DIY

I watch a lot of DIY shows.  They, from a certain perspective, appeal to me.

Unfortunately, DIY shows are -never- DIY.  They're an endless parade of poor planning, bad design, and experts explaining why X project should only be undertaken by an expert.  DIY shows are DIY-Gone-Wrong shows.

And this is necessary, really.  Carpenters, plumbers, and electricians are not that interesting to watch work.

But it's not... to say it's not educational doesn't go far enough; it sends precisely the wrong message people should be getting.  DIY shows teach people that they're helpless, that they should just let the experts do it right.

And I say this having done just about everything thus far.  Next on my list of things-I've-never-done-before is adding a new breaker to a breaker board [I did this since I started writing this post.  It was absurdly easy.].  Or possibly framing out some ductwork in the basement with furring strips and gypsumboard.  I haven't decided which of these projects should take priority yet.

Where does the learned helplessness end, exactly?  It fills entertainment, it defines politics, shit, as far as I can tell it's gotten to the point where it's the norm in human relationships.  We seem dead-set on teaching ourselves that we cannot do anything, to give up, to let the experts handle it, whether it's our retirement, or our carpentry, or our health-care, or our plumbing, or our diets, or even our dates.