Our generation

[herpes]

I was reading that thread about the state of the world.... and I typed out this long essay but then I saw the topic stray off course a bit so I decided to make a spin off thread on our generation.  So tell me what you think... maybe I'm fuckin nuts I dont know.

Our generation is fucked and we don't even realize it b/c we have been programed to think that way in such subtle ways.  For example we're the first generation to grow up with microwaves our whole lives.  We could cook a quick meal in 2 minutes.  While our parents when they wanted to cook something it was either on the stove or the over and it took a while.  The same information our parents had to go to the library for we can get in the matter of a minutes on the internet.  Pretty much everyone here probably has a cell phone.  There is no searching for a pay phone or having to find a pen to take a girls number down.  Right into the cell phone.  Look at how many instant meal options we have now a days.  Also look at how many disposable objects we have now a days.  Stuff that 30 years ago most probably couldn't even fathom using once and then throwing away.  What I am getting at where a now now now instant generation.  We want everything now and we dont want to wait for anything.  We're so used to getting what we want so fast that when it comes to a serious problem we expect it be resolved 1,2,3.  This generation has no patience whatsoever.  We have grown up with everyday instant gratification that we don't know what it is like to truly suffer.  To really work for something b/c we expect to happen like that *snaps fingers*.  The serious problems in this world I really don't think we are a equipped to deal with because of this generations mind set.  Look at the hippies.  Granted they didn't get much accomplished.  Once they got what they wanted to settled down and conformed.  But the thing is they had a fraction of the information we have but they did so much more with it they do.  They were out there protesting and what not.  And with us, where typing out blogs.  I don't care how many blogs you type out the people in power aren't reading blogs.  The only way they will see us if we are physically out there.  And where a disposable generation which also ties into us being a instant generation.  With us everything is disposable now.  Even in relationships people are more disposable then ever with this generation.  You get into a argument, why resolve it move on from that person.  Even human beings a disposal.  Another thing is the dumbing down of entertainment.  I'm not saying music, movies, and TV should be your source of education.  But up until 10 years ago you had creative music, TV shows, movies.  On a mainstream level you had your fair share of political music, music that made you think rather that be just something really creative that makes you think about the world or.  Or just the word play was so crazy that it made you think and try and figure what was said.  You always had simple party music but there was parity though.  Now every genre of music there is no originality, ground breaking, though provoking on a mainstream level.  Now you can say well the underground look there.  First of all as good as some underground music of any genre is now a days its making you think nearly as much as even mainstream music in the past.  And also 90'5 of people aren't willing to search for good music.  Whatever MTV or the radio tells them to listen to is what they will.  Look at TV shows.  You had a lot of comedies that even had a political undertones.  Some shows the wit was so quick that it also kept your wit sharp because you had to be on the ball to keep up with it.  You had shows that no matter how ridiculous was able to evoke human emotion.  Now a days you dont have that.   Now most sitcoms are filled with simplistic jokes that keeps up simple.  Reality TV is everywhere.  The sad thing is its the furtherest thing from reality.  Over 50% of our generation now perceives that as actually reality.  This party 24/7 no regard for anything  instant gratification BS.  Most people are simple minded and they truly believe this is how life should be lived.  And the same pretty much goes for movies now a days.  Everything is simple garbage or a bad remake of bad TV shows.  I truly think it is done to keep us simple minded.  To dumb us down so that we don't take the information we have and actually do something with it.  They want to keep the working slob quiet and obey the master.  And we're falling for it.  Instead giving us something to think about they are giving us garbage to turn our brains to mush.  I don't maybe I'm just nuts I don't know.

[eastcoastn]

post of the year

[QuietTruth]

You sound like my grandfather.

 I can't stand it. I HATE technogloy. If it ain't ruff it ain't right. Shit is too easy now at days. And you right.

[herpes]

You sound like my grandfather.

 I can't stand it. I HATE technogloy. If it ain't ruff it ain't right. Shit is too easy now at days. And you right.

Dont get me wrong technology to make our lives easier is a beautiful thing.  It's that where too used to it.  We have become too reliant on them.  That any minor problem in our life has a instant solution.  Minor problems in out life we face multiple times a day.  I'm talking stuff as small as how will I heat up my food.  Which doesn't seem like a problem b/c it is so minor.  But when your dealing with small problems like that everyday with a instant solution your mind get trained into believing every major problem should have just as easy or instant solution.

[M Dogg™]

This reminds me of math. I was a math major in college, we had to do harder math than our calculus professors, because of the technology we had. But at the same time, with out the computar programs and the calculators, basically no one knew how to do anything. I remember working harder trying not to do anything by hand, and being so far behind, but doing well in test were calculators were not allowed. I think technology is great, but at the same time, we need to teach it better.

[Elevz]

That truly is an interesting take, Tommy. Thing is, you shouldn't blame progressiveness by its nature for making life easier. That's exactly what progressiveness is all about: changing things for the better. Culture sure has become sloppy, but I fail to see a direct connection between technological advancement and cultural poverty. The latter is more a result of the power of marketing and commercialism, which evolves from unethical capitalism. But really, it is only natural for people to search for quick thrills. Once marketeers found out about that selling so well, western culture went on the drain.

The lack of substance in music, movies, sitcoms, the internet and even publications is simply a result of the downfall of idealism. The way things are going today, people are confronted with so many conflicting principles that the result is either radicalism or a total state of compromising. The latter seems to be becoming ever more prominent. People want a better world, but many of them wouldn't know what that world should look like. The media try to please the masses, but the masses cannot be progressive by their nature. Pleasing the masses is to stuff them with easily digestible generalities. Idealism, well thought out arguments, nuances and new perspectives don't fit in that view. Things have to be easy, fast and enjoyable, and what joy is to be found in difficulties when the average man doesn't care? The true nature of compromising is being exposed here; the result is cultural poverty.

Besides that, I do not believe in conspiracy theories about purposely dumbing the masses down by feeding them irrelevance. It's simply the nature of commercialism through capitalism. If the government wants to dumb down the masses, wouldn't it be easier for them to degrade schools and universities? Oh wait, that's exactly what's already happening... Compromises to give the meek a chance to get a university degree, while not giving the prosperous  students what they need to develop - yes, that's exactly the way things go when people start complaining about fair chances for development. Collective dumbing down, the ultimate wish of the meek. What they forget is that without allowing excellence, this will always result in a downwards spiral.

[Sikotic™]

If we had a time machine and could bring people back from centuries before, they would think that the fact that we have easily accessible water sources, any kind of food at our disposal, and all sorts of things as technology that made us lazy.

I can see your point though, but I think it's a beautiful thing.

[Trauma-san]

Tommy the truth is you're an incredibly pessimistic guy, it's part of the reason you're such a dyed in the wool liberal. 

The world is much, much better than even our parents had it.  Since the world is so nice, it leads to people like you taking everything for granted and actually having the audacity to bitch about how nice you have it.  Think about that.  The world is actually SUCH A NICE PLACE for you that you have resorted to bitching about HOW NICE IT IS.  Why?  ...because it's about all you have to bitch about it.  And when backed into a corner, a pessimist will find *something* to bitch about. 

I'm not trying to be hard on you; i'm just hoping you decide to listen to maybe 1 sentence or so that I say.  Why live your life writing diatribes and looking around at every way that life in this generation is messed up?  There's nothing making you do all the things you mentioned in your little post, you choose to do it all.  How can you blame anybody when in reality you're the one making the choice? 

The truth is we're all living in the greatest world that's ever been, things are much better now than they were in generations past.  Less than 100 years ago people didn't bathe regularly because they didn't have bathtubs in their house.  Think about this shit.  We've got it made!  I haven't went hungry... EVER in my life!  If you or I are hungry it's because we accidentally drove past the McDonalds on the way to work and didn't stop, if my father was hungry when he was young it was because HE COULDNT AFFORD FOOD. 

Look @ the rest of the world.  There are people starving to death at the rate of hundreds an hour around the world, and you've got the balls to sit here and bitch about how nice your microwave is?  What?  What in the fuck is wrong with you?   

[Narrator]

Tommy the truth is you're an incredibly pessimistic guy, it's part of the reason you're such a dyed in the wool liberal. 

Liberal?  Huh?  It's the conservatives who are doing most of the complaining about the state of the world today.  Actually, liberals do plenty (environment, wars, etc.), but it's conservatives who always complain about how the world isn't as moral as it was, how the loss of religious values is going to lead to us going the way of the Romans, how the Muslims and the commies are gonna take over shit, etc, etc, etc.  You shouldn't associate pessimism only with liberals.  It just makes you look more like a dumb Mormon (which we knew you were already).

[Doggystylin]

Look @ the rest of the world.  There are people starving to death at the rate of hundreds an hour around the world, and you've got the balls to sit here and bitch about how nice your microwave is?  What?  What in the fuck is wrong with you?   

LMFAO ahahahaha pure entertainment. Trauma classic.