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- #21
nhenry
Handloader
- Feb 7, 2022
- 610
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As someone in their 20s (and probably the youngest among y’all), I very much agree about the amount of opportunity given to young people nowadays. It wasn’t as apparent back in small town Kansas, as everyone either had a strong work ethic or they wouldn’t have gone far. I was blessed enough to have a dad who taught me everything I needed to know, from mechanic work to reloading. I realize now that I’m in a bigger city that not everyone has that nowadays though.*WARNING! Thread Hijacking in Progress... Sorry, but I really feel like I need to address this.*
It's certainly been a while since I was 20, but I do happen to know quite a few of them. I am happy to report that, in truth, things are much the same as when they were when I was that age. There are some who are truly shiftless - and, yes, sadly that number I think has increased. There are some who are vibrant, aggressive, hard workers. Then there are the vast majority or are simply milling about.
What I have found also to be true, is that many of them were never given the education or challenges I had as a youth or teen. And I don't mean going to a school, I mean education. I have met several who were never taught the basics of comparison shopping, for example. I haven't met but perhaps one or two in last several years who knew the first thing about sewing. And, now that I write that, please permit me to correct - I met only one or two who expressed an interest in learning, they still knew nothing about it. I have even met some of tremendous potential who never met anyone who encouraged them to pursue their gifts. Are they really to blame for that?
I think from what I have seen, is that this lack of ambition is born from a permission-required environment. Children are taught at a very young age that they have to ask permission of someone else to do essentially anything. That makes it very difficult to build the skill of decision making. So, as a result, they don't develop the ability to take responsibility for themselves or their own lives. Because no one told them they could.
So, as I do not like to point out problems without presenting a solution, I suggest each of us look for opportunities to mentor someone younger. They will never grow to the fullness of what they can be, if no one shows them the way.
*Okay, sorry, hijacking over*
To the original post. Yes, it is getting more expensive way too fast. I try to compare it to the cost of buying factory ammo, but that really doesn't capture all of it, because we don't all reload for the savings, and of those that do, we don't reload JUST for the savings.