If You Can Read This . . .
We are all insane. How can there be any other rational explanation? We constantly repeat the same mistakes over and over again and we subconsciously know that the result will be the same but we secretly think that they will somehow, this one time, turn out differently. We get 30 second sound bites from a candidate and base our vote on it. He said something nice; I’m going to vote for that guy! He’s my man!
Or how about the weather, that is another point of contention I have. It’s going to snow and we need a fucking catch phrase for the so-called blizzard? Snowpocalypse! Really, how gay is that? Snowmageddon! It just proves once more that we are all insane; and gullible; and predictable. They say snow and we run out to the store like it is the end of the world and buy shit we do not need. Milk and bread because they said so and your cupboards must be bare? You should always have enough food just in case and if you don’t well; it’s a little thing that I like to call, “Population Control”. If you do not have the common sense to have food on hand how have you made it this far and who changes your diapers for you?
We do not even need to put a label on it (though some would feel more comfortable with that) such as free thinking or being a realist or rationalist. The glass is not half empty or half full; the glass is not a glass at all. It seems from my perspective (which apparently is warped) that we as a culture and I can only speak for the United States here, have stopped learning. Generation after generation is now actually dumber than the previous generations. Our children have grown in to tech savvy retards and the scary thing is that they are proud of this fact. They confront it head on as if it were a badge of honor.
Who needs to read when you have the internet? (I am well aware of the contradiction here, though I use it in addition too.) If you did not know, the internet has replaced books. Books are archaic and obsolete, just as old people are. The definition of old, apparently, is anyone who reads something other than the current marital status of some famous actor/actress. When it is more important to know who the past winners of American Idol is than to know the branches of the Federal Government and what they do, we have a problem. Actually we have a multitude of problems. One being the apathetic attitude towards knowledge and maybe an even bigger one is the fact that knowing who has won American Idol is more important in their social circles.
Unfortunately to the younger generation this will sting and they would retaliate (if they read this anyhow) with some sort of generational gap issue thingy. And I have to say that they can because we are not without blame here; we, being the older generations. We are the ones that cater to the young. Everything is marketed to youth and it shouldn’t be. Our world is materialistic enough as it is. So they stick to their not trusting anyone over 30 and we stick to our not trusting anyone under 30, as the vicious cycle keeps on spinning out of control.
I do not care if you are tech savvy and can multitask like a motherfucker because it all means nothing if you do not know how to function in the real world. A prospective employer is not going to cater to your anti-intellectual behavior. Then again, maybe they will eventually have to since Wal-Mart can’t possibly hire everyone.
© 2010, themisanthropicoptimist.com. All rights reserved. Upon republishing any part of this post, you must provide a link to original post.
While a chosen few are insane and embrace its realistic state others choose to ambulate to and fro ~ going between the fridge and their game system in an anesthetized state eager to tune-in, turn-on, and drop out; techno-toys being their drug, their reality of choice.
This generation doesn’t want t to read a book when there’s Coles Notes on their Kindle. This generation does want to waste their breath or stretch their intellect when they can simply reply to a query with a truncated text. This generation has no need for acquired knowledge when they can download whatever information they need.
This is the generation that is going to care for us when we’ve collectively slid into a glorious Reagen-esque dementia? They can’t relate to us now! And in catering to their out-of-control “ids” we’re doing nothing but fucking ourselves, right into a sub par old folks’ home.
So yes, polish your little tech-wizard’s badge of honor but while you’re doing that, ask him to name the provinces, the role of congress, or 7 x 8, and as you take in the full scope of the unadulterated hate in their eyes for having pointed out the obvious, find the nearest mirror and recite Mea culpa.
As for the weather; #1) Do not visit and/or move to Canada during the winter months because the snow will kill you faster than all of the polar bears mucking about.
I have to admit that this has always been the case. Somewhat, anyhow in regards to the “They can’t relate to us now” remark; the younger generations not trusting the old and the old not trusting young. The only thing that has changed is the way that the game is played. As a matter of fact, I think it isn’t even the same game anymore. They are too tired and mentally challenged. But if you look at our society as a whole, even adults are no better. I know people do not like being corrected, I get it, I really do but how can we as a culture keep letting them ruin our language? Why do they take offense when you are only trying to fix something? I fear that everything will be lost. Gone are the days of history. All of that beautiful ancient history will be gone and completely mis-remembered. (That was intentional use of a non-word)
You have summed it up quite well, and I don’t believe that there is anything for me to add to it. It would almost be a good thing if you were wrong, but unfortunately this IS a snapshot of the times and the rapidly deteriorating American culture. When the end does come, may it be swift.
It isn’t just the US T.V., it is all over. What I need is a nice EMP Pulse to knock us back into the dark ages, then we shall see how far playing a video game gets these people.
LOL…I’ve missed reading these in your face writes:D
So true, I was just thinking about that before I read your post…maybe not ALL in the same text…never the less, true~
Keep on writing B and never put the pen down;O)