Rear View Camera

[Art Vandelay]

I think we've circled the problem. You don't like it, so anyone who advocates for it is stupid and out of touch. It rhymes with James K's dismissal of rearview cameras.

While I admit that I don't like it, I do wholeheartedly disagree that I'm solely against teaching it for that reason. There are a lot of things that I do like that are antiquated or on the edge of extinction that I accept are gone. It's part of life, we need to be able to adapt and not hold onto things just because it's the way it was when we grew up. Again, why would we waste time teaching something in schools in 2026 that almost 100% of kids will never use?

I was in the express lane of a grocery store earlier. The woman ahead of me paid with cash, and the kid cashier took forever to count out her change.

I paid cash, too. I actually gave the kid exact change, but the change part of it was 96 cents. He had to puzzle over the three quarters, dime, two nickels, and one penny I gave him as well.

Does it matter in our modern, nearly cashless society? I'm sure that depends on who you ask. But I think it's nice to have a concept of what money represents, how much you're spending, and how to track it. Sure, computers will calculate it all for you, but if you can't do math, how do you understand what's happening?

This is definitely not a true comparison to teaching cursive and I'm sure you know that. First of all, counting money is just math, and yes our kids need to learn math, maybe more than ever. Second, there are still plenty of uses for cash even if we are eventually moving to a cashless society. But the point is that cash is something that is actually still used today.

Also I know exactly what you mean about the bewildered look when paying cash. My wife's CC got skimmed at a local gas station a few years ago so now I always pay cash when getting gas since there are a few stations here that will let you pump first and then go inside to pay. A while back I went and the total gas charge at the pump came to $41. So I handed the cashier a $50 and a $1 bill so that he could give me a $10 bill for change instead of $9. He tried to hand the $1 bill back to me and I explained why I gave him $51. He said "but I already entered that you paid $50 into the register". I said well if you add $1 to $9 then it totals $10. He said "I can't do that now". So I gave up and just took the $9 change. The sad part was that it wasn't even a teenage kid, the guy was probably in his 30's.

Now that I'm saying that, I feel like it makes my point more valid. Our schools need more time teaching kids things like math and less time on things they'll never, ever use like cursive.

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[Blue_Max]

This is definitely not a true comparison to teaching cursive and I'm sure you know that.

It wasn't intended to be. But it is a skill that I've witnessed being lost in my lifetime.

Also I know exactly what you mean about the bewildered look when paying cash. My wife's CC got skimmed at a local gas station a few years ago so now I always pay cash when getting gas since there are a few stations here that will let you pump first and then go inside to pay. A while back I went and the total gas charge at the pump came to $41. So I handed the cashier a $50 and a $1 bill so that he could give me a $10 bill for change instead of $9. He tried to hand the $1 bill back to me and I explained why I gave him $51. He said "but I already entered that you paid $50 into the register". I said well if you add $1 to $9 then it totals $10. He said "I can't do that now". So I gave up and just took the $9 change. The sad part was that it wasn't even a teenage kid, the guy was probably in his 30's.

Any "extra" money always confuses the hell out of them. And if your change is forty-something cents, the only way they know to count it is with four dimes and then some pennies or whatever. The quarter-dime-nickel combination never occurs to them.

Now that I'm saying that, I feel like it makes my point more valid. Our schools need more time teaching kids things like math and less time on things they'll never, ever use like cursive.

Whether you accept it or like it or not, learning to write cursive assists in learning to read and learning to spell. Physically shaping words with your hand requires you to think in a different way than hitting a button on a keyboard or touchscreen does.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Whether you accept it or like it or not, learning to write cursive assists in learning to read and learning to spell. Physically shaping words with your hand requires you to think in a different way than hitting a button on a keyboard or touchscreen does.

Your last sentence in bold I don't actually dispute. However why does it have to be cursive? Anyone I know was taught to write in print first, then cursive. Why on earth would we now need the extra step of also teaching cursive because, again, almost 100% of kids today will never need to use it.

 

[Blue_Max]

Your last sentence in bold I don't actually dispute. However why does it have to be cursive? Anyone I know was taught to write in print first, then cursive. Why on earth would we now need the extra step of also teaching cursive because, again, almost 100% of kids today will never need to use it.

Cursive lets you write faster. I think that's why it exists.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Cursive lets you write faster. I think that's why it exists.

You're killing me and now I believe you're just trolling. Almost nobody is writing anymore! And that's especially true for the latest generation of kids who are currently in school. What part of that aren't you getting? We are in a digital world whether we like it or not. Again, almost 100% of today's kids will literally NEVER use cursive. So I ask again, should we also make them learn to use a typewriter? I miss having a stack of CD's for my music but I accept we've moved to a digital world. We have to be able to adapt and that includes teaching kids skills they'll actually need and not wasting time on things almost 100% of them will never, ever use.

 

[Blue_Max]

You're killing me and now I believe you're just trolling. Almost nobody is writing anymore! And that's especially true for the latest generation of kids who are currently in school. What part of that aren't you getting? We are in a digital world whether we like it or not. Again, almost 100% of today's kids will literally NEVER use cursive. So I ask again, should we also make them learn to use a typewriter? I miss having a stack of CD's for my music but I accept we've moved to a digital world. We have to be able to adapt and that includes teaching kids skills they'll actually need and not wasting time on things almost 100% of them will never, ever use.

I'm not trolling. I said what cursive does and why it exists. I didn't decree that henceforth and forever more all communication shall be written in cursive with a calligrapher's pen on parchment scrolls.

I write all the time. I take notes on things. I do that in cursive because it's quicker. Of course kids who aren't taught cursive will never use cursive.

Typing is the most useful skill I learned in high school. Kids don't need to use typewriters, but if they're going to use actually keyboards instead of phone touchscreens typing would still be a useful thing to teach.

I also have stacks of CDs. I really don't care that you don't. Why are you so enraged that I don't think exactly the same way I do? I said cursive has value, and I explained why. I think it is still worth learning, but I have no interest in forcing anybody to do anything.

I fear you haven't fully embraced AI yet, though. Aren't you worried about being behind the times?

 

[EffNo50]

Cursive lets you write faster. I think that's why it exists.

In 5th grade my handwriting was pretty bad. By the end of 8th grade my handwriting teacher said I should get into calligraphy. Then I took drafting in high-school. While I could take notes faster in my other classes using cursive, I could read what I quickly wrote better when I printed them. I still print in small caps today.

 

[Glen Baker LLC]

 

[Meeka]

I'm not trolling. I said what cursive does and why it exists. I didn't decree that henceforth and forever more all communication shall be written in cursive with a calligrapher's pen on parchment scrolls.

I write all the time. I take notes on things. I do that in cursive because it's quicker. Of course kids who aren't taught cursive will never use cursive.

Typing is the most useful skill I learned in high school. Kids don't need to use typewriters, but if they're going to use actually keyboards instead of phone touchscreens typing would still be a useful thing to teach.

I also have stacks of CDs. I really don't care that you don't. Why are you so enraged that I don't think exactly the same way I do? I said cursive has value, and I explained why. I think it is still worth learning, but I have no interest in forcing anybody to do anything.

I fear you haven't fully embraced AI yet, though. Aren't you worried about being behind the times?

I have a 5 disc CD player and still listen to my stack of them!

 

[MaverickDragon]

I have a 5 disc CD player and still listen to my stack of them!

I still have several players a huge collection of the media as well.
I like the process of looking at the media, remembering associated events and playing the tunes.
That's all missing with a stream bot.

Somehow this thread has morphed into a discussion about communication and media changes, so in keeping with that, over my lifetime I've seen considerable changes in delivery methodology.

While some are gung-ho about wholesale adopting of anything new, it's interesting to see some segments of society going back to prior incarnations of media including those who never got the experience the first time around.

The return to popularity of vinyl records is a notable one.
Record albums had art you could actually see.
Just because something is new doesn't mean it's improved.

 

[MaverickDragon]

I miss having a stack of CD's for my music but I accept we've moved to a digital world.

That's just a poor choice you made, apparently leaving you in some measure of regret.
There is no requirement to abandon the existing due to the new.
I can listen to music anyway I like. You can't. Who is happier?

 

[Art Vandelay]

That's just a poor choice you made, apparently leaving you in some measure of regret.
There is no requirement to abandon the existing due to the new.
I can listen to music anyway I like. You can't. Who is happier?

I have no regrets what so ever, I love the convenience of streaming. When I said I missed it I more meant in a nostalgia kind of way. I actually still have all of my CD's boxed up because I can't bring myself to get rid of them. In fact a good portion of them are live bootleg CD's that aren't even available on streaming services. I just don't currently have any way to play them, even my laptop doesn't have a disc drive. I've thought of buying an external drive but I doubt I'd use it.

 

[Art Vandelay]

Typing is the most useful skill I learned in high school. Kids don't need to use typewriters, but if they're going to use actually keyboards instead of phone touchscreens typing would still be a useful thing to teach.

Kids are taught to type as they should be, just not on typewrites because that would be silly.

I have stacks of CDs. I really don't care that you don't. Why are you so enraged that I don't think exactly the same way I do? I said cursive has value, and I explained why. I think it is still worth learning, but I have no interest in forcing anybody to do anything.

I don't know where this comes from that I'm enraged. I was just pointing out common sense.
Honestly, I can't even believe I'm arguing over cursive in the year 2026. I'll probably go back and delete all these posts eventually.

 

[MaverickDragon]

I have no regrets what so ever, I love the convenience of streaming. When I said I missed it I more meant in a nostalgia kind of way. I actually still have all of my CD's boxed up because I can't bring myself to get rid of them. In fact a good portion of them are live bootleg CD's that aren't even available on streaming services. I just don't currently have any way to play them, even my laptop doesn't have a disc drive. I've thought of buying an external drive but I doubt I'd use it.

Gotcha.
As far as throwing away "ancient" media- Don't.
There are a lot of people who probably wish they had kept their vinyl records, some of which are now worth BIG BUCKS...

 

[Blue_Max]

Kids are taught to type as they should be, just not on typewrites because that would be silly.


I don't know where this comes from that I'm enraged. I was just pointing out common sense.
Honestly, I can't even believe I'm arguing over cursive in the year 2026. I'll probably go back and delete all these posts eventually.

The Jerk Store called....

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