Life changing (or affirming) article from Cracked.

RuSsMaN

http://www.cracked.com/article_15231_7-reasons-21st-century-making-you-miserable.html

The crew at Cracked knocked this one out of the park. It's a long read by today's standard, you might have to devote 5 to 8 minutes of your life to it. It's not written towards audio, or Club Polk, obviously, but a lot of it rings true, right here, in our humble abode. Bigger picture, it's a blog of how times have changed, how closed off from everything we are becoming.

We are social beings. Why is technology killing that, instead of enhancing it?

Cheers,
Russ

tonyb

RuSsMaN wrote: »

We are social beings. Why is technology killing that, instead of enhancing it?

Cheers,
Russ

Been my complaint for a long time, and yes, I read the article. Heck just the other night, my daughter was texting her boyfriend....who was 20 feet away in another room. Drives me up a wall.

RuSsMaN

Did you take the time to read it, tonyb from chicago who joined in Jul 2001, with a Member Sales Rating of (1) and five thousand nine hundred and thirty three posts?

At least you don't have a signature that is 20 times as long as your average post. I respect that.

Earthy

RuSsMaN wrote: »

We are social beings. Why is technology killing that, instead of enhancing it?

Cheers,
Russ

I think it can be as simple as, on here (the internet), I say something you don't like, you make some snarky comment back that irks me and I move on looking for more like minded people.

We're not trapped in the room where you can backpedal out of an epic toe sandwich and apologize, possibly find common ground and become friends.

The internet has the ability to suck;)

And yes, I am in the process of reading the article.

cnh

That's an interesting read. And as an Anthropologist, I agree with most of it? Especially with the following:

The problem is you are hard-wired by evolution to need to do things for people. Everybody for the last five thousand years seemed to realize this and then we suddenly forgot it in the last few decades. We get suicidal teens and scramble to teach them self-esteem. Well, unfortunately, self-esteem and the ability to like yourself only come after you've done something that makes you likable. You can't fool yourself.

Read more: http://www.cracked.com/article_15231_7-reasons-21st-century-making-you-miserable.html#ixzz1CgGS8v5y

I also just wrapped up a course that pretty much discusses the Human Past and its social nature and the Human Future and the decline of those face-to-face interactions that evolution has hard-wired us for. It's always nice to see someone who can put all of that into an understandable and accessible format. Popularizers we call them and most of my colleagues 'frown'. But I don't because it's not all about scholars and their rarefied discourses but actually communicating something and educating. I find the classroom itself affected by some of the very things discussed here, and I have to spend a lot of time trying to figure out ways to address and rectify those problems when I teach. Just between us, I don't always succeed as well as I would like to...but there are 'moments'?

cnh

RuSsMaN

All that from the CLEM? BRAVO. It may only be a semi-rare Matchbox car, or a fancy coin, but you just made my will.

tonyb

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Did you take the time to read it, tonyb from chicago who joined in Jul 2001, with a Member Sales Rating of (1) and five thousand nine hundred and thirty three posts?

At least you don't have a signature that is 20 times as long as your average post. I respect that.

Yeah, I did, Russman from Texas with a sales member rating of 40 and
17,211 posts.

Not really any big news in there, more so a confirmation of what I already had an opinion on....or my general belief in the lack of some to see the forest threw the tree's...so to speak.

treitz3

Nice.

RuSsMaN

The most intimate, revealing, REAL conversations I have with my 18yr old step daughter are via text. I hate it, but embrace it, it's all I get. I'd love to get the tears, the laughter, the REAL emotions face to face, but it isn't going to happen.

The big question tonyb from chicago, is do you like my signature. Does it make you think? Does it make you think I'm cool? Edgy perhaps? A drunk, sort of on a mission? What about how I had -justin- 'stagger' my name back in oh-one, caps on, caps off? Is that cool? Does it add some mistique? Should I be cast in the next 'Blade' movie with a cool cape and gold laden codpeice?

Cheers,
Russ

cnh

All of the above. But really I'm more interested in your relations with your 18 year old. I haven't gotten to that stage with my children. My 13 year old, although, she now thinks her Dad is no longer 'cool' still likes to spend time with Dad and shares 'some' with him? My father and I were very close!

Thanks for putting me in the Will? On another note....my signature is simply a one phrase encapsulation (no pun intended) of my year in China with its Graduate School Science students (last year). I, did, have some students who worked on the Chinese space program among other things? And the CLEM a bit of funning for those of you who just might remember our own LEM from the Apollo missions. Enough said about that.

cnh

fatchowmein

If any of you need to build your self-esteem by doing something for me to make me like you and call you "likable", just send me 50% of your paycheck on a regular basis and I'll send you a gold star, and if the amount is substantial enough I might even include one of those Valentine hearts with "I Like You".

Very interesting article. Thank you, RuSsMaN.

treitz3

RuSsMaN wrote: »

The big question tonyb from chicago, is do you like my signature. Does it make you think?

While I may not be from Chicago and while I may not be TonyB, This sig gets me thinkin'....

"Death doesn't come with a Uhaul."

seeclear

fatchowmein wrote: »

If any of you need to build your self-esteem by doing something for me to make me like you and call you "likable", just send me 50% of your paycheck on a regular basis

No, thank you.

dkg999

Lol omg idk ttyl

Toxis

Hey! My name is Todd... and I resemble... eerrr resent that statement!

Back to playing Call of Duty... lol

exalted512

So having an ignore list is bad?

On a side note....HOLY CRAP...THERES 150LB-MAN EATING CATFISH!!!
-Cody

steveinaz

Desperate times often create self-centered people. We've become too intolerable to want more than 1 really close friend. Busy, busy...we don't have time for much else. This seems to be the direction we are headed. We used to (as Americans) be able to get by fairly easily on 1 paycheck. Dad worked, Mom stayed home and raised the kids--the way it is suppose to be. Give me all the heat you want about that observation, but sorry, it is what life has demonstrated to me to be the best/most stable scenario. Unfortunately, our social-economic situation has changed that structure significantly, and we are "evolving" with the change; not necessarily for the better.

The internet provides a venue for "disposable" friends. If you begin to impact my life too much, I log out. We've become socially lazy. We want a pill for everything. Instant gratification is born out of never wanting for anything---brought on by parents who entertained our every whim; cause it made them feel good. Who cares if it really never taught us any values, right?

polkfarmboy

From the article "Spend $5,000 on a home theater system so you can see movies on a big screen without a toddler kicking the back of your seat."

I spent $9000 on HT so I dont have to pay $15 per person to go see a movie , Its not social its a financial decision ,plus movie theater audio sucks!

The whole article is just blowing things out of proportion plus the author seems really old Most dont even have online access .I need xbox 360 for real friends who are outa state

The article is cliche

cnh

If that's all you got out of that article, that's 'sad'! You sound like a few of my more 'clueless' students who are 18-22? They don't know themselves very well and they don't even KNOW THAT! They think they have friends, many of them, but they're easily frustrated and in constant NEED of self-affirmation and praise lest they 'disappear' or lose their sense of self-worth. Even as they pursue this, the majority come from rather--FINANCIALLY well-off families (certainly better than the family I came from?). They have a sense of entitlement that is second to none and yet are very very 'insecure'. I've taught over a few thousand of them in my career; and KNOW them quite well. They are not, ALL, this way, of course. But more and more are?

In my field....being older than 40 something confers legitimacy and wisdom--or are you of the opinion that only those who can BEST use an ANDROID should educate and lead our society? Sad again, if that's true!

cnh

mhardy6647

I am starting a campaign to bring back CB radio as the pre-eminent social networking tool. "You gotcher ears on, good buddy?"

Jstas

I can't see any posts in this thread because everyone is on my ignore list.

I can't figure out what all the hubbub is about.

mhardy6647

Jstas wrote: »

I can't see any posts in this thread because everyone is on my ignore list.

That makes forum reading a sort of solipsistic experience, doesn't it?
Oh, wait... he won't see this, so it's like the age-old conundrum

If a tree falls in a forest, and kills a mime... does anybody actually care?

cnh

Or as Andre Breton once said, "Anyone who cannot imagine a horse galloping on a tomato is an idiot!"

cnh

quadzilla

cnh wrote: »

All of the above. But really I'm more interested in your relations with your 18 year old. I haven't gotten to that stage with my children. My 13 year old, although, she now thinks her Dad is no longer 'cool' still likes to spend time with Dad and shares 'some' with him? My father and I were very close!

Wait'll you have a 25 yr old starting her internship. You think you don't talk much now? Mine actually grunts at me via text, and I'm lucky to get that.

mrbigbluelight

RuSsMaN wrote: »

Should I be cast in the next 'Blade' movie with a cool cape and gold laden codpeice?
Russ

Russman, it's "I" before "E", except after "C".

........ although "Codpiece" does begin with a "C".

Regarding your question, would you happen to have any pictures available ?
I'm working on a double shift (snow) and might be going for the trifecta (blizzard coming), so .......

..... cabin fever.

I've added nothing to this thread. :redface: At least Jstas won't know, one of the wonders of the "Ignore" list.

mhardy6647

mrbigbluelight wrote: »

Russman, it's "I" before "E", except after "C".

........ although "Codpiece" does begin with a "C".

... and then there is the word weird

mrbigbluelight wrote: »

I've added nothing to this thread. :redface: At least Jstas won't know, one of the wonders of the "Ignore" list.

Nor have I. But I am effectively stranded at work due to the weather at the moment, and cyber-companionship is preferable to working...

steveinaz

"i" before "e", except after "c", or when sounded like "a" as in neighbor or weigh.

Class dismissed.

Jstas

I feel a disturbance in the force. Like someone is using my name in vain! BLASPHEMERS!


Oh and I can see at least one post steveinaz hasn't made it to the ignore list yet. I can't bring myself to stick him there. He's so cute and cuddly!

exalted512

steveinaz wrote: »

"i" before "e", except after "c", or when sounded like "a" as in neighbor or weigh.

Class dismissed.

and weird is weird because it doesnt follow the rules.
-Cody

markmarc

Interesting read. Funny thing, the whole idea of face to face communication has been something I've been encouraging my students to practice more of in place of texting. A couple of parents have built upon this by setting up more sleepovers and after school hang around together times.

There is hope, as adults we must make the effort, much like shutting down multi-tasking at times for singular focus.

mhardy6647

Jstas wrote: »

I feel a disturbance in the force. Like someone is using my name in vain! BLASPHEMERS!


Oh and I can see at least one post steveinaz hasn't made it to the ignore list yet. I can't bring myself to stick him there. He's so cute and cuddly!

... and his grammar is so precise.