Lost skills & knowledge is power.

On passing on skills through connection and the joy of discovering something new.

I love to bake with my children. Despite the mess, the slowness, the constant dipping of little fingers into the mixture, I make sure to bake with them often. Its something I really value. Time together and a connection where we can learn from one another.

Whilst chatting with my sister on the phone the other day she reminded me of the baking knowledge we acquired as children simply by watching and talking to our Mum. The simple fundamentals of knowing which spoon to use to beat butter and sugar together. The importance of using a metal spoon when folding in flour and it got me thinking about lost skills.

I’ve written about my sadness of how technology (although great in so many ways) seems to have had a profound effect on ‘asking people in real life’ and how in our culture of ‘just ask Google’ and now ‘ask AI’ (which results in the answer even faster) it reduces the need for acquiring knowledge from another human. I have to wonder why we need the answer so fast. Not all convenience is good. But I also wonder why so many people feel they don’t need to hold the knowledge in their own head? Our brains are so expansive, so underused in many ways, expanding our thoughts can only be a good thing in my eyes.

I mentioned a similar thing to my friend a couple of months ago, and as part of a farming family she spoke about all the little pieces of knowledge that were past down the generations verbally. Passed from farmer to farmer with no need to write it down, just shared knowledge through connection. We both wondered how long this would last. Will there be vast pieces of knowledge lost because the newest generation decides to ask Google rather than their Grandad?

Putting the time aside to bake with my girls means more to me that the physical act, its the connection and the transfer of knowledge, the little ‘ditties’ that go into their subconscious, only to resurface one day when they need it. For me, life is about finding knowledge, discovering knowledge through others and their experiences. All those lives lived, all those experiences that make up who you are. Isn’t it the most joyful feeling when you discover something new, learn something from someone else?

Perhaps it is a cliché to say that knowledge is power but I often think that to know things is to know yourself. To discover things feels like finding who you are and what you are interested in. To be interested and interesting feels like the key to connection with others.

Would love to know what you think about this?

Until next time, have a wonderful week.