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THE DECLINE OF BASIC SKILLS

Counting Money: A Vanishing Skill

Many people today don't know how to do math without the aid of a calculator or smartphone. With calculators being so readily available, it seems unnecessary to learn how to perform calculations manually. As a result, most people know how to operate a calculator, but they lack the ability to do math independently. Taking it one step farther, soon people won't even know how to use calculators – they will simply ask Google for the answer.

A simple example of the decline in basic skills can be seen at a gas station or grocery store. Many people, especially younger generations, struggle to count money and make change. They rely on cash registers or payment machines to tell them the correct amount, and when faced with the task of counting change manually, they are often lost. For instance, in the past, people would strategically give extra change to receive a more convenient bill in return. However, nowadays, many cashiers struggle with this concept and become confused when confronted with such situations. This decline in the ability to count money demonstrates how our reliance on digital tools has impacted even the most basic of skills. As we continue to rely on these tools for basic skills it becomes increasingly important to recognize the potential consequences of this dependence. While technology has undoubtedly improved our lives in many ways, it is essential to overstand that with all dependency there is a trade off, and trading off our skills one by one may seem like a good idea today but cost us in the future.

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