Grumpy_Mike:
Lefty, Grumpy ?? Sanity check??
...
However, the gung-ho attitude is very prevalent in some areas of western culture, and if you survive it is very funny.
Grumpy, I assume you mean areas starting some 1000 + miles West of Manchester, UK 
I'll concede that the number of capacitors intentionally exploded in school laboratories in the USA probably exceeds that of all other countries combined.
However as we mature we graduate (IF we graduate) to resistor values that simply smoke and burn in 2 seconds of less, with a satisfying "pop-whoosh". (Values supplied upon adult request). This is a cultural tradition and I am happy to say that my 40+ year old son has kept it up in teaching "Electronics 101" to employees of his company in Vermont.