We Built It with Slide Rules. Then We Forgot How
unmitigatedrisk.com
April 1, 2026
10 min read
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47/100
Summary
Farmers historically utilized resourcefulness to repair and innovate with available materials. Self-taught skills in areas like chemistry emerged from necessity, as individuals sought to enhance their tools and techniques through experimentation.
Key Takeaways
- Farmers historically adapted and innovated using available resources, exemplified by the author's father who taught himself rocket chemistry from common materials.
- The U.S. Air Force conducted its own space program before NASA was established, reflecting a societal urgency to understand physics and technology during the Cold War era.
- The author's father contributed to aerospace engineering, specifically in attitude control thrusters for reconnaissance satellites, and felt a deep personal connection to the technology he helped create.
- There is a concern that critical knowledge about space exploration and technology is not being effectively transmitted to new generations, as highlighted by the author's father's efforts to teach through a chalkboard.
Coverage & discussions
Hacker News · unmitigatedrisk.com
Community discussions
Community Sentiment
Positives
- The evolution of software engineering has always involved higher abstractions, making it easier to build software, which is a natural progression rather than a loss of skills.
Concerns
- There is a concern that AI tools may lead to laziness and a decline in fundamental writing skills, which could impact overall communication effectiveness.
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