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This is why we're all totally screwed

unlimitedmagazine.com

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Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#21

Post by yummyfajitas »

DuncanKinney wrote: post #15
yummyfajitas wrote: post #8

The author seems to have very strong opinions about what everyone else should be doing (see the second comment): http://www.unlimitedmagazine.com/2010/06/the-antiquated-guid... If all that stuff makes you happy, great. I like some of it myself (cooking, pushups, books). But "cleaning all the things" and "wear a tie" don't make everyone happy, and there is no reason Allie should force herself to do it even if Unlimite…

That's not the author with the comment, the author is Max Fawcett. That's me, the web editor, with a cheap throw to other content on our site.

Sorry, my mistake.

The author of the post isn't explicitly labelled, but your name (and Jeff Lewis) appears to the right of the blog post. I got confused.

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#22

Post by pohl »

stcredzero wrote: post #7
SamAtt wrote: post #2

I personally think this is more of a cycle based on individuals and less of an inevitable decline in society I think there are people who refuse to grow up in every generation. Those people eventually have kids and in my experience most kids in that situation tend to take on the adult role in the relationship. Kids who are forced into the adult role early tend to be responsible adults when they reach the appropriate…

Yes, and many baby boomers in their teens and twenties had comparable attitudes to the one satirized in the original article.

True. Erma Bombeck could laugh at herself and her everyday life struggles, and her writings resonated with bajillions.

Coincidentally, she once wrote: "When humor goes, there goes civilization."

So maybe we're doomed after all, but because Max couldn't pick up on the humor.

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#23

Post by haseman »

Looking to comments on an internet post to asses the maturity of a generation is like indexing Hacker News comments to determine the technical prowess of the mid-west. People who write comments on blogs are, by their nature, on the outsides of the statistical bell curve. Just as the average hacker news reader doesn't represent the technical capacity of an average internet reader. If you want to make informed guesses about the state of a generation...please stop reading blogs and, furthermore, stop reading the comments.

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#24

Post by tomjen3 »

SamAtt wrote: post #2

I personally think this is more of a cycle based on individuals and less of an inevitable decline in society I think there are people who refuse to grow up in every generation. Those people eventually have kids and in my experience most kids in that situation tend to take on the adult role in the relationship. Kids who are forced into the adult role early tend to be responsible adults when they reach the appropriate…

I have a feeling that you are right, but I can't entirely shake of the feeling that our society really is getting softer and less willing to do a lot of sacrifice to get what we want.

Dan Carlin talks about it in his latest hardcore history podcast (http://dancarlinhh.libsyn.com/media/dancarlinhh/dchha33_BLIT...), but he doesn't seem to have a good answer to it.

There can't be much doubt however that the variation between individuals are much greater than the variation between generations.

Finally, the reason the author hasn't fixed her problems is properly that she doesn't have to: if her life mostly works anyway, why do more if you aren't forced to?

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#25

Post by enjo »

dasil003 wrote: post #19

Wow, I am flabberghasted by the fact that not only did the self-deprecating humor and manic drawings go right over the head of the author, but the fact that he thinks that mundane responsibility for completing the niggling chores of modern society is somehow important to the future of our society. I can think of many likely facts that could lead to our downfall: the inability of free markets to account for environmen…

While I have no idea of the original authors intents.. I think your wrong.

Society's don't crumble around large problems, but rather millions of little ones. As more and more folks actively check-out of society the more the productive elements of society have to cope with that. Those little things really do add up, and they're nearly impossible to handle. Ask any parent of a petulant child.

So ya.. when one person doesn't pay their electric bill.. no big deal. What happens when a million people don't? Ten million?

Those big things don't worry me. We'll deal with the environmental issues (we've already made tremendous headway over the years), we'll deal with wealth distribution and everything else. Those are known problems. Be wary of the millions of little things that go unnoticed everyday. That's when things become dangerous.

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#26

Post by enjo »

andywood wrote: post #18

This post misses the mark widely, IMO. Instead of being alarmist about the perennial decline of society, realize that there has been a real cultural shift, and it may be for good reason. I think the brighter bulbs in my generation noticed that our parents weren't happy. Now, instead of asking "how can I do what's expected of me so that all will praise my sense of duty and commitment to family and community", we're as…

I don't think that's what the author is suggesting tho. You said it yourself "I date women who are as successful as I am, so I'm never supporting them."

That implies that your out actually DOING something. That you choose not to adhere to social norms is no problem at all (I'm the same way). You've still embraced the trappings of maturity. Your pulling your own weight. That's great! I salute you sir.

It's when you decide that even pulling your own weight is a bit to much to handle that things get dicey.

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#27

Post by enjo »

tomjen3 wrote: post #24
SamAtt wrote: post #2

I personally think this is more of a cycle based on individuals and less of an inevitable decline in society I think there are people who refuse to grow up in every generation. Those people eventually have kids and in my experience most kids in that situation tend to take on the adult role in the relationship. Kids who are forced into the adult role early tend to be responsible adults when they reach the appropriate…

I have a feeling that you are right, but I can't entirely shake of the feeling that our society really is getting softer and less willing to do a lot of sacrifice to get what we want. Dan Carlin talks about it in his latest hardcore history podcast ( http://dancarlinhh.libsyn.com/media/dancarlinhh/dchha33_BLIT... ), but he doesn't seem to have a good answer to it. There can't be much doubt however that the variation…

It's a really interesting question isn't it. Hard work has never been questioned as the cornerstone of a successful life. I've always wondered if that's a faulty assumption... can we build and imagine great things while still focusing on the enjoyment of living?

Hell if I know:)

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#28

Post by theprodigy »

I hate that everyone is clowning on my generation. That is so shady dog.

All I got to say is America has the best incentive system in the world, meaning hard work will be rewarded.

Though there will be those losers in my gerneration you described there will still be people out there who will make up for the losers short fall because they want to get that chedda.

Re: This is why we're all totally screwed

#29

Post by ahoyhere »

enjo wrote: post #25
dasil003 wrote: post #19

Wow, I am flabberghasted by the fact that not only did the self-deprecating humor and manic drawings go right over the head of the author, but the fact that he thinks that mundane responsibility for completing the niggling chores of modern society is somehow important to the future of our society. I can think of many likely facts that could lead to our downfall: the inability of free markets to account for environmen…

While I have no idea of the original authors intents.. I think your wrong. Society's don't crumble around large problems, but rather millions of little ones. As more and more folks actively check-out of society the more the productive elements of society have to cope with that. Those little things really do add up, and they're nearly impossible to handle. Ask any parent of a petulant child. So ya.. when one person do…

If that were true - and the author of this silly sad little finger-wagging essay were right about the horrible hidden meaning of Allie's hilarious cartoons - then Dilbert itself should have heralded the end of economy, jobs, and the world altogether!

Please, please develop a sense of humor. Please.

Humans have been stupid and irresponsible all throughout history - only now we can admit it. And laugh at it. And grow up.

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