The Knack
As Hec (Sam Neil) explained in Hunt for the Wilderpeople.
“It’s not a thing. It’s just - You just get it. It’s a… Oh, it’s a way of, it's a way of figuring things out without having to think too hard…”. (Waititi, 2016)
I think New Zealand was built on the knack, equally referred to as our number 8 wire ingenuity. I also think we are at risk of losing it.
While our teenagers are highly adept at navigating their way around the latest social media phenomenon or gaming upgrade, I wonder. How would they fair sheltering in the great outdoors or enduring hardship when access to all things instant, internet, and power reliant are removed?
Did previous generations “just get it”?
I believe credit can be given to the family and friends, teachers and community who influenced these generations in their formative years. The knack comes from making do with what you have. It combines resilience and a ‘give it a go’ attitude with practical skills and application. The knack has been handed down between generations through hands on experience and observation.
This is not to say that today’s generation are not skilled - they are incredibly skilled, but are they resilient in the face of adversity? Do they back themselves to just give it a go? Or are they fearful of being judged by others from anywhere across the globe, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week? Which is surely an adversity in itself!
I wonder, do we make the most of the incredible knowledge of our senior population? Many who’ve come through wartime and struggle, financial crisis and restrictions, and have relied at some point on the knack to get by.
I’m curious to know if the pandemic exposed our teenagers to a modern day version of the knack as families had to pivot overnight to a new and very different reality balancing work, school, and life in lockdown?
As the saying goes. “Out of adversity comes opportunity”.
Make sure the teenagers in your life experience the knack. It could be a defining moment for them - at the very least it’s time away from being ‘on’ 24/7.