17 year old teenagers baffled by rotary phone

This is one of the new realities of modern life. Young people no longer possess skills that were ubiquitous only a short time ago. I'm talking about things like being able to read a round clock with hands, knowing cursive handwriting vs. typing, and being able to dial a telephone. Here we have two 17 year olds from Iowa trying to figure out how to dial a rotary telephone. They were given 4 minutes.

Hilarious video show 17 year old teenagers baffled by rotary phone
4:00


This is proof that knowledge is not cumulative. Before, I had a hard time with things like, "We no longer have the know how to go to the moon." If we knew it before, we must still know it now. Maybe not. After watching things like this, I am beginning to understand.

I like the ones with kids trying to figure out walkmans.

originally posted by: toms54
Young people no longer possess skills that were ubiquitous only a short time ago.

Not exactly critical to existing in the world today. It's like someone from 75 years ago complaining that the yoots of their time couldn't work a telegraph.

We are doomed man.. I mean doomed.

I still have a rotary phone... people breaking into my house, wont escape even with a working front door with a fly screen, and a phone. lol

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: toms54
Young people no longer possess skills that were ubiquitous only a short time ago.

Not exactly critical to existing in the world today. It's like someone from 75 years ago complaining that the yoots of their time couldn't work a telegraph.

Not a great argument for the affirmative.

next.

originally posted by: gallop
Not a great argument for the affirmative.

next.

Right, because knowledge of how to operate a rotary phone is certainly a primary skillset to survival these days. It's right up there with how to stoke a steam boiler.

meh times change, I can see no reason today why a 17 year old needs to know how to use a rotary phone. I would think that most 17 year olds can use a round clock face (I mean my Iwatch has traditional clock display) and they can use a pen and paper to write.

Times change, ask someone from 1990 to set up a home wi-fi system and they would probably look at you like you've gone mad. Likewise if I asked most members of ATS to send a telegraph they wouldn't have a clue.

Like I said times change, doesn't make the kids of today any more or less intelligent than the kids of the previous generation. They're just working with different technology.

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Likewise if I asked most members of ATS to send a telegraph they wouldn't have a clue.

I said that already! And it's obviously not relevant. Hur-dur.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: gallop
Not a great argument for the affirmative.

next.

Right, because knowledge of how to operate a rotary phone is certainly a primary skillset to surveil these days. It's right up there with how to stoke a steam boiler.

no... we're just becoming an bunch of inept, inane individuals. Who can't boil water like momma used to make.

originally posted by: gallop
no... we're just becoming an bunch of inept, inane individuals. Who can't boil water like momma used to make.

Because we can't use antiquated technology? I have no desire to waste my time spinning a dial on a phone when I can just press the contact I need and it does all that wasted work for me. This way I can thumbs up someone's food pic on the Instiegram or the Facebook.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Likewise if I asked most members of ATS to send a telegraph they wouldn't have a clue.

I said that already! And it's obviously not relevant. Hur-dur.

Fine then ask a them to go ride a unicycle to work!

a reply to: OtherSideOfTheCoin


Velocipede you cretin.

I still have one of push in cigarette lighters in my truck. This past Summer, one of my daughter's friends saw me use it and had no idea what it was. She thought it was something new.

To be fair, it's technology that was outdated before they were even born.

Doesn't surprise me......

Was teaching my year 10 (14-15 years) about electricity.......they thought a power plant was a real plant.....
.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: OtherSideOfTheCoin
Likewise if I asked most members of ATS to send a telegraph they wouldn't have a clue.

I said that already! And it's obviously not relevant. Hur-dur.

Ask any single person you meet today, what it's like to hunt and take their own food.

You won't find a single latte sipper who has a clue.

We're doomed as a species. We've build these concrete cocoons around us, satiated ourselves with stone walls and wifi, and we're king of the roost!! Till the power goes out.

I don't think it's humorous to laugh at the failings surrounding us. I think it's terribly sad. But kids today don't even know what yesterday was. A rare few appear as gems, but the rest... fodder.

Swings and roundabouts. equilibrium comes back, eventually.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: toms54
Young people no longer possess skills that were ubiquitous only a short time ago.

Not exactly critical to existing in the world today. It's like someone from 75 years ago complaining that the yoots of their time couldn't work a telegraph.

Yes, times have changed. It is no longer necessary to learn Morse Code to obtain an Amateur Radio license:

The FCC has modified the amateur radio service rules, eliminating Morse code exam requirements. The current amateur service operator license structure contains three classes of amateur radio operator licenses: Technician Class, General Class, and Amateur Extra Class. Previously, the Commission, in accordance with international radio regulations, required applicants for General Class and Amateur Extra Class operator licenses to pass a five words-per-minute Morse code examination. The FCC has decided that is no longer a requirement because the FCC believes that the public interest is not served by requiring facility in Morse Code when the trend in amateur communications is to use voice and digital technologies for exchanging messages.

Personally, I believe that knowing how to use "ancient" technology, such as a rotary phone or Morse Code can enrich your life, in fact, it may even save your life!

originally posted by: DAVID64
To be fair, it's technology that was outdated before they were even born.

Yeah, but we should retain all that tribal knowledge because we're all fuddy-duddies. Now excuse me, I need to go tan some hides for clothing.

originally posted by: gallop

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

originally posted by: gallop
Not a great argument for the affirmative.

next.

Right, because knowledge of how to operate a rotary phone is certainly a primary skillset to surveil these days. It's right up there with how to stoke a steam boiler.

no... we're just becoming an bunch of inept, inane individuals. Who can't boil water like momma used to make.

Really, you mean the civilisation that can communicate with just about any individual on the face of the earth instantaneously, the civilisation that has created a infrastructure that allows me to travel to the other side of the planet in less than a day or the civilisation that has created technology that even just 20 years ago was the stuff of sci-fi. The civilisation that has seen the longest period of peace in history, that has eradicated diseases that before could have caused species extinction and I could go on all day.

Yeah we're not boiling water over the camp fire anymore because we have the technology now to provide electricity to just about every home in the developed world along with plumbing so that next time you want a cup of tea ya just fill the kettle and flick a switch.

But yeah go on again about telling us all about how inept we all are in comparison to the civilisation that thought the moon was a god, the earth was flat and witches were around every corner.

originally posted by: toms54
This is one of the new realities of modern life. Young people no longer possess skills that were ubiquitous only a short time ago.

Young people no longer possess skills that they do not need! How many skills do they have that people didn't have 60 years ago? people adapt to there environments, this is nothing new! and it does not fit the silly narrative older folk love to peddle that young people are stupid nowadays.

a reply to: toms54
It could have been worse.
The numbers could have had letters associated with them, so that the local exchange name could also be dialled, as on the phones of my youth.
E.g. our original number was SUTTON 366 (the SUT being dialled along with the numbers).