Practical Knowledge

[Mofo Rising]

Recently I've become interested in the idea of practical knowledge, or the know-how to do useful things.

For instance, the ability to tie knots. I know four knots. The square knot, the slip knot, the shoelace knot, and, when pressed the half-windsor for a tie. Other than that, I know nothing, and I think that would be information that would be really useful. I plan to pick up a book and practice until I can no longer be derided by sailors. Well, knowing sailors I'd probably be derided anyway, but I'd prefer for it not to be about knots.

Other useful things I do not know are auto mechanics and proper gun usage and maintenance. (I own neither a car nor a gun.)

Back when I graduated high school and the military recruiters were headhunting (apparently they really want you to join the military), I flirted with the idea for the sole reason of learning useful skills that you can not pick up elsewhere. However, at the time I was too aggressively counter-cultural to consider actually joining. Also, since I lived in Juneau, AK, they would not let me take their placement test without signing up whole-hog.

So what practical knowledge do you think people should know? More importantly, what is the best way to pick up said knowledge for the interested dilettante?

[Derf]

Knots and auto mechanics are good things to know (I should learn them myself). I know the bare basics of gun maintenance and am a pretty good shot with a handgun, but I can't really say I wouldn't ruin a firearm if it was left in my care. On the really practical side, first aid/CPR is a good skill, though I suspect you already possess this knowledge since you are more of an outdoorsman than most. Computer repair is another useful skill, though this usually just takes an interest and a willingness to read some poorly written instructions. I've been trying to teach myself audio recording so I can record the songs I've written, but my time right now is limited, so the learning process is slow since I usually have to relearn what I figured out the last time I sat down with my recording equipment because it was too long ago. Cooking is another useful skill. Survivable cooking is easy; I'm talking about knowing your ingredients well enough to create really good food without having to religiously follow a recipe. As far as where to learn all these skills, it all depends on how you learn. I usually prefer to teach myself, though for something more involved, like engine repair, I'd probably try to take a class or two at a junior college.

I tend toward the more frivolous skills, like juggling. I'm not saying I'm good--I can only handle three balls and only juggle in the standard crossover pattern (no fancy stuff)--but I did teach myself. I also taught myself to play guitar and bass (though I haven't played bass in a long time, so that skill is pretty much gone). Any creative skill is good for keeping your mind active, so I try to keep learning new things. Some of them are practical, like woodworking, and some of them are just fun.

[Jack]

Auto mechanics is very useful.  I took two years at Vo-Tech when I got out of high school.  For one thing you have to buy this enormous set of tools, which I still use all the time.  The general mechanical aptitude is helpful for disassembling and then correctly reassembling pretty much anything.  You also learn to diagnose problems with mechanical things, and follow a logical trouble-shooting approach to figuring out exactly which component of a complicated assembly is the one that's broke.

Computer skills - that's something I really wish I had.  A course in setting up routers, installing new sound cards, all that sort of thing would be really useful.

Cooking - gotta know that, or else you're eating hot dogs seven days a week.  I mostly just follow the instructions on the box, but I can make a pretty large variety of hamburger/chicken/tuna helpers, burgers, steak, tacos and gorditas, and can even make a pretty good Thanksgiving turkey with all the trimmings.

[Newt]

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.
- Robert A. Heinlein

I am still working on it.

I think any list will be highly subject to your environment, but it is important to me personally to be as self-sufficient and competent as possible.  I will confess that I am woefully deficient in auto mechanics.  But I feel I approach adequate in carpentry, painting and plastering, first aid, gardening, building fences, leatherwork, animal training and maintenance, child-rearing, organizing a household, knot-tying  and other outdoor skills, cooking and baking, canning, home repair and a bunch of the more mundane and under-appreciated tasks that go with life.

The best way to pick up skills?  In 4H they said, "Learn to Do by Doing".  Which works, to an extent, but these days there are courses and groups for just about every thing you can think of doing. And some expert guidance must facilitate the process (one would hope).

[asimpson2006]

I think computer Practical knowledge is a good thing to know.  Now I don't mean you have to know how to put together a computer, or program an operating system, but I think knowledge of how to do certain things (Internet access, basic troubleshooting, etc) is very important to know.

I agree with what Jack said about cooking for practical knowledge.  I mean you don't have to be a master chef, but it's nice to know how to make different things so you know how to cook more than just hot dogs and pasta.  I'm no expert myself, but I do know how to make a few different things, and am fairly good with different types of meat (This is where my butcher training came in handy)

Car maintenance is also important to0.  I know a good bit of people who have problems with their automobiles and do nothing about it.  I'm not expert myself, but my father taught me some things about car maintenance like what to look for if you expect a problem with a certain part of the car, and how to know when things need replaced or changed.

[ulthar]

For instance, the ability to tie knots. I know four knots. The square knot, the slip knot, the shoelace knot, and, when pressed the half-windsor for a tie. Other than that, I know nothing, and I think that would be information that would be really useful. I plan to pick up a book and practice until I can no longer be derided by sailors. Well, knowing sailors I'd probably be derided anyway, but I'd prefer for it not to be about knots.

Excellent topic!! 

Knots are VERY useful things - in ways many people don't even think.  Of the ones the mentioned, the square knot and the "shoelace knot" are the same basic knot - the shoelace knot could correctly be described as a "slip square" or perhaps more pedantically a "double slip square" or some such.

If sailors are deriding you, you are hanging out with the wrong sailors.  There are truly some arrogant ones out there, but not all by any stretch.

That said, sailing itself is a collection of extremely practical skills - weather reading, mechanical engine repair (few boats these days are engineless), fiberglass repair, woodworking, electrical troubleshooting (most boats have electrical systems), rigging, sewing/canvaswork, etc.  If you have an interest in being outdoors, boating in general and want to learn practical skills within the context of a larger activity, I can think of none better than sailing.

I think one practical skill that is useful that we (Americans anyway) are losing is the ability to interact with people we don't know. We seem to isolate ourselves further and further into our own little bubbles of comfort.  Sometimes connecting with someone you don't know (while traveling and you need something, for example) is important.

Like boat ownership, home ownership allows for many opportunities of developing ones skills. Plumbing, electrical, general carpentry, etc all come in handy, and can save big $$ when repairs need to be made.

If you are looking for 'marketable' practical skills, heating and a/c repair seems to be in big demand.

Welding is also a good practical skill to have, and the basics are not that hard to learn.

Someone mentioned cooking, and I think companion skills would be gardening/fishing/hunting/gathering.  There's food out there besides just at the grocery store, and survival wise it's a good thing to know.

First aid was a good suggestion, so I'd add to that medicinal botany as a useful practical skill to develop.  A tremendous amount of our modern medications are plant extracts.  The extraction steps are generally not difficult on a small scale.

Home brewing?  Wine making?  Not sure how ultimately "practical" they are, but there are some good practical skills developed in doing these processes.

Hide tanning is one I've been wanting to learn for a long time; couple that with sewing.  I can sew basics, and I do have a machine, but I'm not very good at it.

[CheezeFlixz]

If everyone had PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE I wouldn't make nearly as much money.

In addition to having building and construction knowledge, I think you should be able to provide for your family with out a credit card. (i.e. Grow a garden, building a shelter, basic first aid up to applying stitches, building a trap) you should be able to read a map and navigate by compass, you should be able to build a fire without matches or a lighter. I also think you should have basic navigation skills by the stars ... now I don't think you should have sea captain skills, but at least have basic knowledge. You should be able to the difference in major wood types (like know the difference between pine and oak)
As far as more modern knowledge goes, you should be able to use a multimeter, do basic wood joinery, do basic wiring, basic plumbing and other basic household skills, you should be able change you oil, change the plugs, change a tire and do other basic auto repair, you should know what a gas leak smells like, you should be able to light a pilot light, you should be able to cook, and so m any more things.

I do home construction and repair and I get called to do some of the most basic stuff that should be able to be done by the average person (IMO) but that's ok if they call; another basic skill I have in printing out and mailing invoices. 

[Andrew]

Darn it, CheezeFlixz, you took many of the ones I was going to suggest!

Some additions:

Sewing.  I have had to stitch up things a couple of times.  Even Jenna's dress one day when she ripped it as I was taking her to school.  Keeping a small sewing kit around is really handy.

Knife sharpening (and steeling a knife edge to sharpen it up after every use).

Knots are, as you said, incredibly useful.  You only have to learn a couple to cover many bases.  The butterfly loop, butterfly bend, taut line hitch, round turn and two half hitches, double figure eight loop, double overhand loop, alpine coil, and heaving knot are great to learn.  Most will also add the bowline in there.  For shoelaces, try the surgeon's shoelace knot.

Swimming is more a skill, but everyone should understand how to swim and some basic water survival.

Basic electrical skills are very helpful.

[Mr. DS]

Very good subject.  I'd follow most of the ideas already mentioned although my car care skills are a bit shaky.  I'm trying to learn more though as time goes on.  Stuff like knowing how to grow food is important.  Also might I add knowing how to preserve food through pickling and/or drying.  Fishing knowledge is great to know along with knowing how to clean and prepare the fish.  Even simple things like knowing how to properly build a fire and controlling it maybe a thing a good percent of the population may not know.  As mentioned, Cooking is another biggy.   I've said before fast food and 2 minute microwave meals are killing our society in more ways than one. 

Funny this subject comes up today.  I'm our department's evacuation trainer and we just did training today.  Thats another thing, knowing how to safely carry an injured person out of a hazardous situation. 

[asimpson2006]

Knife sharpening (and steeling a knife edge to sharpen it up after every use).

Basic electrical skills are very helpful.

Two important ones that I forgot to mention Andrew.  Knife sharping is important especially if cut a lot of stuff.  That's one of the few things that I really glad I learned from being a training meat cutter a few years ago.  I ended up having to use that skill a lot for my family especially around the holidays and in general.

First aid was a good suggestion, so I'd add to that medicinal botany as a useful practical skill to develop.  A tremendous amount of our modern medications are plant extracts.  The extraction steps are generally not difficult on a small scale.

First aid is also important, I tend to more or less help with wound care.  I've been dealing with an open wound for a year and half, and I've learned a few things over the course of that time about wound care and general things to keep in mind with it. 

Self defense is another very important thing to know.  I don't mean just knowing how to use force to defend yourself, but know very important things such as being aware of your surroundings, being able to escape from a situation, and how to determine if a situation is escalating closer to a violent situation.
 

[Jack]

Even simple things like knowing how to properly build a fire and controlling it maybe a thing a good percent of the population may not know. 

I'll second that.  My neighbor (luckily two houses down) was burning some crap in his back yard.  He was using gasoline, and there was of course a flame coming out of the spout of his gas can.  I guess all the "CAUTION - FLAMMABLE!" warnings printed all over the can just didn't quite clue him in.

Luckily another nieghbor was well versed in the use of a fire extinguisher.

[CheezeFlixz]

Even simple things like knowing how to properly build a fire and controlling it maybe a thing a good percent of the population may not know. 

I'll second that.  My neighbor (luckily two houses down) was burning some crap in his back yard.  He was using gasoline, and there was of course a flame coming out of the spout of his gas can.  I guess all the "CAUTION - FLAMMABLE!" warnings printed all over the can just didn't quite clue him in.

Luckily another nieghbor was well versed in the use of a fire extinguisher.

That is the Darwin Effect ... natures way of thinning the herd. If it wasn't for all the warnings on products the world would be a far less populous place.

[ToyMan]

y'know, i think we'd all be much better if everyone who designed our kitchens knew what "pitching counters" was. water isn't supposed to stand on a countertop. it should roll because the surface is slightly, nearly imperceptibly, tilted away from you.

[Mofo Rising]

I'm already a pretty good cook, at least as far as warming food. In my opinion, the secret of spices is restraint. However, baking is a different matter. I baked my first loaf of bread from scratch the other day. It turned out alright, but the know-how is a bit more exacting than simple cooking.

I'm also pretty good with basic computer maintenance; I grew up having to reformat my system to get the DOS games I wanted to play to run. I also took a swimming class in high school, so I no longer have to thrash around in water. I also took a typing class, which was incredibly boring but pays off like gangbusters.

It's funny, I'm renting the house I'm in now, but I learn a new skill every time something breaks because it's easier than just calling the repairman. Learning by doing is great, since I now mess with piping and relight pilot lights just because it needs to be fixed. Pool maintenance and lawn care fall under this heading.

As far as the definition of "practical knowledge," I would include frivolous pursuits. I recently checked out a book about how to make crazy sounds with your mouth, including whistles and animal callings. Also, since I play the video game Rock Band I have had to learn the basics of singing and basic rhythm (drums). Singing is a weird skill, since I can think anybody can learn to do it, but to be really good requires an inborn ability. I can sing but I have no range whatsoever. (If you've ever heard my voice you would understand.)

I also like the idea of situational awareness, since I think most perception is lazy and it is a skill you have to learn.