The Handyman Paradox

Well, John replaced the starter in his van and it is running again (for now, anyway). We had a discussion last night that went something like this:

John: Got the van running. I HATE having to work on cars when they break!
Me: But that's the only time you work on them.
John: I know. It's too bad I know how to fix cars.
Me: What would you do if you didn't know how to fix cars?
John: I'd be like everybody else and pay exhorbitant amounts of money for cars that work. You know, if I didn't know how to fix everything, we'd be paying someone else to do it.
Me: I know! Then all of our cars would work, I'd have a shower that works and a kitchen light that works... everything around here would work!
John: Yeah. Too bad I know how to fix everything.

He can fix everything himself, so he won't pay someone else to do it, but then it doesn't get done because he has to do it. So there you have it: The Handyman Paradox.