We got half the doggone MIT college of engineering here, and nobody who can fix a doggone /television/? Dr. Joseph Abernathy glared accusingly at the clusters of young people scattered around his living room.That's /electrical/ engineering, Pop, his son told him loftily. We're all mechanical engineers. Ask a mechanical engineer to fix your color TV, that's like asking an Ob-Gyn to look at the sore on your di-ow!Oh, sorry, said his father, peering blandly over gold-rimmed glasses. That your foot, Lenny?
In "Drums of Autumn" by Diana Gabaldon, Dr. Joseph Abernathy expresses frustration at the lack of practical skills among the young engineers in his home. Despite having a gathering of impressive engineering talent from MIT, they are unable to help him repair a television. This humorous scenario highlights a generational gap and the specialization within the engineering field. Dr. Abernathy's remarks point to the irony of having smart individuals who excel in their fields yet lack basic hands-on troubleshooting skills. His son attempts to clarify the difference between electrical and mechanical engineering, suggesting that the two disciplines are quite distinct. This exchange showcases both the father's bewilderment and the son's attempt to defend their expertise. The dialogue emphasizes the sometimes humorous disconnect between academic knowledge and practical experience, which resonates with readers who may have encountered similar situations in their own lives.
In "Drums of Autumn" by Diana Gabaldon, Dr. Joseph Abernathy expresses frustration at the lack of practical skills among the young engineers in his home. Despite having a gathering of impressive engineering talent from MIT, they are unable to help him repair a television. This humorous scenario highlights a generational gap and the specialization within the engineering field. Dr. Abernathy's remarks point to the irony of having smart individuals who excel in their fields yet lack basic hands-on troubleshooting skills.
His son attempts to clarify the difference between electrical and mechanical engineering, suggesting that the two disciplines are quite distinct. This exchange showcases both the father's bewilderment and the son's attempt to defend their expertise. The dialogue emphasizes the sometimes humorous disconnect between academic knowledge and practical experience, which resonates with readers who may have encountered similar situations in their own lives.
