Critical thinking. Consider the intent of the source.
It’s a big ask, but Empathy.
I see plenty of Empathy in the world, compassion is what we need I think. Empathy ironically makes people egotistical becaause if the feeling they emphesize with is bad they might blame the victom for transmitting them ‘bad vibes’ for instance. Or you might make an unfair decision because it appealed to your emotions. However with compassion you recognize someone is in need of help and try to provide that help, sidestepping all sorts of nasty pitfalls and leaving you a lot chiller.
People should really know how to research. Sure, almost everyone knows how to do a google search, but there are shockingly many people who can’t research, i.e view multiple sources including those that don’t align with your views.
You’d be surprised how many people don’t even know how to do a Google search.
Basic cooking.
You don’t need to be Gordon Ramsey, but in a pinch, know how to make pasta, chilli and a few other things.
Is chilli considered basic? Spicy food is not that common where I live. For me the basics would be to know how to:
-Peel and cut veggies
-Boil stuff
-Fry eggs
But maybe it’s a cultural thing! I’m interested in knowing what you’re doing with your chilli peppers ;)
Basic chili recipe (people from texas can bite their tongue for five minutes one time):
- beans
- tomatoes
- onions
- peppers
A little bit of cumin and salt to taste and you actually don’t need anything else to get something that is recognizable as chili.
I add all sorts of other stuff, but that’s the basics.
Computer comprehension. You should have a basic understanding of what your pc is doing, web certificates, passwords, how to tell when youre being scammed, and how to protect your personal info. Knowledge doesnt need to be deep, just wide.
I would say way more important is how to identify scams, whether they are online, by phone, mail or in person. Just a basic heuristic on - is this too good to be true? So you can take a pause and go do research. Most of the time, a ticking clock on a “great deal” is just a sales scam, and that “for 10 minutes only price” comes back weekly or is just actually “the price”.
Realize what makes “a call about your cars warranty” or “your credit card rate” spam at best. Take that and apply to more things. Is the car salesman vague about stuff? Probably going to try and screw you. Does the subscription only show the promotional rate? Know to get that ongoing rate before signing up. Just try and hone a gut feeling when things seem off somehow.
