Headlines: Being an Eternal Optimist is Dang Hard These Days

[Big Black Dog]

Well, let's have a look at things that have transpired in my lifetime... Back in the 50's life was a lot simpler, seems like it was a lot more carefree, a man alone working could support his family, people didn't make as much money but then again, things didn't cost as much as they do now. There was some crime but nothing like today. Going to prison was a very big deal. Teenage pregnancy existed but handled more discretely. The girl in trouble most often gave the baby up for adoption or the father and girlf married. Gangs existed but not anything like the gang bangers of today. Some drug use but overall, very little as compared to day. TV sets only had 3 major channels. No credit cards. Most people paid cash for what they bought or used some form of a store's revolving credit plan. Anybody that wanted to work found employment easily in a large variety of fields. Fast forward to today. Everything costs about four times more than what it is actually worth. Major dangerous gangs in just about every area of the country. Young unmarried girls wear being pregnant like a badge of honor, a very large part of the population is in debt up to their eyebrows due to mismanagement of credit cards, unemployment is at an all-time high, TV's have more channels to watch then you can count, wide-spread drug use and people battling to have illegal drugs legalized, marriage is a dying tradition between men and women but is evolvinng into a "normal" event for queers, both spouses in a family (if there exists a father and mother) requried to work to pay bills created by out spending their incomes, prisons are over-crowded and going to prison is no big deal to a large portion of the population. Now everyday life is a very complex, difficult situation as compared to the 50's when it was more laid back and easy going. So, yes, I think it is very hard to be an optimist these days.

 

[Mr.Fitnah]

First, welcome home Mr. F.

But I don't know guys. I defnitely think the country is on the wrong track and has been for a long time now.

But then I think back to times when people survived because they were a good enough shot to hit a rabbit or squirrel, when they felled the trees and shaped the logs they used to build their houses with their own hands, when great armies were felled by lesser armies who simply had more right than might on their sides, who overcame the most severe diversities to accomplish great things.

From a rather cruel world made up of dictators, corrupt monarchs, totalitarian governments, that tolerated extreme cruelty, brutality, and enforced violation of basic human rights by imposing serfdom, mandatory underclasses, slavery, and mandatory starvation of whole villages or cities, from abject poverty accepted by those who left all they knew in hopes of something better. . . .

. . . from all that, the human spirit was able to rise above all that to create and build the most free, most just, most prosperous, most innovative, and more generous nation on Earth.

Are there no people left with the spirit, courage, and insight to rise above the current mess we find ourselves in?

Very few, when one rises above, it gets pounded down like an errant nail.
The best one can do it focus on reality and hope for the best and plan for the worse, and by chance you will be able to help someone who will make a positive difference alone the road.

Well I'll agree that some do seem to feel personally threatened by a rising star, but as much as I'm struggling with my eternal optimism, I can't be so pessimistic as to think a star can no longer rise in this country.

I still believe that Americans are the most generous and compassionate of people anywhere and the most likely to voluntarily offer the fallen a hand up. And I believe those with solid American values that have stood the test of time also look for those with similar values to raise up.

What we need is somebody like a Reagan. It wasn't his policies or programs that inspired the people, but his belief that it would not be government that will make things better, but it will be the people themselves and their ability to accomplish anything if they just have the freedom and confidence to do it. We need that more than anything else right now.

This is a spoof but not far from some peoples reality.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-faCh8BUEts]YouTube - Victim In Fatal Car Accident Tragically Not Glenn Beck[/ame]

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

The best has already been and today is better than tommorrow will be.

Enjoy it while you can.

Pity.

Nay saying and fear brokering has won your weak mind over.

sad.

You keep telling yourself that and some day when reality sets in, you'll agree with me that we're fucked.

Repeating the same thing over and over again throughout the ages, I am surprised your forebears made it this far with you. Then again, maybe you represent the beginning of the end.

 

[topspin]

I wasn't around till the 60's but you can have your simple 50's.
It was good for lilly white men, kinda sucked for woman, minorities and single guys.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Very few, when one rises above, it gets pounded down like an errant nail.
The best one can do it focus on reality and hope for the best and plan for the worse, and by chance you will be able to help someone who will make a positive difference alone the road.

Well I'll agree that some do seem to feel personally threatened by a rising star, but as much as I'm struggling with my eternal optimism, I can't be so pessimistic as to think a star can no longer rise in this country.

I still believe that Americans are the most generous and compassionate of people anywhere and the most likely to voluntarily offer the fallen a hand up. And I believe those with solid American values that have stood the test of time also look for those with similar values to raise up.

What we need is somebody like a Reagan. It wasn't his policies or programs that inspired the people, but his belief that it would not be government that will make things better, but it will be the people themselves and their ability to accomplish anything if they just have the freedom and confidence to do it. We need that more than anything else right now.

This is a spoof but not far from some peoples reality.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-faCh8BUEts]YouTube - Victim In Fatal Car Accident Tragically Not Glenn Beck[/ame]

The sad part is the people who made the video and others like you, spend this much time and effort paying attention to the few people in the world who may feel this way about Beck. Most normal people who are repulsed by Beck, pay very little attention to him.

The fantasy world you live in has a view that people who dislike Beck think about him this seriously, as you people think so seriously about those you dislike,

short version: projection of your world view

 

[Foxfyre]

Well, let's have a look at things that have transpired in my lifetime... Back in the 50's life was a lot simpler, seems like it was a lot more carefree, a man alone working could support his family, people didn't make as much money but then again, things didn't cost as much as they do now. There was some crime but nothing like today. Going to prison was a very big deal. Teenage pregnancy existed but handled more discretely. The girl in trouble most often gave the baby up for adoption or the father and girlf married. Gangs existed but not anything like the gang bangers of today. Some drug use but overall, very little as compared to day. TV sets only had 3 major channels. No credit cards. Most people paid cash for what they bought or used some form of a store's revolving credit plan. Anybody that wanted to work found employment easily in a large variety of fields. Fast forward to today. Everything costs about four times more than what it is actually worth. Major dangerous gangs in just about every area of the country. Young unmarried girls wear being pregnant like a badge of honor, a very large part of the population is in debt up to their eyebrows due to mismanagement of credit cards, unemployment is at an all-time high, TV's have more channels to watch then you can count, wide-spread drug use and people battling to have illegal drugs legalized, marriage is a dying tradition between men and women but is evolvinng into a "normal" event for queers, both spouses in a family (if there exists a father and mother) requried to work to pay bills created by out spending their incomes, prisons are over-crowded and going to prison is no big deal to a large portion of the population. Now everyday life is a very complex, difficult situation as compared to the 50's when it was more laid back and easy going. So, yes, I think it is very hard to be an optimist these days.

But you know, several decades ago I remember my mother bemoaning how much harsher and uglier the world had become than when she was a kid. She despised rock and roll music--it was as harsh to her ears accustomed to the big bands, jazz, and war tunes of her youth as much heavy metal, acid rock, and a lot of rap is unmusical to my ears.

Hubby asked his mom why she named his twin sister and him what she did, and she replied that she didn't know, but it didn't matter that much to her at the time. She didn't think there would be any world by the time the kids grew up so it wasn't important.

My kids can't imagine the world being any better than it was when they were kids.

So much probably is in perspective.

But despite all that, when Americans depended on themselves and did not look to government to be a 'safety net' or any other kind of benefactor, we were the most free, most prosperous, most inventive, most productive, and most innovative people on Earth, we had the world's largest middle class, and mom could stay home and raise the kids.

If rolling government back and giving the power back to the people is the solution, have we reached the point of no return so that such would be impossible?

Or is the only hope for our survival is to let the government have all the power and call all the shots however miserable that would be for many of us?

 

[Mr Natural]

Pity.

Nay saying and fear brokering has won your weak mind over.

sad.

You keep telling yourself that and some day when reality sets in, you'll agree with me that we're fucked.

Repeating the same thing over and over again throughout the ages, I am surprised your forebears made it this far with you. Then again, maybe you represent the beginning of the end.

My generation (the Boomers) more than likely does represent the beginning of the end. We were the last generation virtually guaranteed to live better lives than our parents. Can the same be said about the generations since? No, not by a long shot.

And if you can give me one single indication that supports your rosy vision of a better tommorrow, I'll gladly jump on the optimism bandwagon with you.

And you might want to can the insults lest be thought of as a bit of a douchebag. OK?

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

You keep telling yourself that and some day when reality sets in, you'll agree with me that we're fucked.

Repeating the same thing over and over again throughout the ages, I am surprised your forebears made it this far with you. Then again, maybe you represent the beginning of the end.

My generation (the Boomers) more than likely does represent the beginning of the end. We were the last generation virtually guaranteed to live better lives than our parents. Can the same be said about the generations since? No, not by a long shot.

And if you can give me one single indication that supports your rosy vision of a better tommorrow, I'll gladly jump on the optimism bandwagon with you.

And you might want to can the insults lest be thought of as a bit of a douchebag. OK?

Tomorrow and yesterday have many meanings. If you think this generation, or future ones, as living a standard lower than baby boomers, think you are mistaken. Depending on what decade one was growing up in, life was not all that rosey.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

And you might want to can the insults lest be thought of as a bit of a douchebag. OK?

This from a poster who has "Who gives a shit?" as a signature?

 

[Foxfyre]

I would really appreciate everyvbody keeping it sort of civil so we don't get bumped into the Flame Zone. Thanks so much for understanding.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

I would really appreciate everyvbody keeping it sort of civil so we don't get bumped into the Flame Zone. Thanks so much for understanding.

get hold of your control issue impulses. no one is even approaching the type of postings that would qualify for your paranoid alarmist nightmare scenario,

 

[Foxfyre]

Well that is certainly the optimistic view, Dante, for a thread based on optimism.

But I've had a thread bumped into the Flame Zone (and therefore killed) that had ONLY civil comments in it. But I used the same headline that was used by US News and World Report and whatever mod bumped it assumed it was a flame thread.

 

[Procrustes Stretched]

Well that is certainly the optimistic view, Dante, for a thread based on optimism.

But I've had a thread bumped into the Flame Zone (and therefore killed) that had ONLY civil comments in it. But I used the same headline that was used by US News and World Report and whatever mod bumped it assumed it was a flame thread.

Here's an optimistic outlook to have: USMB maude squad will bump a thread and life will go on.

 

[Foxfyre]

Yes it will. But I do enjoy an opportunity to discuss a topic that interests me until it runs out of steam. And I and a whole lot of other members don't go to the Flame Zone to find topics to discuss.

 

[uscitizen]

Yes, I do.

And here's a reason why. There are too many of us and , with our manufacturing base all but gone, not enough decent paying jobs that people without extensive education or skills can work and still make a resonable middle class living.

And for many with a decent education their earning power and benefits will decrease.
Why?
Simple globalization and global competition.
We compete with workers in countries where the avg wage may be 10K/yr or less.
We will not win. We will meet them in the middle somewhere, them with more us with less.

We are spinning down now but have massive inertia so it will take a while.

The recent golden age of the USA is past.
If we work hard and are smart we may see another one in 30 years or so.

 

[Foxfyre]

Yes, I do.

And here's a reason why. There are too many of us and , with our manufacturing base all but gone, not enough decent paying jobs that people without extensive education or skills can work and still make a resonable middle class living.

And for many with a decent education their earning power and benefits will decrease.
Why?
Simple globalization and global competition.
We compete with workers in countries where the avg wage may be 10K/yr or less.
We will not win. We will meet them in the middle somewhere, them with more us with less.

We are spinning down now but have massive inertia so it will take a while.

The recent golden age of the USA is past.
If we work hard and are smart we may see another one in 30 years or so.

But isn't it possible that there can be leaders found and elected to high office who know how to prosper in a global market? Isn't it possible that we can roll back destructive and counterproductive policies in favor of ones that regenerate the old American can do spirit?

The current Administration and Congress don't have a clue how to do that. That much is obvious.

But I am unwilling to say that it can't be done.

 

[uscitizen]

Yes, I do.

And here's a reason why. There are too many of us and , with our manufacturing base all but gone, not enough decent paying jobs that people without extensive education or skills can work and still make a resonable middle class living.

And for many with a decent education their earning power and benefits will decrease.
Why?
Simple globalization and global competition.
We compete with workers in countries where the avg wage may be 10K/yr or less.
We will not win. We will meet them in the middle somewhere, them with more us with less.

We are spinning down now but have massive inertia so it will take a while.

The recent golden age of the USA is past.
If we work hard and are smart we may see another one in 30 years or so.

But isn't it possible that there can be leaders found and elected to high office who know how to prosper in a global market? Isn't it possible that we can roll back destructive and counterproductive policies in favor of ones that regenerate the old American can do spirit?

The current Administration and Congress don't have a clue how to do that. That much is obvious.

But I am unwilling to say that it can't be done.

Ohh things could have mitigated some effects if we did the proper things. But that will not happen much until it is too late for them to help much. We refuse to see what is in front of us and react properly. We are also spoiled and lazy as a society.
We are the USA, #1 with a bullet!

sigh....

 

[eagleseven]

But isn't it possible that there can be leaders found and elected to high office who know how to prosper in a global market? Isn't it possible that we can roll back destructive and counterproductive policies in favor of ones that regenerate the old American can do spirit?

Politicians cannot stop a hurricane, nor can they direct the global economy.

Your personal objective should be to seem wealthy in comparison with the average Homo sapien, rather than in comparison with the average American.

 

[Foxfyre]

But isn't it possible that there can be leaders found and elected to high office who know how to prosper in a global market? Isn't it possible that we can roll back destructive and counterproductive policies in favor of ones that regenerate the old American can do spirit?

Politicians cannot stop a hurricane, nor can they direct the global economy.

Your personal objective should be to seem wealthy in comparison with the average Homo sapien, rather than in comparison with the average American.

Why?

(And yes I got your PM but it's still a fair question. )

 

[topspin]

I work with engineers who make 80k right out of school. Sometime people project their troubles 90 percent are still working and Making mores each yeaR.