The generation that fixed their own cars, built their own furniture, and figured out plumbing from library books possesses 9 forms of practical intelligence that no amount of googling can replicate

My grandfather could rebuild a carburetor blindfolded. He'd spread newspaper on the garage floor, methodically lay out each part, and put it back together while explaining every component's purpose. No YouTube tutorials, no online forums – just decades of accumulated knowledge and the confidence that comes from truly understanding how things work.

Today, I can find a thousand videos on carburetor repair in seconds. But there's something fundamentally different about the practical intelligence that generation developed through necessity versus our modern approach of googling solutions on demand.

Growing up in a working-class family, I watched this difference play out daily. While my parents navigated financial challenges with remarkable resourcefulness, I noticed they possessed a type of problem-solving ability that went beyond just finding answers – they understood systems, connections, and the deeper mechanics of how things actually worked.

The patience to troubleshoot without instant answers

Remember the last time your WiFi went down? Most of us immediately reach for our phones to google the solution (ironic, I know). But the generation that grew up without instant access to information developed something invaluable: systematic troubleshooting skills.

They learned to methodically work through problems, testing one variable at a time, observing patterns, and building mental models of how things functioned. When the washing machine broke, they'd check the obvious things first – power supply, water connection, lint trap – before moving to more complex diagnostics.

This patience for systematic problem-solving translates into every area of life. In my book, Hidden Secrets of Buddhism: How To Live With Maximum Impact and Minimum Ego, I explore how Buddhist philosophy emphasizes this same patient, methodical approach to understanding – not just finding quick fixes, but truly comprehending the underlying nature of things.

Understanding systems, not just symptoms

Modern problem-solving often focuses on symptoms. Car making a weird noise? There's probably a forum thread about that exact sound. But the DIY generation understood entire systems – how the cooling system connected to the engine, how electrical circuits flowed through a house, how soil composition affected garden growth.

Indeed Editorial Team notes that "Practical intelligence is the ability to learn or develop one's skills. It comprises the skills that are necessary to develop relevant skills." This recursive nature of learning – skills that build skills – is exactly what the hands-on generation mastered through necessity.

The confidence that comes from real experience

There's a particular type of confidence that comes from having fixed something with your own hands. It's different from the theoretical knowledge we gain from reading or watching videos. It's embodied knowledge – your muscles remember the exact pressure needed to loosen a stuck bolt, your ears recognize the sound of an engine running lean.

During my warehouse days shifting TVs in Melbourne, I learned this distinction firsthand. The older workers who'd been there for decades could diagnose packaging problems just by how a box felt when lifted. No manual taught them this – it was pure experiential wisdom accumulated over thousands of repetitions.

Reading between the lines of incomplete information

Library books on home repair weren't like today's comprehensive online guides. They assumed baseline knowledge, skipped steps, and often contained outdated information. Yet people learned to extrapolate, to fill in gaps with logic and experimentation.

This ability to work with incomplete information is increasingly rare. We're so accustomed to finding exact answers that we've lost the skill of educated guessing and iterative problem-solving. The practical intelligence to say, "Based on what I know about similar systems, this should probably work like this," and then testing that hypothesis.

Manual dexterity and spatial intelligence

Here's something no amount of video watching can replace: the physical intelligence that comes from years of hands-on work. The muscle memory of using tools, the spatial reasoning to visualize how parts fit together, the fine motor control to make precise adjustments.

Steve Jobs famously said, "Everyone in this country should learn how to program a computer … because it teaches you how to think." But the same could be said for learning to work with your hands – it teaches a different but equally valuable way of thinking, one that integrates mind and body.

Resourcefulness born from limitation

When you can't simply order a replacement part on Amazon, you learn to improvise. The DIY generation mastered the art of repurposing, of making do with what was available. A coat hanger became a temporary exhaust hanger, a rubber band fixed a loose battery connection, duct tape held the universe together.

This resourcefulness extends beyond physical repairs. It's a mindset that sees possibilities where others see obstacles, that understands most problems have multiple solutions if you're creative enough to find them. My brothers and I applied this same resourcefulness when co-founding Brown Brothers Media – starting with limited resources but finding creative ways to build something meaningful.

The social intelligence of shared knowledge

Before online forums, knowledge sharing happened face-to-face. You learned from your neighbor who'd faced the same plumbing issue, from the hardware store clerk who'd helped a hundred customers with similar problems, from family members passing down techniques through generations.

This created a different type of learning – one embedded in relationships and community. MEDA Foundation researchers define practical intelligence as "the ability to apply knowledge in real-world situations (often assessed through observation and experience)." That observation often came through watching others, learning not just the what but the why behind each action.

Risk assessment without safety nets

When you're working on your own car and a mistake could mean being stranded, you develop acute risk assessment skills. You learn to recognize when you're out of your depth, when to proceed cautiously, and when to call in expertise. There's no "undo" button on a botched brake job.

This calculated approach to risk – neither reckless nor paralyzed by fear – is increasingly rare in our world of warranties, insurance, and professional services for everything. The practical intelligence to accurately assess your own capabilities and the potential consequences of failure is a skill developed only through real stakes.

The deep satisfaction of self-sufficiency

Perhaps the most underrated aspect of practical intelligence is the profound satisfaction it brings. There's something deeply fulfilling about solving problems with your own hands and mind, about not being dependent on others for basic life skills.

C.S. Lewis wrote, "The only people who achieve much are those who want knowledge." But the DIY generation wanted more than knowledge – they wanted capability, independence, and the quiet confidence that comes from knowing you can handle whatever breaks.

Final words

The practical intelligence of the DIY generation wasn't just about fixing things – it was about understanding the world at a fundamental level. While we can access infinite information instantly, we've potentially lost something valuable: the deep, embodied knowledge that comes from wrestling with problems until you truly understand them.

This doesn't mean we should abandon modern technology or pretend the past was perfect. But perhaps we can learn from that generation's approach – their patience with complexity, their systematic thinking, their willingness to get their hands dirty in pursuit of understanding.

The next time something breaks, before immediately googling the solution, try sitting with the problem for a moment. Look at it systematically. Think about how it might work. You might not fix it on your own, but you'll develop a tiny bit of that practical intelligence that no amount of searching can fully replace.

After all, true wisdom isn't just knowing where to find answers – it's understanding the questions deeply enough to recognize the answers when you find them.