akareillyJan 25, 2023
If you insist that people learn to code in order to use technology, I'm going to insist that you grow your own flax, do the retting, spin it, weave it, and sew it before you're allowed to wear pants.
Show threadSandraJan 25, 2023
@akareilly

Yes, except not ironically. Knowing how to craft and repair clothes is a pretty good thing.
Show threadakareillyJan 25, 2023

@Sandra

Absolutely! It doesn't take expensive supplies to start mending, and there are many resources online now.

I am actually capable of doing all of these things using Neolithic tech. Apocalypse skills, sorted.

There are darning looms, tablet weaving supplies, rigid heddle looms, backstrap looms, spinning wheels, knitting machines, knitting belts and pins, sewing machines, and all sorts of things here.

Show threadSandraJan 25, 2023
@akareilly

I never worked with textiles professionally, but in school we were taught braiding, carding, spinning, weaving, knitting, darning, and crocheting. This started before we were taught grammar and multiplication. I appreciate being shown those things because it's good to not get too abstracted from the levers we're using to interact with the world.

Things like math and logic and writing and physics and drawing and all kinds of things got way easier after I had started learning to code. The same goes for the spiritual or psychological experience. Coding (probably better known as meta-thinking, thinking about thinking) is an amazing foundation for other fields.

(On the other hand I hate modern, commercial tech 💁🏻‍♀️)
Show threadakareillyJan 25, 2023

@Sandra

We didn't get fiber arts in school but I was lucky enough to have computers at school and at home.

3-2-1 Contact magazine had BASIC code for games that we typed into a Commodore64. Now there are fun, visual tools to get kids started.

Everyone should have the opportunity to code.

It's also OK if kids find that boring and do something else.

Show threadSandraJan 25, 2023
@akareilly

"It's also OK if kids find that boring and do something else"

If you also feel that way about writing, reading, math, politics, history, physics then that's food for thought for me, I'd have to think about to what extent the grown-up world should insist on teaching things. Interesting dilemma 💁🏻‍♀️

If it's coding specifically then I'm not onboard.
Show threadakareillyJan 25, 2023

@Sandra

Kids should have a *basic* understanding of things that they find boring. With any new skill, there's a certain level of learning that many people need to reach to know whether they really enjoy it or not. If someone gets to that point and can program something basic, or even reaches professional competence, and decides they don't like code? That's fine. The point is to try.

Then, programmers should understand that "can't be bothered" isn't "can't".

Show threadMary Beth Frezon

@akareilly @Sandra "Then, programmers should understand that "can't be bothered" isn't "can't"."

Totally this.

Jan 25, 2023 at 5:12pmWeb