This all sort of makes me wonder if the following conversation might have ever taken place:
Fletcher #1: Geez, I'm really getting sick of all these kids. They just don't know what it takes to be a really good fletcher any more.
Fletcher #2: Yeah, it is like they don't even want to know what it takes to perform the craft. All they want to do is just use those new-fangled "guns" or whatever they are called, when we go hunting. They don't even make the danged things - they just "use" them!
Flecther #1: I tell ya, they just have no appreciation any more for good fletching - most of them wouldn't even know if it they saw a good fletching job. And don't even ask them to try to do it themselves! Ha! No way! They don't even know the basics!
Flecther #2: Yeah, these kids nowadays, they just don't get it. Hey, I'm gettin' hungry. What should we have for lunch?
Fletcher #1: I don't have much. I was hunting all day yesterday, and only got one rabbit. There doesn't seem to be much game about right now.
Fletcher #2: But the young gunsmiths next door seem to have a lot from yesterdays hunt. I wonder why? Hey, maybe we can work off something with them in trade.
Fletcher #1: I dunno. We can give it a try, but I am not sure we have much they will want. Have you noticed that business has really dropped off recently? I don't know if I am going to be able to stay in the trade. I'm telling you, nobody really appreciates a good fletcher any more...
So how many fletchers have you all seen around lately? (or wheelrights vs. tire factories, or hand typesetters vs. laser printers, or FORTRAN programmers vs. C+ programmers, etc.)
-dave