New Talent

Recently, I heard a commentator discuss the results of a poll which to him—and to me—indicate a radical change in society. The poll showed that many young people today have no clue how to do some of the basic things older folks have always done, such as preparing a decent meal or sewing.

Traditional skills are being lost to the changing face of society. Why learn to cook when you can order out or quickly heat up frozen meals in the microwave. Not especially good for health, but who cares, it’s quick. Why learn to sew or knit when clothing made in developing nations is cheap and easily available. Of course, today second-hand businesses have become trendy, so sewing is far from necessary.

In just a couple of generations, priorities have shifted. My mother had skills that the world is quickly forgetting. We lived on a large farm, and she canned vegetables from the garden as well as fruit from our trees for our winter meals. She found time to sew clothing and crochet all sorts of items during the long winter months.

Of course, my mother didn’t waste time updating her social network profile! Her entertainment was a little more basic—it was the radio. I remember that it seemed to be on all the time. She kept up with the news and comments of the day, and was entertained by the music as well as when she let her imagination make the most of listening to actors reading radio plays.

When I talked about radio plays recently, my grandchildren were at a loss to understand what it was. “You mean just listening to a play?” Nourishment for your imagination! What a concept!

            Of course, today, podcasts of information and views that can be downloaded are essentially talk radio on demand as technology presses on.

In a world where video is taking so much space, it’s nice to see that listening still has room to prosper.