Date:         Thu, 25 Apr 96 23:36:58 CDT
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Walker <JWALKER@ua1vm.ua.edu>
Subject:      Re: '69 BUS; NEW ENGINE HELP/INFO

On Thu, 25 Apr 1996 23:10:07 -0500 David Schwarze said:
>My history professor from college would have said,  "Back in the
>really old days, everyone grew their own food, made their own
>clothes, and built their own furniture.  Our society has advanced
>because of specialization, which has given individuals the time to think
>about other things besides meeting their basic needs."
>Makes sense to me.  Hats off to the good mechanics out there...

very true. however, it seems to me, from what versions of history i've
seen and semi-studied, that over-specialization may be the deciding factor
in the decline of various previous civilizations. that is, too many of the
people neglected to retain the "general" abilities of maintaining their own
lives and lifestyles. they could no longer grow their own food, no longer
maintain their own transportation (donkeys, shoes, or whatever).

so, like all else in the world, a degree of moderation is desired: we must
have mechanics who specialize (but beware of those shops who claim to be
able to repair ALL makes and models of cars: it simply is not humanly
possible to stay current on the information needed to be able to repair ALL
chevrolets and volkswagens and porsches and buicks and ... well, you get the
idea), and we need doctors who specialize, and we need programmers who
specialize, and every city should have a Boston Fern "expert". :)

but each of us should try to retain a modicum of skill at being able to
repair and maintain our own lives: we should be able to at least diagnose
the gross problems with electrical appliances (which, admittedly, becomes
more difficult each year, with the shrinkage of components), and automobiles,
plumbing, etc.

but just as the information on this one small list can be overwhelming to
the owner of a single bus (of any particular year), so, too, does the
information of everyday life try to overwhelm each of us. what was it
Toffler called it? Future Shock? and yet, each succeeding generation becomes
more familiar on a basic level with each new level of technology ... kids
today accept computers as a "normal" part of life, and think of other kids
who do NOT have them as "underpriviledged" or "info-poor". us olde fahrts
are still fascinated by the moving pictures on television.  and indoor
plumbing.  ;)

anyhoo, trying to get back on track, mechanics, to me, are more like
musicians than programmers: some are true artists, understanding the soul
of the machine/instrument, and able to make music to sooth the beast in
Man (or, as is the case with some cars, bring that beast fully out into the
open!). programmers and doctors and other professions can also be artists,
don't get me wrong ... otherwise, we would not all be able to communicate
on this list as we do! it's imagination that makes the difference.

and what Eddie was saying, i think, is that we find far too many mechanics
that have little or no imagination. just as i find, as i get older, far too
few physicians that have any. just as most musicians are players of the
background/harmony, and rarely are good enough to solo, so are most mechanics
and doctors and lawyers "competent" but no better. and that competence can
greatly depend upon the very narrowest of definitions of the job to be done.
it's not necessarily that they CAN'T do it, but they rarely get any chance
... jobs today are drudgery, piecework. car after car after car after car
with brake jobs, boilovers, and so forth. not many jobs require any
imagination, so a non-artist can, and often does, make a living ... usually
at a dealership. and dull work makes an artist lose his edge. so after a few
years at a dealership, many would-be artisans become merely workaday
mechanics, getting the job done without much fanfare and without much
enthusiasm. they've lost the "fire in the belly", as so many of us have ...
it's very hard to keep that youthful enthusiasm for your job ... especially
when your managers have already lost their imagination (if they ever had any!)

well, anyway ... i have no idea what point i was trying to make, so if you
find one in there, that's it. :)
joel