Lady Masquerade
Journeyman
Look into my eyes. Do you see who I see?
Posts: 174
|
Post by Lady Masquerade on Mar 4, 2010 18:28:50 GMT -5
HIGH SCHOOL -- 1957 vs. 2007
Scenario 1: Jack goes quail hunting before school and then pulls into the school parking lot with his shotgun in his truck's gun rack. 1957 - Vice Principal comes over, looks at Jack's shotgun, goes to his car and gets his shotgun to show Jack. 2007 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.
Scenario 2: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school. 1957 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up buddies. 2007 - Police called and SWAT team arrives -- they arrest both Johnny and Mark. They are both charged with assault and both expelled even though Johnny started it.
Scenario 3: Jeffrey will not be still in class, he disrupts other students. 1957 - Jeffrey sent to the Principal's office and given a good paddling by the Principal. He then returns to class, sits still and does not disrupt class again. 2007 - Jeffrey is given huge doses of Ritalin. He becomes a zombie. He is then tested for ADD. The school gets extra money from the state because Jeffrey has a disability.
Scenario 4: Billy breaks a window in his neighbor's car and his Dad gives him a whipping with his belt. 1957 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to college and becomes a successful businessman. 2007 - Billy's dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy is removed to foster care and joins a gang. The state psychologist is told by Billy's sister that she remembers being abused herself and their dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has an affair with the psychologist.
Scenario 5: Mark gets a headache and takes some aspirin to school. 1957 - Mark shares his aspirin with the Principal out on the smoking dock. 2007 - The police are called and Mark is expelled from school for drug violations. His car is then searched for drugs and weapons.
Scenario 6: Pedro fails high school English. 1957 - Pedro goes to summer school, passes English and goes to college. 2007 - Pedro's cause is taken up by the state. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against the state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English is then banned from core curriculum. Pedro is given his diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he cannot speak English.
Scenario 7: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the Fourth of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle and blows up a red ant bed. 1957 - Ants die. 2007 - ATF, Homeland Security and the FBI are all called. Johnny is charged with domestic terrorism. The FBI investigates his parents -- and all siblings are removed from their home and all computers are confiscated. Johnny's dad is placed on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.
Scenario 8: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary hugs him to comfort him. 1957 - In a short time, Johnny feels better and goes on playing. 2007 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison. Johnny undergoes 5 years of therapy.
|
|
|
Post by rjrock85 on Mar 5, 2010 12:01:38 GMT -5
The following picture contains dialogue of a suggestive nature, you have been warned. Its pretty tame though, so I figured it'd be okay to post...feel free to delete it if it ends up being too naughty. Attachments:
|
|
|
Post by Drozgul on Mar 5, 2010 14:19:36 GMT -5
I prefer a cross between the '60s and '90s in respects to the dating chart, but not with the in-betweens so much. Even though I find and understand the interest of the way things are done these days, I just don't understand the complications. Human beings are sexual creatures, go do your thing!
Fact! Women like sex Fact! Men like sex
Its kinda like eating a Reese's, there's no wrong way. But if there's any chance it could later require help groups or therapy, how bad do you need it?
As far as the post of '57 - '07. Sad, sad truth. Poor Mary, not only will she go to prison, but outside of therapy, Johnny's gonna tell his friends he "hit that" so he can sue her for all she's got when she gets out, but he has to turn 18 first, and allow the therapist to bang him over his/her desk (does is matter?) while filling his head with nonsensical trauma that never happened.
I absolutely, without a doubt HATE the way society is today, in just about every respect. But I've been saying it for along time. People are the cause of peoples' problems. We create these opportunities for ourselves to be the twisted individuals and groups that we are.
"Come gather ’round people Wherever you roam And admit that the waters Around you have grown And accept it that soon You’ll be drenched to the bone. If your time to you is worth savin’ Then you better start swimmin’ or you’ll sink like a stone For the times they are a-changin’.
Come writers and critics Who prophesize with your pen And keep your eyes wide The chance won’t come again And don’t speak too soon For the wheel’s still in spin And there’s no tellin’ who that it’s naming.’ For the loser now will be later to win For the times they are a-changin’.
Come senators, congressmen Please heed the call Don’t stand in the doorway Don’t block up the hall For he that gets hurt Will be he who has stalled There’s a battle outside and it is ragin’. It’ll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls For the times they are a-changin’.
Come mothers and fathers Throughout the land And don’t criticize What you can’t understand Your sons and your daughters Are beyond your command Your old road is rapidly agin’. Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand For the times they are a-changin’.
The line it is drawn The curse it is cast The slow one now Will later be fast As the present now Will later be past The order is rapidly fadin’. And the first one now will later be last For the times they are a-changin’."
-Bob Dylan
|
|
Fenix
Journeyman
Who in the hell do you think I am?
Posts: 162
|
Post by Fenix on Mar 12, 2010 23:56:27 GMT -5
Wanna the funny about Lady's statements?
Well the U.S. is like that today simply do to the children from that era and their children as well. Today is simply shaping tomorrow, and this is what yesterday built for us.
For every pro there is a con. In 1957 do you think a woman would be able to move up in the job place like they can now? Or how about segregation/racism? Sure NOW we have laws to help that but in 1957, not so much, working on at the time sure.
Am I being negative about the difference? No, if I sound that way sorry. But for all our advancements something is lost.
|
|
|
Post by daginae on Mar 14, 2010 4:22:23 GMT -5
Morals and standards would probably fall under that category I think. Also, I think we've lost more than we've gained since the late 1950's. Besides technology to make the human race more lazy than what it already is, I can't really see any HUGE improvements, besides, it would really only take one minor exclusion to send the world back to the stone age...subtract electricity.
|
|
|
Post by labael on Mar 15, 2010 20:34:31 GMT -5
Subtract electricity and we go back to wild west times. . .well I will be chilling with the Amish. Ya so you can have your stones and I'll have my blacksmithy and making gun powder. Sooner or later I'll invent a steam engine. . .you got the wheel huh. . .okay I'm done with my crazy talk
|
|
rlandis
Journeyman
FOR THE EMPIRE!
Posts: 224
|
Post by rlandis on Mar 16, 2010 10:25:14 GMT -5
Bah, Morals and religion, bah, they hold society back!
The future will be better then today!
Reason A: Super Powers will dominate the world in an even more effective manner. China's rise to power has been halted by the economy, and their current issues with political instability has halted future progress for the current moment. This leaves USA-Canada and the European union to once again, do what it does best. . . Dictate what happens over the world. Faster tech' and more mobile transportation systems of military use will render any national threat useless. The war on Terrorism goes actually pretty well, but the idea of guerrilla warfare will NEVER be defeated, thus leaving the only true enemy to the Western World still open. Damn jimmy and his assault rifle, he will always be able to pop off a few rounds at our troops and run away. If he is smart, hes in civilian clothes. . .
Reason B: We have lost our old ways of thinking, yes. . . But we have gained communication and have lost alot of cultural taboos with it. In the 50's and 60's, white was right, the rest were sub-human. Now days, I can talk equally to a Japanese man, what is even more beautiful is, he doesn't even speak English. Yay for EASY to handle and FREE translation services. In all honesty, I spent two months having conversations with a Russian man over a Warhammer mod. I don't speak Russian, he doesn't speak English. The Beta team, myself, and a host of testers all were from different parts of the world, but communication was easy.
Reason C: Medical understand and advancement. Do I really need to explain? A healthy adult of my Generation ca easily live to 115 considering he lives a healthy life. The only thing stopping most from that expectation is, obesity. Once again, that is to be blamed on yesterday. A child only learns what a parent teaches them. The failure of a soldier is the failure of a commander. The apple doesn't fall far from the tree. What we must do, and what we are doing currently, is promoting physical education as well as the idea of a responsible diet. In the 50-60's We promoted the idea of smoking, let drugs freely pass hands, and safe-sexual relations were ignored.
Reason D: Did we forget that "Jack" or "Jeffery" goes home to a male-dominated household, where spousal abuse was the common of the time. It was NEVER talked about, mentioned, or even brought up, because it was a hushed up and the cultural norm for the male to ALWAYS be on the right side of the law. The woman at the time had her place, even when laws permitted women into the work force, the thought of the time was still "Bitch, get in the kitchen and make me a samm'ich!" Granted, at times it is still the thought of the modern male. In the modern way of thinking, a woman is equal to a man, that even today they may serve in our Military. This also brings up the issue of homosexuals, slowly, they are becoming an accepted part of our culture and looked at the same way we look at a relationship between two people that are not of the same race. In the future, a Half Aborigine, Japanese man who was born a female will most likely be president.
As for the Scenarios mentioned at the start of this forum post by our friend Lady Masquerade, I find most of them to be exaggerated, un-common, and grossly ignorant views on the modern culture. I find the views of the past to be based on pure bias and hopeful thoughts. Scenario 2 is laughable, even back then Mark and Johnny would still hold a grudge if the reason was worth a true fight. The reasoning for the fight isn't even mentioned.
In the 50's and 60's they said the 20-30 were a better time. The 20-30's said the 1800's were a better time. It is ALWAYS the norm of the time, sadly, to bitch about what is wrong with it. Comparing a new norm to an old norm is the same as comparing yesterdays Newspaper to today's. Too much changes from DAY TO DAY, let alone from time to time, to be an accurate judge of "This time was better." Each paper has GOOD news, and BAD news. Humanity has YET to have a perfect time.
I LOVE history, none can debate that. But there is a difference between being interested in History, and dwelling in the past. A Healthy human looks for a brighter future, they do not live in the past and wish for it return to the way it was. That is not progress, that is stagnation. A static time is a dead time. The last time this world suffered a dead/static stage was the Dark Ages. . . Do you REALLY want to re-do that time period? I LOVE the dark ages, would I want to live there? HELL NO!
Reason E for while the world will be better.
I will be the supreme dictator, and Felix will be my boot lick. *Poke, poke, stab, stab.*
|
|
|
Post by Drozgul on Mar 16, 2010 21:24:08 GMT -5
The old and new world have basically always been pulling in two generalized directions.
Progressive: Making progress toward better conditions; employing or advocating more enlightened or liberal ideas, new or experimental methods, etc.
Conservative: Disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
I believe there is room for both. The problem with conservation is stagnation.
The problem with progression is change has to mean something, not just provide change.
I want to communicate easily with the whole world, but never desire a universal language. I want rights, freedoms and choices, not lawfully enforced insurances and governmental hand-holding.
The '50s were simple, and so were the people in it. They worked harder because laziness wasn't tolerated.
Today fat is cheaper than health, so we eat it up. Being a healthy, useful individual takes work. I know a lot less people willing to be that kind of person today than I recall just ten and twenty years ago.
Religion doesn't hold society back, neither do morals. Even those of us who do not believe in the same God, or any god, keep these guidelines as a means to judge ourselves as we grow as people, both seperately and together.
If keeping traditions alive is holding us from the wave of the future I'll eat my hat. The idea that progress need be made is true, but how gradual or how aggresively is not for any of we lowly individuals to decide.
The way I figure it is, if you'd like to dream of distant times, past or future, that's a beautiful human thing. Working to make the best of what you have, though, will always be of greater importance.
In twenty years, Jimmy, Johnny, Tommy, and the rest could very well be out world leaders, or what fills the penitentiaries and asylums, but the truth is we'll always have a world chalk full of stupid people. The intelligent will remain in classrooms like Hawkings, in dungeons like Gygax, and their own offices like Verne or Asimov.
People like Sun Tzu simply can't run the world. Not enough people think alike. If that's even who you'd have in the first place.
This discussion has fallen a little far from the tree. The short version is if if was easy to live every day in bliss, the fantasies we dream about would be worthless. I'll take dull everyday. Don't take away my yesterdays, tomorrows, or dreamlands.
|
|
Fenix
Journeyman
Who in the hell do you think I am?
Posts: 162
|
Post by Fenix on Mar 16, 2010 23:36:53 GMT -5
Landis if you truly believe that moral and religion hold back society its speaks volumes of your ignorance and lack of understanding in that way of thinking. Look at yourself, you are a product of your environment (the morals of the area), if you had been raised say in a large city chances are you would look at things differently then you do now. You want there to be super powers ruling, but as the past has soon all things come to a end in time. And if things turn out the way you hope, well chances are you are gonna be on the bottom of the ladder (along with the rest of us).
Some people have lost old ways of thinking, true. Not everyone has, mostly due to the way they were raised. Honestly for things to change for the better there has to be people who look to the future with hope in their eyes, as well as people to view and learn from the past so that some mistakes will never happen again. It takes balance for things to ideally work.
America's people for the most part are ignorant of what is going on in the world (most simply do not care until if effects them). The sad thing is that there is a means to gather a large amount of information, but many do not bother. Also a large part of it is due to laziness, we are so used to things being within arms reach that many don't try to go above and beyond.
While yes the discussion has from the tree, at least it showing that there is something to talk about on the forums for a bit. Regardless of if electricity is working or not
|
|
|
Post by rjrock85 on Mar 17, 2010 6:11:21 GMT -5
I'll have to take issue with the whole "morals and religion hold society back" thing. Its because of morals that we even have a society to begin with and religion, any religion (besides the satanic ones), is a grand compass that points to the right direction as far as morals are concerned. Without morals, murder, theft, and dishonesty are the run of the mill; the guy with the biggest stick decides the laws of the land until another guy with a bigger stick decides he doesn't like the first guy.
As far as progress is concerned: contrary to some philosophies, it is oppressive and bloated government that holds back progress. If a free mind can't think and make real his greatest dream due to miles of red tape and a series of tricky hoops to jump through, then tomorrow is only today in the grand scheme of things. Yes, some of those dreams could be nightmares but you have to take the good with the bad and try your best to relieve the pain of the bad and prevent the onset of further nightmares by addressing the cause (which is more than just the freedom to dream such a dream).
Progress through technology, tolerance of people, and the opportunities of the individual is healthy to a society...Progress through the casting off of morality and ethics, removing failure from the equation, and tolerance of destructive behavior at any level of society is not.
At least that's my opinion.
|
|
rlandis
Journeyman
FOR THE EMPIRE!
Posts: 224
|
Post by rlandis on Mar 17, 2010 11:08:50 GMT -5
Religion has always been a mask to hide war and greed behind. Need I beat the dead horse and bring up the Crusades?
Putting Morals and Religion aside, we can always debate its use. The main point still stands.
Yesterday was not better then today. Tomarrow will hopefully always be better then today.
As stated with the News Paper, Good and bad happens in both situations. Though Everyday we learn a little bit more, thus makeing the next day a bit more educated and well off.
Looking at the past is healthy. I LOVE history. But I WILL NOT dwell on it.
Bashing the modern time instead of looking at its benifits is as productive as watching grass grow.
|
|
Lady Masquerade
Journeyman
Look into my eyes. Do you see who I see?
Posts: 174
|
Post by Lady Masquerade on Mar 17, 2010 16:24:18 GMT -5
I find it amusing how the posts that I put up just to sort of get a chuckle out of a few people are the ones that spark long-winded discussions and provoke a lot of thought. Maybe in the future, when I really want a response to something, I'll just put it up as an email forward (like this one was) or a clever pic and just say "Ok, go!" -sigh-
Alas, all I was really getting at in the initial post, which was not of my own originality, was that I miss when people wouldn't search and scrape to find an excuse to claim that they've been "offended" or "mistreated" or "enter some other violation here" by somebody else just so that they can get something for nothing. If I had really, REALLY wanted to rant on something, I have a couple things I could fire off right now, but this was more just food for thought. And it seems some of you are really hungry for some interesting conversation, or any conversation. But that is what this forum is for, so go ahead.
|
|
rlandis
Journeyman
FOR THE EMPIRE!
Posts: 224
|
Post by rlandis on Mar 17, 2010 18:33:03 GMT -5
Its the "Internetz" What did you expect?
We gave birth to Chuck Norris and kittens in jars. . .
|
|
|
Post by rjrock85 on Mar 18, 2010 5:54:56 GMT -5
Allow me to rephrase your response so that it isn't an offensive blanket statement: Today and in the past, religion has occasionally been used by men to hide their greed and pretenses for war behind.
I'm not arguing that Religion cannot be used as a powerful weapon, because it can. The Crusades were a great example of that. They were also an example of the evils of all encompassing government and temporal powers as well...certainly, the Catholic Church at that time was (and to a minor extent, still is) an extra-national government.
I agree with you that tomorrow tends to be better than yesterday, but it is my opinion that this will only be the case if we can keep morals and ethics (not this relativistic morality bullshit) in our thoughts as we move forward lest we lose our freedoms or descend into anarchy. We also should not dwell in the past, but we commit a great error if we fail to learn from it. One final thing for this post, instead of just pining about the "good ol' days" do something, no matter how minor, to correct what is wrong with the present.
|
|
|
Post by labael on Mar 18, 2010 19:21:09 GMT -5
If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this. C. S. Lewis
Science was done by many men of cloth. Genetics precursors was done by a monk and some beans.
I would like to remind you of all the good that religion has done. All the people helped. All the people fed. All the people counseled. If you only see and remember the evil that was done in the name of something, you can never see it's true meaning. Everything can be twisted to darker desires. Tools become weapons. Medical drugs become poisons. You argument to religion is like saying "Guns kill people." People are and will always be the problem.
|
|