- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Is America's ease, the cause of its discontent?
Posted on 4/2/14 at 5:28 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 5:28 am
I was listening to a radio host yesterday and he was speaking about the ease at which Americans are outraged by various issues. The basic premiss was that we are outraged not by things that violate our rights, but simply by things that we personally disagree with regardless of its impact on our lives. This conversation was spurred by a bill by some Senators that want to ban the sale of cigarettes on Navy bases ( Navy Times )
He went on to speak to a caller who wanted to stop smoking outside on his local college campus because once a day he had to walk pass the smokers and he viewed this as a health hazard.
The host pointed out that if we sought to ban things that we didn't like simply for our convenience, others would do the same, and ultimately, the things that we enjoy would also be banned.
Lastly, the main point was because American's have so much free time, some not working for years and simply sitting around watching t.v., that we have too much time to be outraged and focus on things that are insignificant issues in the grand scheme of things. He used as an example of people that live in third world countries and how their only daily thoughts focus on survival. Thoughts?
He went on to speak to a caller who wanted to stop smoking outside on his local college campus because once a day he had to walk pass the smokers and he viewed this as a health hazard.
The host pointed out that if we sought to ban things that we didn't like simply for our convenience, others would do the same, and ultimately, the things that we enjoy would also be banned.
Lastly, the main point was because American's have so much free time, some not working for years and simply sitting around watching t.v., that we have too much time to be outraged and focus on things that are insignificant issues in the grand scheme of things. He used as an example of people that live in third world countries and how their only daily thoughts focus on survival. Thoughts?
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 11:47 am
9
Posted on 4/2/14 at 5:53 am to Revelator
I mean he's basically just saying in different words that the pussification of America has paved the way for people to jump on the industry of being offended.
From the Paul Ryan comments to a famous person having to apologize for not supporting gays to liberals getting upset about corporate profits.
From the Paul Ryan comments to a famous person having to apologize for not supporting gays to liberals getting upset about corporate profits.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 6:00 am to GregMaddux
quote:
I mean he's basically just saying in different words that the pussification of America has paved the way for people to jump on the industry of being offended.
That's not exactly what I took from it, but I might have taken it differently? His main gripe was that we have so much ease and idle time that it leaves us with ample space to be outraged. Conversely, our ancestors time was occupied with supporting large families and hours of manual labor leaving little time to ponder trivial issues.
I remember my folks saying that they were very poor coming up, but everyone else around them was in the same boat. And since they had no tv, Internet, news papers, etc. they had little else to compare their plight to so they were reasonably content. Now we know about everyone's situation around the world and it's much easier to make comparisons and compare our situations against others.
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 6:10 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 6:15 am to Revelator
I agree with the concept described, and there's actually an academic term for it (but I forget what it is).
Society can advance to the point where we actually have the luxury of enough spare time and energy to worry about stupid bullshite.
Society can advance to the point where we actually have the luxury of enough spare time and energy to worry about stupid bullshite.
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 6:16 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 6:23 am to UGATiger26
yes, but it goes far beyond just how easily offended we are.
In general, we are becoming soft.
In general, we are becoming soft.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 6:29 am to Stingray
quote:
yes, but it goes far beyond just how easily offended we are. In general, we are becoming soft.
Agreed, but that's what an abundance of technology lends itself too right? I mean, even a simple task like getting drinking water was, and still is a huge chore for many people.
Even our prisoners have loads of idle time.
My parents have gone to Mexico on mission trips numerous times, and I've spoken to others who have, and the consensus statement that I hear is how content and joyful the people are with just a little. And how appreciative they are to receive even small insignificant items.
We have become a nation of busybodies and cry babies.
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 6:45 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 7:50 am to Revelator
Playing the aggrieved party only works consistently for the side of the spectrum that has the pliant media, infotainment, and academic industries at their disposal.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 8:04 am to gthog61
quote:
Playing the aggrieved party only works consistently for the side of the spectrum that has the pliant media, infotainment, and academic industries at their disposal.
My focus isn't on the fact that many are able to voice their displeasures because of a compliant media, but the fact that as our needs are increasingly supplied, our discontent rises instead of our gratefulness.
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 8:05 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 8:23 am to UGATiger26
quote:
Society can advance to the point where we actually have the luxury of enough spare time and energy to worry about stupid bullshite.
I don't have the exact quote, but it's something along the lines of "society can only advance when it has complex problems to solve". We've reached a point where most of us face problems like "damn my Internet connection is slow", or "I'm going to be pissed if Directv doesn't pick up the SEC Network", or "the employee at JC Penney said Happy Holidays to me". This is the main reason I think revolutionizing energy is important, because it gives the country something that is very challenging to focus on for the next 25-50 years.
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 8:24 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 8:25 am to Revelator
quote:
Lastly, the main point was because American's have so much free time, some not working for years and simply sitting around watching t.v., that we have too much time to be outraged and focus on things that are insignificant issues in the grand scheme of things
It's only the mooches that have all that free time. To me it feels like I never have enough time of my own.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 8:32 am to Revelator
And that's just symptomatic of a deeper lack of spiritual vision, Rev. I suspect you know that.
Folk in my own family whine and gripe about 10 degree temperature fluctuations; supersensitive/whiny and act like they're going to pass out. Pussification is an understatement.
And don't even mention the cell phone/media/self importance angle. The Lord could descend from the sky and the first thing most people would do, is to be first in snaping/sending it over the net.
Food...scratch and pic through it like half is trash.
I could go on. But it serves no purpose. Only to them that "have eyes that see and ears that hear". The Spirit, that is. The rest will acquire Vision...the hard way. Not that we all don't; more a matter of when.
Gotta go teach the ladies how to paint nice pics.
Folk in my own family whine and gripe about 10 degree temperature fluctuations; supersensitive/whiny and act like they're going to pass out. Pussification is an understatement.
And don't even mention the cell phone/media/self importance angle. The Lord could descend from the sky and the first thing most people would do, is to be first in snaping/sending it over the net.
Food...scratch and pic through it like half is trash.
I could go on. But it serves no purpose. Only to them that "have eyes that see and ears that hear". The Spirit, that is. The rest will acquire Vision...the hard way. Not that we all don't; more a matter of when.
Gotta go teach the ladies how to paint nice pics.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 10:03 am to RCDfan1950
quote:
Gotta go teach the ladies how to paint nice pics.
You are blessed to do something you love. I would have loved to have parlayed my interest in photography into a profession.
This post was edited on 4/2/14 at 10:05 am
Posted on 4/2/14 at 10:05 am to Revelator
quote:
My focus isn't on the fact that many are able to voice their displeasures because of a compliant media, but the fact that as our needs are increasingly supplied, our discontent rises instead of our gratefulness.
I think this is dead on accurate.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 10:09 am to Revelator
The increase of social media and viewing everyone else's daily lives has created an attitude of envy and entitlement because people show off what they have on social media for the world to see, and those less fortunate become envious rather than be content with their own self. This affects ones political views also
Posted on 4/2/14 at 10:23 am to Revelator
quote:
Thoughts?
There's truth to the concept. Walking it back for a second, think about how many more rights and freedoms people are interested in once they rise up subsistence living. America/developed world is taking it to a new level.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 10:32 am to deltaland
quote:
The increase of social media and viewing everyone else's daily lives has created an attitude of envy and entitlement because people show off what they have on social media for the world to see, and those less fortunate become envious rather than be content with their own self. This affects ones political views also
Agreed. One would think that the more one has, the more grateful one would become. In most cases however, the more one has, the more one wants.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 10:35 am to Duke
quote:
There's truth to the concept. Walking it back for a second, think about how many more rights and freedoms people are interested in once they rise up subsistence living. America/developed world is taking it to a new level.
Certainly once someone's creature comforts are met and exceeded, there is more free time to evaluate and compare his or her's standing measured against others.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 11:03 am to Revelator
The ease of America is exactly what drives the national outrage machine. I call it "the moment of derp," which is when a civilization has life so easy that they invent problems to be mad about.
For example, there is so much wealth in America that people basically just don't starve or endure diseases that have plagued man for thousands of years. Despite this, people camp out and bitch about economic inequality, corporate profits, wage slavery, automation replacing workers, lack of collective bargaining, etc all in one giant screed against capitalism, western culture, or whatever. At the same time, they fail to realize that working 40 hours per week is heaven on earth compared to dragging your scratch plow across your designated plot of land to subsistence farm.
People no longer whine about not being able to survive. They whine about not having as much as their neighbor, or chick fil a's political leanings, or what contract two gay adults can enter into, or the war on Christmas, or the war on women, or about being persecuted despite being the same religion as 87% of the nation, or about having to hear someone praying, or one of the many innumerable stupid frick-all issues fed to us by the media to keep us preoccupied enough that we don't care about secret Star Chamber courts where every single judge is appointed by John Roberts and the holdings of law are kept classified.
We have reached the moment of derp and I really don't see us coming out of it anytime soon.
For example, there is so much wealth in America that people basically just don't starve or endure diseases that have plagued man for thousands of years. Despite this, people camp out and bitch about economic inequality, corporate profits, wage slavery, automation replacing workers, lack of collective bargaining, etc all in one giant screed against capitalism, western culture, or whatever. At the same time, they fail to realize that working 40 hours per week is heaven on earth compared to dragging your scratch plow across your designated plot of land to subsistence farm.
People no longer whine about not being able to survive. They whine about not having as much as their neighbor, or chick fil a's political leanings, or what contract two gay adults can enter into, or the war on Christmas, or the war on women, or about being persecuted despite being the same religion as 87% of the nation, or about having to hear someone praying, or one of the many innumerable stupid frick-all issues fed to us by the media to keep us preoccupied enough that we don't care about secret Star Chamber courts where every single judge is appointed by John Roberts and the holdings of law are kept classified.
We have reached the moment of derp and I really don't see us coming out of it anytime soon.
Posted on 4/2/14 at 11:12 am to Tigerlaff
quote:
We have reached the moment of derp and I really don't see us coming out of it anytime soon.
Very good post Tigerlaff, but I'm sure I'll shortly lapse into one of my rants against one of my pet peeve issues. It's human nature I suppose?
Posted on 4/2/14 at 11:16 am to Revelator
quote:
I'm sure I'll shortly lapse into one of my rants against one of my pet peeve issues. It's human nature I suppose?
I think it is human nature. It allows us to act out tribal instincts and be grouped with others. People innately want an "us" camp and a "them" camp because it fosters belonging.
That being said, it doesn't change the fact that being offended over pet peeve issues is a luxury afforded to us by the ease of modern living.
Page 1 of 2
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News