Wednesday 3 November 2010

3.11.10 Fat Chance

An hour ago I was buying a paper, being served at the till in the Co-op by someone of around 50 years of age, when she was approached by a younger colleague.  The younger person (about 25) had in her hand a 250g block of lard, and proceeded to ask advice on what might be needed for a customer who wants 'a pound of lard'.  Obviously the answer was two blocks, and I watched the younger employee waddle away down an aisle (possibly indicating that she may be partaking of rather too much fat in her own diet).

I am not surprised, but I am disappointed the dumbing down of everything means that no longer is it necessary for anyone to have to be in possession of general knowledge, life skills or common sense.  Worse, there also seems a complete void where any form of embarrassment might dwell for not knowing such basic stuff.  It's a sad day when a shop worker, despite being in an establishment where food is sold by weight, cannot begin to comprehend the approximate equivalents between metric and imperial measures.  Worse still, there's no motivation to become aware on the part of employees, or a requirement for them to do so from the employer!

I looked up the aisle as I left the shop, and saw the assistant reaching the customer at the far end, by the butter section.  He was himself about 40 years old, and should have had more idea; no doubt he was sent on an errand by his 'missus' to get 'a pound of lard' and upon arrival at the Co-op, had no fuckin' idea what to buy. 

This is all pathetic, and proves what a useless world we now live in.  Could things ever get back to how they were?  Fat chance!

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