Whenever I see videos from American science and engineering YouTubers, honestly, the first emotion I feel is jealousy. I see their workshops, the tools they have access to, the sheer variety of them, all organized and readily available. The culture they have of building things on their own is, I think, one of the things that has made them great. They are the kind of people who figure things out.
If I had been a kid and my father had access to these tools, stores, parts, or even the desire to build things from scratch, I could have been something different.
The nature-versus-nurture debate doesn’t really seem to apply to America. Both seem to be conducive to sparking curiosity in kids. They have access to the best environment, nature included, education, and a strong DIY culture.
They have mall-sized hardware stores where you can buy almost anything you want. A specific type of nut? They have it. A particular type of spring? They have it. I have also noticed that they are collectors. They don’t necessarily care how expensive a piece of equipment is; if it has a use, they will get it.
Most of these things are not available to us.
A child born in India has to just focus on studies. Parents don’t want us to build things. For example, during summer vacations, all we have is a ton of homework to do, and much of it is just memorization. There is very little that sparks curiosity or ideas in a kid’s mind.
American kids go camping and hunting. They learn to do things on their own. Some of them may help their dads renovate their homes. I think some of this comes down to the dignity of labor. They don’t shame someone for being a plumber, electrician, or carpenter. These are respectable jobs, something I can’t say about my country.
I don’t know, man, what else to say. Just some random thoughts.
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