffensive.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

You call it normal communication. Many would call it irrational communication.

If you can't get your point across without yelling and tossing around profanities then I have no desire to even be in your presence.

Just because your granddad talked to your dad that way, and your dad talked to you that way, doesn't make it the right way.

We've progressed a long way as a society why can't the males communication skills be one of them?

 

[Twisted]

You call it normal communication. Many would call it irrational communication.

If you can't get your point across without yelling and tossing around profanities then I have no desire to even be in your presence.

Just because your granddad talked to your dad that way, and your dad talked to you that way, doesn't make it the right way.

We've progressed a long way as a society why can't the males communication skills be one of them?

My dad never yelled, he'd just grab me by the shoulder and kick my ass hard enough my feet would come off of the ground.

 

[Dave]

In my early 20's I went to work setting chokers on high lead logging. It was hard work on an extremely dangerous job. Being yelled at was just a normal day on the job. When they yelled jump you asked how high on the way up. Being seriously cussed at was when they were upset. And that wasn't uncommon. There is a saying working on the riggin. You run in for your job and out for your life. Job security was and still is the amount of sweat that drips off your nose. Later when I was the one yelling at some kid I realized most of it was done to keep the young person alive. You do what I tell and you do it now with no questions asked. There might be an explanation coming later but do what you are told now. I remember a guy coming out on the job back in the 70's who said, "people don't work this hard anymore." Back then there wasn't more than 1 in 5 who made it. I don't know what the odds are now. I will have to ask some that I know who are still working in the brush.
I do remember when and where I decided that I didn't want to be rich. I knew people who worked to become rich. I saw what they did and what they missed out on. So I just worked enough to get by and took time to enjoy life. Spent half my money on wine, women and song and just wasted the other half. I said I was semi retired for several decades. But when I worked I worked hard. I always had things going on the side which may not have made money right then but built assets. Now that I am comfortably retired I look at what I have accumulated and somehow I became rich.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

My dad never yelled, he'd just grab me by the shoulder and kick my ass hard enough my feet would come off of the ground.

Physical violence and abuse is such a good life skill and memory to have.... not

I much prefer my memories of my dad taking the time to use his hands to show me what he wanted me to do, or how he wanted me to act.

 

[SBMF 2015]

Is being away from our 3 little boys worth it? NOPE.

Guys who brag about working 80 hours a week from 18yo to 80yo have missed out on a whole lot of the finer things in life. IMO.

NAILED IT!
I'm not a lot older than you. (42) and I had no problem working 90hr weeks or 9 weeks straight with no days off until my daughter was born. That was 15 years ago and priorities changed.
I probably still work 60hrs a week between a job and farming on my own but I make time to spend with my family. They're only young once.

We have a slightly different skill set. Anything you can do with an engine I can do with a cow. But I also consider myself a jack of all trades; electrician, plumber , welder, carpenter, veterinarian, some mechanic. I can cook and clean but definitely not as good as my wife.

But most people my age have no clue how to do half the things we can do. I think mostly because they haven't been shown.
I was lucky enough to work for a guy for 23 years who strongly believed that we do everything ourselves because that's how we save money. He taught me a lot.

If young people don't know they don't know. But if I can get them to show up to work I can teach them a skill.

 

[Lucky]

You call it normal communication. Many would call it irrational communication.

If you can't get your point across without yelling and tossing around profanities then I have no desire to even be in your presence.

Just because your granddad talked to your dad that way, and your dad talked to you that way, doesn't make it the right way.

We've progressed a long way as a society why can't the males communication skills be one of them?

It's not hard. Pay attention to what's going on and don't act like we have a week to finish a 4 hour job. I can be nice as can be but after the fourth or fifth time of asking for the same thing or hunting you down things get tense. If you're the type of person that doesn't like being told what to do step it up and become the lead guy. I have no problem being a lead, helper, or team but lots of people do. It just seems every young person thinks they should start out as the CEO with no known of what's really going on.

I was working with a person yesterday cutting boards for horse stalls. I told them don't hold that board or this saw will kick back on us. They insisted on holding the dang board and of course the saw kicked back. I just looked at them and said "I ask you not to hold that board there" the next 30 minutes were really quiet. It's funny how 35 years of experience means nothing to some people. At what point do you stop asking nicely?

 

[Travlr]

It's

You call it normal communication. Many would call it irrational communication.

If you can't get your point across without yelling and tossing around profanities then I have no desire to even be in your presence.

Just because your granddad talked to your dad that way, and your dad talked to you that way, doesn't make it the right way.

We've progressed a long way as a society why can't the males communication skills be one of them?

Funny... Your "progress as a society" is the result of men talking like men and not getting hurt feelings, just getting the job done despite the obstacles. Sure, times change... but changes are not always for the best and they certainly aren't something to brag about without a track record of results. Today your thinking is done for you by machines that direct your actions and a lot of anything produced is done by machinery that does the labor of a thousand human hands in the past. Is it progress? I'd say it remains to be seen. If thinking people become the unusual and capable people become so rare that they are denigrated by the the majority that lacks capability you'll be feeling what I'm feeling in forty years. But I won't be around to say, "I told you so... ", and by then you'll have forgotten.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

You make that sound like a problem unique to young people.

I know plenty of 50+ people who can't follow simple directions and wouldn't know what end of a saw to hold. When I had an employee running a 250k dollar piece of equipment I went thru numerous 40-65yos because they couldn't grasp the task at hand and wouldn't wipe their own a$$ unless someone held their hand.

If they can't follow simple well communicated expectations then let them go and find another.

If yelling is your goto then you have failed as an adult to communicate.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

One thing I've noticed working with, working for, and employing many 50-70yos is they were raised to be such tough guys that they are pi$$ poor communicators. They only way they know how to attempt to communicate is by yelling and screaming and being a harda$$. They are unable to have polite kind conversations to get their point across, and don't take criticism at all.

Polite kind conversations can sometimes get you or someone else killed.

 

[WAnabee]

I feel like the older generation just doesn't want to work anymore. The gov't takes all this $ out of my generations' paychecks and gives it all to the older generation 65+ so they don't have to work? And the folks 80+ are the ones making all the rules!

... I joke about the first part

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Polite kind conversations can sometimes get you or someone else killed.

Raising your voice to alert someone of a hazard is different.

Just yelling and screaming because they didn't do something exactly right (even though you never explained the right way, just assumed they knew) is pi$$ poor communication.

 

[puzzled in oregon]

Raising your voice to alert someone of a hazard is different.

Just yelling and screaming because they didn't do something exactly right (even though you never explained the right way, just assumed they knew) is pi$$ poor communication.

If you say so

 

[Brute 23]

One thing I've noticed working with, working for, and employing many 50-70yos is they were raised to be such tough guys that they are pi$$ poor communicators. They only way they know how to attempt to communicate is by yelling and screaming and being a harda$$. They are unable to have polite kind conversations to get their point across, and don't take criticism at all.

... and if you do it to them they are the first ones to cry. It's a one way street with those people and usually a front.