Rural America

[Bright Raven]

I disagree with your statement. You get common sense by a collection of life experiences used to form better decision in the future.

I don't think babies are born with common sense!

You are so correct. Common sense is a function of life experiences, judgement, ability to evaluate, and cognitive skills. It is learned behavior.

Really? The smartest and most well schooled people I know personally don't have enough common sense to survive without books or smart phones. And none have any mechanical abilities, if you can get them pointed in the right direction they're usually good to go. I truly believe they over think everything.

Vince,

Common sense is overrated. You and I have done very well, if you need proof. ;-)

Here is all you need to know:

Water when you're thirsty,
Whiskey when you're dry.
Women when you're lonely,
Religion when you die.

Beef when you're hungry,
Wine when you're weary.
Shelter when its wet,
Fire in the winter and Shade when its scorching.

My doggies when I'm sad,
My cattle when I'm glad.

Last but not least: All women are beautiful. And they are the only ones with true common sense.

 

[TexasBred]

Herofan,

Maybe I can provide some thoughts to shed some light on the threats in our society.

Each of us has a threshold for what makes us feel uncomfortable.

TexasBred is a secure, balanced Texan. He would not feel threatened if two Abram Tanks came rolling down his driveway.

On the other hand, if two young girls catching butterflies came down Grit's driveway, he would not feel safe.

:lol2: :lol: :lol2: :clap: :clap: Until they started showing him their equipment and he would turn to jelly. :lol: :lol2: :hide:

 

[TexasBred]

Well, strangers drive up for different reasons, but 99% of the time, you can bet it ain't to catch sweet little butterflies.

Morning buddy. Guess we all have our own perception of things. I see it just the opposite. 99% of the time the people in any vehicle coming up my driveway have no intention of doing harm to anyone or taking something that doesn't belong to them. At least until now it's been that way....matter of fact it's still 100%. ;-) Tomorrow it could change.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Vince, you handled that well. Lol

There is a serious point here. We all have different thresholds for what makes us feel safe or threatened.

Some of us have our reasons to feel the way we do. Life's not always peaches and cream.

I have felt uncomfortable in several situations. Oddly, in the case where myself and two others were being fired at was not the worse.

One of the most uncomfortable situations for me was a bar in Hardin Montana just off the Crow and Northern Cheyenne reservations. The bar was occupied by several customers off the reservation. Alcohol is not sold on Reservations in Montana unless that has been changed. The Indians come in and over indulge. There were several violent fights in the few minutes I was there. The bar keeper simply makes them go out the back. Not uncommon for shooting and cutting.

I felt uncomfortable and a concealed gun would not have changed that. I never went back in a bar near a reservation after that one experience.

Never been shot at, nor do I ever hope to have that experience. We had a reservation in town where I grew up. When I turned 21 I went to a bar and there were too many Indians there looking a bit wild eyed. It was well known that if you wanted to go out, drink and fight, this was the bar to go to. My buddy and I downed our beers and got out of there quickly. Drinking in bars is not all it's cracked up to be.

 

[AdamsCreek]

Years ago you could work outside all day and see three cars go by and know who they were. Now you see 5 to 10 an hour go by at 70 mph and not recognize one.

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :cry2: :cry2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2: :lol2:
Sorry...but that's funny.... 5 to 10 an hour. I didn't move but maybe I don't live rural anymore. I mean we do have a 911 address now and lost the rural route box number. But I grew up here a quarter mile off a state highway. After the morning rush of working people heading east to go to work and students going to school, yeah, you could see as many as 5 to 10 going by ay about 60 mph..... now it's rare not to have to wait for 10 to 15 before you find a space where you can get on and 70 mph is just as funny. :nod:

I wish I was exaggerating. The only thing rural about this place is we're still on rural water. Speed limit on county roads is 45 and they pass me like I'm sitting still. Only time they slow down is to shoot deer off the road.

 

[Bestoutwest]

Really? The smartest and most well schooled people I know personally don't have enough common sense to survive without books or smart phones. And none have any mechanical abilities, if you can get them pointed in the right direction they're usually good to go. I truly believe they over think everything.

Not everyone is mechanically inclined, nor is everyone mathematically, musically, athletically, artistically, grammatically, etc inclined. That's the world, Grit. And their common sense comes in a different capacity. You take a literal rocket scientist and his common sense is mathematical. I would not have the foggiest idea where to start on some of their problems/experiments, but they do.

 

[herofan]

Really? The smartest and most well schooled people I know personally don't have enough common sense to survive without books or smart phones. And none have any mechanical abilities, if you can get them pointed in the right direction they're usually good to go. I truly believe they over think everything.

I view "common sense" as being able to make decisions and apply knowledge to things that are common to you; some things can be universal. For example, if a person is of normal intelligence and drives a vehicle, common sense should tell them that one should drive differently on snowy, icy roads than when roads are clear on a summer day; however, I've known some people to fail in that department.

As for "well schooled people" not having enough sense to survive without books and not having mechanical ability, that's because they have spent their time in a library or in pursuit of a career that doesn't include being under the hood of a truck, hooking up a disc mower, and discerning what different appearances of cow manure says about the cow's health. Everybody has different experiences and interests.

I was behind a guy in line at a department store once who said he worked at an auto parts store. I don't know what sparked the conversation, but he told the cashier that she wouldn't believe how many people he encounters who doesn't know a spark plug from a fan belt. He said it as if it earned him a few extra feathers in his wings, but I was thinking how I'd like to take him to my school and turn him loose for a few days and let him do my job and see how much he knows about it.

To be honest, my son is one who isn't interested in engines or mechanical things, but he can burn up the honor roll in high school, and I'm sure he will make more money some day than I have ever made.

Morning buddy. Guess we all have our own perception of things. I see it just the opposite. 99% of the time the people in any vehicle coming up my driveway have no intention of doing harm to anyone or taking something that doesn't belong to them. At least until now it's been that way....matter of fact it's still 100%. ;-) Tomorrow it could change.

I agree 100%. I'll have to say that everyone who has pulled down our farm road has been 100% positive. I've never had an issue so far. I actually asked a few people at work today if I just had my head in the sand about things being good where we live. They seemed puzzled as to why I was even asking. they agreed that our crack heads eventually just blow themselves up, and we have a pretty darn friendly county.

 

[Bright Raven]

Really? The smartest and most well schooled people I know personally don't have enough common sense to survive without books or smart phones. And none have any mechanical abilities, if you can get them pointed in the right direction they're usually good to go. I truly believe they over think everything.

I view "common sense" as being able to make decisions and apply knowledge to things that are common to you; some things can be universal. For example, if a person is of normal intelligence and drives a vehicle, common sense should tell them that one should drive differently on snowy, icy roads than when roads are clear on a summer day; however, I've known some people to fail in that department.

As for "well schooled people" not having enough sense to survive without books and not having mechanical ability, that's because they have spent their time in a library or in pursuit of a career that doesn't include being under the hood of a truck, hooking up a disc mower, and discerning what different appearances of cow manure says about the cow's health. Everybody has different experiences and interests.

I was behind a guy in line at a department store once who said he worked at an auto parts store. I don't know what sparked the conversation, but he told the cashier that she wouldn't believe how many people he encounters who doesn't know a spark plug from a fan belt. He said it as if it earned him a few extra feathers in his wings, but I was thinking how I'd like to take him to my school and turn him loose for a few days and let him do my job and see how much he knows about it.

To be honest, my son is one who isn't interested in engines or mechanical things, but he can burn up the honor roll in high school, and I'm sure he will make more money some day than I have ever made.

Morning buddy. Guess we all have our own perception of things. I see it just the opposite. 99% of the time the people in any vehicle coming up my driveway have no intention of doing harm to anyone or taking something that doesn't belong to them. At least until now it's been that way....matter of fact it's still 100%. ;-) Tomorrow it could change.

I agree 100%. I'll have to say that everyone who has pulled down our farm road has been 100% positive. I've never had an issue so far. I actually asked a few people at work today if I just had my head in the sand about things being good where we live. They seemed puzzled as to why I was even asking. they agreed that our crack heads eventually just blow themselves up, and we have a pretty darn friendly county.

This thread has been an exercise in sarcasm mostly but you nailed some fine points. Very lucid thoughts!

 

[greybeard]

As for "well schooled people" not having enough sense to survive without books and not having mechanical ability, that's because they have spent their time in a library or in pursuit of a career that doesn't include being under the hood of a truck, hooking up a disc mower, and discerning what different appearances of cow manure says about the cow's health. Everybody has different experiences and interests.

:bs: :bs:

It's because they usually think that kind of stuff is 'below my station in life" and are too physically lazy to even try to do it.
(note I said 'usually'..there are some exceptions, but not many)

The rest will be the first to go when/if the shtf.

 

[Dave]

There is a pot shop literally at the end of our driveway. People turn into our driveway by mistake reasonably often (the pot shop[ doesn't have very good signs). The vast majority turn around when you get to the point where you can see it only leads to the houses. A few get down here and turn around right away. We have only had one (a drunk Indian) who knocked on the door. It took a little explaining to get him headed in the right direction but that was mostly because of his state of intoxication. If I shot anyone who pulled into the driveway it would be half a dozen per week.

 

[herofan]

As for "well schooled people" not having enough sense to survive without books and not having mechanical ability, that's because they have spent their time in a library or in pursuit of a career that doesn't include being under the hood of a truck, hooking up a disc mower, and discerning what different appearances of cow manure says about the cow's health. Everybody has different experiences and interests.

:bs: :bs:

It's because they usually think that kind of stuff is 'below my station in life" and are too physically lazy to even try to do it.
(note I said 'usually'..there are some exceptions, but not many)

The rest will be the first to go when/if the shtf.

I might have felt that way at one time, but I have learned that people do have different interests as a life career. There are actually people who are interested in law, medicine, business, technology, and so on. Those jobs may require more indoor time as opposed to being under the hood of vehicle for a living. There is nothing wrong with that in my opinion.

Even the old time farmers around here were proud of their children who went on to college and did something aside from manual labor.

Our Superintendents philosophy is that everybody should go to college out of high school if possible. Then, if one wants to lay blocks or be a farmer, then do it, but the college education will always give one another option in life if they need it down the road. I agree.

He said that many people had contacted him over the years after they had gotten older asking for advice about starting college. They had gotten to the point that their body could no longer handle manual labor, and their choices were slim otherwise.

That may not have been how it was in my grandparents day, but times change and we have so many more opportunities these days. Why be an auto mechanic all your life, for example, if you would rather have been a doctor and are passionate about medicine? Or why be a doctor if your passion is engines?

 

[TexasBred]

That may not have been how it was in my grandparents day, but times change and we have so many more opportunities these days. Why be an auto mechanic all your life, for example, if you would rather have been a doctor and are passionate about medicine? Or why be a doctor if your passion is engines?

I hate oil and grease. I'll pay somebody to fix just about anything having to do with either. However, I can glove get cow manure on me from head to toe then glove up and clean out and treat a cow with a rotten uterine infection and eat a hamburger at the same time and never get it a thought. Just have to remember which hand the hamburger is in :lol:

 

[Bright Raven]

That may not have been how it was in my grandparents day, but times change and we have so many more opportunities these days. Why be an auto mechanic all your life, for example, if you would rather have been a doctor and are passionate about medicine? Or why be a doctor if your passion is engines?

I hate oil and grease. I'll pay somebody to fix just about anything having to do with either. However, I can glove get cow manure on me from head to toe then glove up and clean out and treat a cow with a rotten uterine infection and eat a hamburger at the same time and never get it a thought. Just have to remember which hand the hamburger is in :lol:

Richard. You are on a roll. We ain't never had this much fun.

 

[Ryder]

As for "well schooled people" not having enough sense to survive without books and not having mechanical ability, that's because they have spent their time in a library or in pursuit of a career that doesn't include being under the hood of a truck, hooking up a disc mower, and discerning what different appearances of cow manure says about the cow's health. Everybody has different experiences and interests.

:bs: :bs:

It's because they usually think that kind of stuff is 'below my station in life" and are too physically lazy to even try to do it.
(note I said 'usually'..there are some exceptions, but not many)

The rest will be the first to go when/if the shtf.

If not for the physics people and math people there would be no engineers, without which there would be no truck with a hood.
Most just want an easy life and they are the ones too lazy to pursue brain work. They wont just 'grind out' the long hours in study.

 

[Bright Raven]

As for "well schooled people" not having enough sense to survive without books and not having mechanical ability, that's because they have spent their time in a library or in pursuit of a career that doesn't include being under the hood of a truck, hooking up a disc mower, and discerning what different appearances of cow manure says about the cow's health. Everybody has different experiences and interests.

:bs: :bs:

It's because they usually think that kind of stuff is 'below my station in life" and are too physically lazy to even try to do it.
(note I said 'usually'..there are some exceptions, but not many)

The rest will be the first to go when/if the shtf.

If not for the physics people and math people there would be no engineers, without which there would be no truck with a hood.
Most just want an easy life and they are the ones too lazy to pursue brain work. They wont just 'grind out' the long hours in study.

Praise your wisdom!

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

That may not have been how it was in my grandparents day, but times change and we have so many more opportunities these days. Why be an auto mechanic all your life, for example, if you would rather have been a doctor and are passionate about medicine? Or why be a doctor if your passion is engines?

I hate oil and grease. I'll pay somebody to fix just about anything having to do with either. However, I can glove get cow manure on me from head to toe then glove up and clean out and treat a cow with a rotten uterine infection and eat a hamburger at the same time and never get it a thought. Just have to remember which hand the hamburger is in :lol:

I have enough sense, and lack the skills, to avoid all of the above TB.

I make loans, buy and sell houses, and do a few rehabs along the way to pay the bills. I play cowboy once a month or so just for fun.

 

[TexasBred]

That may not have been how it was in my grandparents day, but times change and we have so many more opportunities these days. Why be an auto mechanic all your life, for example, if you would rather have been a doctor and are passionate about medicine? Or why be a doctor if your passion is engines?

I hate oil and grease. I'll pay somebody to fix just about anything having to do with either. However, I can glove get cow manure on me from head to toe then glove up and clean out and treat a cow with a rotten uterine infection and eat a hamburger at the same time and never get it a thought. Just have to remember which hand the hamburger is in :lol:

I have enough sense, and lack the skills, to avoid all of the above TB.

I make loans, buy and sell houses, and do a few rehabs along the way to pay the bills. I play cowboy once a month or so just for fun.

And all this time I thought you were a real asset to this country. Gotta rethink this you pencil pushing thief of widows and orphans last dime. :lol2: :lol2: :hide:

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Oh, I'm a real A$$ no doubt about it. LOL!

 

[kenny thomas]

Oh, I'm a real A$$ no doubt about it. LOL!

Yep, agreed

 

[True Grit Farms]

That's a good quality to have TT, most folks are self righteous.