What people DO teach themselves but they shouldn't

[Otto the Orange]

I'm always amazed that somehow the "kids" (20-28 or so) can find out all kinds of wonderful info about frivolous things like

-What is the latest on Kim K and what did she eat for lunch today? (and memorize this)

-When playing a video game, what are the "cheat codes"  (down, up, up, A, B start button, etc.) ......(and memorize these as well)

-Spend hours scouring the internet to find just the perfect pair if shoes to match a special dress

Somehow they manage to figure out the above (and more) without being "taught" this stuff

But when it comes to handling finances, investing, work opportunities, etc. this stuff they need to be "taught"................

(ETA- I guess the OP subject comes off to strong, not saying they SHOULDN'T do these things, everyone needs some fun (in moderation) but these shouldn't be the most important things)

[Deleted]

Dude... don't act like "these kids today" are any different than any other generation.

Up up down down left right left right B A start is a cheat code from the original Nintendo.  The kids that memorized that at 15 are about 40 now.  I didn't even have a Nintendo and I know it - it is just a product of the times.

One generation learns the names of the Mouseketeers.  I happen to know the middle names of all of the New Kids on the Block.  Some kids memorized baseball stats.  Others learn video game trivia.

I can tell you everything that comes after I'm a Pepper  and My baloney has a first name...  not because I sought out that information, but because it was drilled into my head through incessant exposure.

I know that Wahlberg's middle initial is "E" and it doesn't stand for anything because I liked his music and thought he was cute and there were articles in TigerBeat where I could learn more about him.  So of course we were taught those things.

There weren't any articles in TigerBeat about personal finance.  There might have been in Sassy (RIP).

I didn't read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" in middle school.  That was my Stephen King phase.  If I recall correctly, the Firestarter plot emerged from volunteering for a medical experiment to make a little bit of extra money.  So, no particularly responsible financial knowledge, but I did glean some financial knowledge from that one.

Kids seek out knowledge that is interesting to them, and they absorb knowledge that is all around them.  If we want them to know about fiscal responsibility, we can force them to learn it, or we can make it interesting, or we can put it all around them.  I think those are the only options.

[Otto the Orange]

They got to want it too.

[NomoreDramaQ1015]

That was my Stephen King phase

Mine was in sixth grade.  I can recall perfectly the hobbling scene in Misery and my favorite part is where she runs over the policeman's head with a lawnmower. . .over and over and over.

I can also recall random plotlines from shows I haven't seen in years and can give you the play by play of every season from the shows I'm watching right now.

I told a friend of mine just think of how powerful I could become if I retained useful information instead of the all the plotlines from Season 4/5 of True Blood.

[thyme4change]

What is the latest on Kim K and what did she eat for lunch today?

I once watched Lamar Odem go to the dentist and I thought to myself "Why is this on television?"  Heaven forbid I take any responsibility in my decision to watch it.  

[Sum Dum Gai]

The Konami code is barely scratching the surface of useless video game knowledge.  

Look at MMO sites and you'll see people that put thousands of hours into the games and write strategy guides for them that can run into the hundreds of pages.  I'm almost ashamed to admit this, but I only played WoW to selll shit on the auction house.  That's all I did.  I downloaded add-ons that let me build up a database of auction prices.  It would overlay the average price and a scrolling graph of how it had changed in the last week for every item in the game.  I sat there scouring the auction house for arbitrage opportunities and resold the stuff I bought.  I had a pretty wealthy level 10 toon.  Somebody wrote the software that let me do that.  Think about it.  Anyone capable of doing so should be employed somewhere doing something way more important than writing code for auction house PVPers.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2013 10:10:50 GMT -5 NomoreDramaQ1015 said:

That was my Stephen King phase

Mine was in sixth grade.  I can recall perfectly the hobbling scene in Misery and my favorite part is where she runs over the policeman's head with a lawnmower. . .over and over and over.

I can also recall random plotlines from shows I haven't seen in years and can give you the play by play of every season from the shows I'm watching right now.

I told a friend of mine just think of how powerful I could become if I retained useful information instead of the all the plotlines from Season 4/5 of True Blood.

See, I'm not a bad mom for letting the kids read what they want

[Cookies Galore]

@craftysarah I miss Sassy! I held onto the Kurt and Courtney issue for years. :-)

[Cass]

Apr 23, 2013 8:24:16 GMT -5 @craftysarah said:

Dude... don't act like "these kids today" are any different than any other generation.

Up up down down left right left right B A start is a cheat code from the original Nintendo.  The kids that memorized that at 15 are about 40 now.  I didn't even have a Nintendo and I know it - it is just a product of the times.

One generation learns the names of the Mouseketeers.  I happen to know the middle names of all of the New Kids on the Block.  Some kids memorized baseball stats.  Others learn video game trivia.

I can tell you everything that comes after I'm a Pepper  and My baloney has a first name...  not because I sought out that information, but because it was drilled into my head through incessant exposure.

I know that Wahlberg's middle initial is "E" and it doesn't stand for anything because I liked his music and thought he was cute and there were articles in TigerBeat where I could learn more about him.  So of course we were taught those things.

There weren't any articles in TigerBeat about personal finance.  There might have been in Sassy (RIP).

I didn't read "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" in middle school.  That was my Stephen King phase.  If I recall correctly, the Firestarter plot emerged from volunteering for a medical experiment to make a little bit of extra money.  So, no particularly responsible financial knowledge, but I did glean some financial knowledge from that one.

Kids seek out knowledge that is interesting to them, and they absorb knowledge that is all around them.  If we want them to know about fiscal responsibility, we can force them to learn it, or we can make it interesting, or we can put it all around them.  I think those are the only options.

How I miss Sassy!
Just read today (in In Touch, because it was beside my Toronto Star, and because it was only $2.99, and because Kim K is 210 lbs and currently hates her life because she is pregnant- don't judge ) that Jane has a current website/ blog.  Read the story and left the mag on the bus, so hopefully google can help find her again.

[amishgal]

-Spend hours scouring the internet to find just the perfect pair if shoes to match a special dress

And there's something wrong with that? 

[sheilaincali]

DH is one of those 40 year olds that still to this day can recite the whole "up up, down down, left right AB Start" thing from back in the day.  I'm sure I quoted it wrong but yeah if you say "Up Up" to him he will repeat the entire thing. 
If you say "In West Phildephia..." we can both sing that entire damn song. 

Kim K and her family and the entire Real Housewives franchise is a big part of why I dumped cable.  I could technically watch it all now through Amazon Prime but no way am I paying $1.99 per episode to watch that crap.

DS is forever tracking down cheats to his video games or watching you tube videos on how to pass a level.  Whatever- doesn't both me.  He does have a wealth of misc. random info stored in his brain.  On his Knowledge Bowl Team he is the "random ass knowledge" kid.  The misc. crap that kid knows is astonishing.  Fortunately it's more historic facts from world war 2 than it is info regarding the idiots on reality tv. 

I will admit to having a slight IMDB addiction.  I'm forever watching something and thinking "what have I seen that actor in before".  I'm rewatching Heroes and found out yesterday that the actor that plays HRG or Mr. Bennett is a sixth generation Grandson of Ben Franklin.  Doesn't get more random than that

[sheilaincali]

DH grew up in the South and when he went through his Stephen King phase in Junior High his small town English teacher was afraid that made him a devil worshiper.

[movingforward]

Apr 24, 2013 11:02:54 GMT -5 sheilaincali said:

DH grew up in the South and when he went through his Stephen King phase in Junior High his small town English teacher was afraid that made him a devil worshiper.

When I was in the 7th grade my vice-principal told my mom I shouldn't be reading V.C. Andrews

[Phoenix84]

Video games don't really have cheat codes like that anymore.  Most of the time they're unlocked by doing something like beating the game, or now companies are charging for them via "microtransactions." 

[Sum Dum Gai]

Video games don't really have cheat codes like that anymore.

Sure they do.  Konami still puts the code into quite a few of their games, even Dance Dance Revolution.  It doesn't give you power ups like it did in Contra, just unlocks an easter egg.

[sheilaincali]

Phoenix-  I can tell you without a doubt that there are cheats in video games still.  In fact DS will research them and if there are not cheats he won't buy the game.  The cheats are more complicated then up up down down left right A B start.  But there are still cheat codes to be found.

[Phoenix84]

I guess, I just never really cheat at any video game unless I'm just horsing around.  But I don't recall the "button presses" like the OP described since the old mortal kombat days in the early to mid 90's. 

But I still maintain they aren't as common as they were back in the SNES and Sega Gensis era, at least the ones where you input the button presses like that.  And easter eggs are not the same as cheat codes. 

[wvugurl26]

We had game genie for Sega. Totally cheating. I remember extra lives and coins in Sonic.

My college boyfriend had a whole guide for Elder Scrolls Oblivion. He basically beat it and sold the game and guide. And then they came out with an expansion pack so he bought both of them again.

[sheilaincali]

I don't really pay that close of attention to DS' gaming habits.  The Xbox 360 and PS2 are in his bedroom.  He and DH will play them.  DH is frequently teasing the Boy about using cheats and accused him the other night of avoiding playing games he can't find cheats for.  DS told him he was right. His opinion is that "someone went to all the trouble to create or find the cheat.  It would be disrespectful for DS to not use it since someone went to all that trouble" 

[Phoenix84]

Should go without saying, but cheating in a game just seems to defeat the purpose of the game.  And you can't do it in multiplayer games (usually).  Just seems kind of immature to do it consistently. 

[sheilaincali]

Phoenix- my kid is immature.  He is a 14 year old boy.  He's perfectly mature for his age but he is a typical teenager.  I can't judge him.  If I'm playing candy crush saga I'll pay the $0.99 for 5 extra moves if I'm close to finishing a level.  He doesn't do it constantly but he will do it.  He and his friends will do it.  They'll text each other and share cheats and shortcuts that they've found.  Adults have tax loopholes and teenagers have video game cheat codes.