25 Skills Every Man Should Know

Back when The Dangerous Book for Boys came out, there was a lot of discussion about what we should include in the same book for girls. Ultimately, The Daring Book for Girls came out and served as a good complement to the boys’ book.

Last week, Uncle John posted about Popular Mechanics’ “25 Skills Every Man Should Know.” Now, we could certainly make the case that a woman should know each of these things, too. After all, we drive cars, use computers, watch television, etc. But I’m interested in the Noah’s Ark approach – if a man can do all of those things, what should a woman bring to the table? After all, our manly man still hasn’t eaten or slept, even after using all of those macho skills.

BTW, I’m leaving out generic, but useful, life skills like “decline an invitation to a Pampered Chef party” or “fake happiness;” those are child's play.

A man should know how to…	A woman should know how to…
Patch a radiator hose	Figure the sales tax on an item that is 42% off of $107.13
Protect your computer	Change the toner in the copy machine
Rescue a boater who has capsized	Sense when a kid is in the pool, unauthorized
Frame a wall	Sew a straight hem on a machine and a button by hand
Retouch digital photos	Find beauty in the imperfect
Back up a trailer	Iron clothes
Build a campfire	Pack up the supplies so that they stay dry
Fix a dead outlet	How to cut off the electricity AND the gas AND the water in an emergency.
Navigate with a map and compass	Navigate with a map and compass AND ask for directions
Use a torque wrench	Use a whisk without making a mess
Sharpen a knife	Get blood stains out of laundry
Perform CPR	Perform first aid for adults AND infants and children
Fillet a fish	Cook a fish AND get the smell out of the house
Maneuver a car out of a skid	Slow down in the rain
Get a car unstuck	Get gum out of hair
Back up data	Organize information like shot records and family birthdates
Paint a room	Consult the color wheel
Mix concrete	Get mold out of grout
Clean a bolt-action rifle	Patch a head wound
Change oil and filter	Find a garage that doesn’t screw over women
Hook up an HDTV	Find the best no-load index fund for an IRA
Bleed brakes	Corral a group of preschoolers
Paddle a canoe	Navigate minor bureaucracies without having a stroke
Fix a bike flat	Check the air pressure regularly
Extend your wireless network	Extend your social network

And I leave you with this thought from Heinlein:

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

Image: Asia Society