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submitted 21 hours ago by dandelion to c/asklemmy@lemmy.ml

been thinking about all the little moments tucked away in my memories that are a world unknowable to those younger than me, so consider this an opportunity to reminisce over old times, but also to ask those about the times you did not live through.

I guess my question for those older than me is: before computers, how did you learn to do something?

Did access to knowledge change your life, was a constraint lifted when you no longer depended on having found the right books or people to learn tips on how to cook a new dish, or how to fix a plumbing problem, or how to plant a garden?

Was life more simple, did you have fewer problems to solve without technology in your life, or did technology make life easier?

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[-] KingGordon@lemmy.world 2 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

This was very well explained. Thank you for posting.

I think the base knowledge inthe past was much closer to primary sources. If you wanted to know something about science, you went to the library and read a book by an actual expert. You didn’t have some youtube dumbass between you and the knowledge.

Also - you didnt mention magazines. Thats how people often learned to fix things or were exposed to popular culture. Magazines like Popular Science or Family Handyman would have articles on fixing things in daily life. Automotive manuals like Haynes (worse) or Chiltons (better) were available at libraries as well.

this post was submitted on 23 Aug 2025
60 points (100.0% liked)

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