Viewing my site one would gather that I am into electronics. Audio, Stereo, Hi Fi, Pro Audio, Ham/Amateur/CB Radio, Tube Guitar amps(mainly for my son), etc. I mean I really like this stuff and can find something interesting about virtually any vintage electronic device. Growing up I knew dozens of guys like myself who would appreciate stereo equipment, talking on the CB/ham radio, etc. etc. Where have they all gone???? Sorry to say, many are “gone.” And…there were no new enthusiasts to take their place. Where are all the audio / stereo stores? Crazy Eddie, Sound by Singer, Radio Shack, Lafayette(laugh-a-lot), and many others gone with No replacements. Why? The hobbies, interests, even sports have been replaced by a little gadget in your pocket. Yes, the cell phone is the new replacement for almost everything that was considered fun, exciting, interesting, etc. Who needs anything anymore? I don’t have to travel to Hawaii, I just look it up on my phone and there are “pics.” Music the same, right on the phone. Sports, video games, television, yep right on the phone. People don’t even meet in person anymore, they have phone relationships. Cyber everything, you can be who ever you want to be and pretend to have your every desire. I know your not asking me, but I find it very sad. Nothing is hands on anymore, most teenagers don’t even know how to use a screwdriver.
So, back to the point…What is going to happen? When this present generation of 50+’s die off so will their hobbies, interests, loves, pastimes. It will go with them because there is no replacement. Turn on a ham radio or even a receiver to listen to the amateur bands. You won’t hear anyone under fifty years old and that’s considered a youngster. There really is very little new music to listen to on a high end sound system now a days. TV, who watches television? Old people that’s who. Note the commercials, drugs, insurance, refinance, investment for seniors, and the list goes on. The advertising is all geared for the elderly. Younger people are on their phones now and have no use for much of scripted unreal reality TV or news or politics. Even musical instruments, how many kids play the guitar, or bass, or drums these days. Not many compared to 30-40 years ago.
Anyone go to a car show lately. You know the one where the locals show off their vintage and classic rides? Now it’s all old farts with a sprinkle of a few young guys and their new Mopars and Fords. Even things such as tropical fish collecting, playing chess are in the dumper now. It’s considered old fashioned, not worth the time, no interest, no nothing…the new world. Glad I grew up when I did. I liked playing baseball, basketball, and hockey. I enjoyed putting together a sound system and setting up a CB base station with a big antenna. I liked looking at my fish tank and many times I would go to the fish store with my dad on a Sunday which was one of the few things that were open. I enjoyed when a new rock album came out and would go to E.J. Korvettes or Majors dept. store to buy it. Things were cheap, you didn’t have to be rich to enjoy life. I liked going out on real dates instead of cyber love and porn. What’s happened to all the collectors of cool stuff? Audiophiles? Electric train and HO race car guys? Ham radio guys that talked the world? Some people even collected Matchbox cars or as they were called in England Leslie toys. They’re almost all gone and there are very few replacements. It saddens me to even think about it.
Fortunately, my son plays the guitar, is a chess champ and although different from mine he has a few nice hobbies and interests. Many of his friends are “texting” experts and facebook pro’s. Behind closed doors they are video game addicts and social media maniacs. And this goes for both educated kids and not so educated kids. Boys, girls, and even some of their elders. One good thing, they can’t catch a sexually transmitted disease through a screen. See there is an upside, lol. I always make a joke…when I grew up in Staten Island, NY I had a mini-bike that I found in some ones garbage. My dad took it apart and spray painted the frame, cleaned up the motor and put in a new spark plug and chain sprocket and I had a mini-bike with a Briggs and Stratton engine. I had a Daisy air rifle my uncle bought me. And every June my dad would bring me home a gross of Cherry bombs and other assorted pyrotechnics. TODAY I would be considered a criminal and my mom and dad would be “bad” parents. But guess what…I had loads of fun, I never hurt anyone including myself. I have always been an animal lover so the bb gun was for shooting cans and bottles. I never blew off my fingers and I had gotten hurt more times on my Schwinn Orange Crate Stingray bike then on the mini-bike. And here’s the deal, most of the kids lived similar lives to me give or take a little. There was no show off deal, everyone had Converse or Pro-Keds sneakers, lol. You had a Rawlings or Spalding baseball glove. Rich, poor, and in between we all lived similar lives as kids. What do most people do today? Their whole life is on a small communication device in their pocket or purse. Drugs, virtual reality, cyber everything, it’s all a fake escape to no where. What do most kids sixteen and under do today? Think about it…and what will they be doing in 10, 20 years from now. One thing I can state, I believe that most of the hands on activities whether it be hobbies, collecting, building, playing, etc. will no longer be. And that’s SAD.
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