Thanks to PJs for pointing out this article which I missed last week. Apparently, hard times in America have forced parents to stop subsidizing their precious little art school dropouts loafing about in NYC. From NY Times:
Famed for its concentration of heavily subsidized 20-something residents — also nicknamed trust-funders or trustafarians — Williamsburg is showing signs of trouble. Parents whose money helped fuel one of the city’s most radical gentrifications in recent years have stopped buying their children new luxury condos, subsidizing rents and providing cash to spend at Bedford Avenue’s boutiques and coffee houses.
For 18 months after graduating from Colby College, Jack Drury, 24, lived the way many Williamsburg residents do: He followed his passions, working in satellite radio and playing guitar. He earned money as a bicycle messenger and, on occasion, turned to his parents for money.
It's about as difficult to have sympathy for these skinny-jeaned layabouts as the "Funemployed" and the bankers' girlfriends who can't get anymore bottle service...especially since people younger than them are dying for our country.
Maybe they should consider not living in the nation's most expensive city or take my father's advice of "Get a Job, You Bum". But knowing these people (and don't deny they all voted for Obama) they're just waiting for their share of the stimulus pie.
Portrait of Poverty: Distressed Girlfriends of Investment Bankers
You know who's really got it tough after the economy took a big dump? No, not laid off workers in the manufacturing sector from metro Detroit. I'm talking about wealthy Manhattanite chicks who can't get "bottle service" at swanky clubs in SoHo. Their website [Dating a Banker Anonymous] reveals the Dickensian like conditions:
This whole messy ordeal has advanced my Botox start date by at least two years. Like every other DABA girl, the economy was wreaking havoc on my relationship and youthful good looks. Phone calls went unanswered, Hamptons invitations un-extended, plans canceled (including, but not limited to, expensive opening night tickets to the ballet, which were scalped instead of being graciously offered to me and a galpal), and so forth and so on. Until – the horror of all horrors – my FBF lost his job, which I guess technically downgrades him to just my BF.
In general, being an attractive woman is an excuse for just about any sort of egregious behavior. But not this time! At first you might be led to believe that this site is high satire and ask yourself "Are these broads for real?", but a NY Times article reveals that this is indeed not a joke. NYT:
About 30 women, generally in their mid- to late-20s, regularly post to the Web site or attend meetings.
“We do make light of everything on the blog and it’s very tongue in cheek,” said Laney Crowell, 27, who parted ways with a corporate real estate investor last month after a tumultuous relationship. “But it all stems out of really serious and heartfelt situations.”
This is why America will fail. People are fast becoming accustomed to lavish lifestyles and expecting government intervention and external forces to make it all better. I suggest sending these women to live in the garbage dump in Phnom Penh, Cambodia so they can learn about real hard times. As an aside, I'm going to take a shot in the dark here, and assert that most of these women voted for Obama.
I will make one policy proposal. Some of my fellow libertarians hope that the Obama administration will put an end to the drug war. I hope so too, but I'm not too optimistic. Instead, I propose a smaller step toward freedom -- eliminating the federally mandated drinking age of 21. This mandate was a creature of Elizabeth Dole (who is no longer in the Senate to complain at its abolition), and it has unnecessarily limited the freedom of legal adults, old enough to fight for their country, to drink adult beverages.
Might be a tough battle, since the MADD nannies have already come out against even military members aged 18-21 drinking on bases. I suggest we start there, as one brave SC statesman has done against a sea of opposition by those who can't mind their own damn business. Then the seriously encroaching Reagan-era federal law that prevents Highway funds to states if the drinking age is below 21 could get nixed. After that, our puritan country could be in the clear to start treating people over 18 as adults like every other goddamn nation in the world.
It can't come too fast either, because it seems college kids are eschewing booze for intoxicating Obama rhetoric! From a Higher Ed study of my alma mater (by way of Reason):
The proportion of students who describe themselves as “middle-of-the-road” politically continues to decline, hitting an all-time low of 43.3 percent, while the proportion who describe themselves as liberal and far left grew to 31 and 3.2 percent, respectively. “This is the largest percentage of students categorizing themselves as liberal since 1973,” states the survey. The survey finds that 20.7 percent of freshmen characterize themselves as conservative, down slightly from 23.1 percent the year before.
The report finds increasing support among freshmen for liberal causes — including same-sex marriage. Support for environmental causes continues to grow.
Freshmen are also, apparently, partying less in high school. In 2008, 18.8 percent say they partied an average of six or more hours a week, half the 36.8 percent total in 1987.
Unlike Obama's Keynesian economic beliefs of the power of "stimulus", a massive binge on Natural Ice will only fuck you up for one night instead of prolonging the pain and agony of a depression for 8 years. While the computer science nerds are sipping on their Obamaesque Pepsis, cooler college kids could be guzzling booze and talking about the collapse of the dollar under a Democrat-controlled congress...or just have unprotected sex, whatever. Is this shameless policy promotion to woo young people politically? You betcha!
Does anyone remember the 1993 movie PCU? It concisely summarized the attitude on college campuses during the politically correct 90s where thought crimes like not spelling "womyn" with the "y" and eating meat on Thanksgiving were met with the obligatory protest and you being labeled as an imperialist monster. People had to walk on egg shells to not indirectly offend every ethno-cultural groups since the history of civilization. And, just having a conversation with the approved "sensitivity" proved exceedingly difficult. Jeremy Piven has a good monologue in the movie where he says people need to drop the act and just go get drunk and laid (in that order).
9/11 changed the campus landscape, where causes like the plight of the Spotted Gecko Toad were temporarily put on the backburner due to more pressing issues, but a look at UW shows that we've degenerated back to the bad old days. A student, John Fay, penned an editorial in the school newspaper against gay marriage, which some may deem offensive. Not a problem, since offensive publications are the norm in our internet-driven culture, and you can always not read the article. But, an angry mob is making unclear demands and seems to just be protesting because they feel it's the right thing to do [Seattle P-I]:
The rally organizers wrote on Facebook that they're not trying to slam the paper as a whole -- they just don't like the contents of the opinion piece:
"This group is not against the paper. This group is against language that divides and language that is used to spread bigotry and hate. We have respect for the Daily and what its intended purpose is. It's purpose is to educate. Let's educate."
Seriously people, it's just an article. Being perpetually outraged at everyone else's opinions that you don't share is going to prevent you from having a good time that is an important part of being an undergrad.
Politico has an exclusive interview with newly elected Rep. Aaron Schock (R-Il), the first congressman born in the 80s:
Q. In the House, you will have 434 new coworkers. How will you convince them to look past your age?
A. Well I've found it's a lot like high school. You show up, you do your homework, you ask intelligent questions, you bring forward well-thought-out ideas and you quickly earn the respect of your peers, and that's what I've had to do in the state legislature.
Hopefully this pizzaface will cease text messaging his BFFs in the bathroom stall and understand that he's running a "big country" here. God have mercy on us all.
My Turn, the first-person Newsweek feature that covers a random assortment of topics from Dude, Where's My Bridge to Nowhere and I Can't Cook Like Grandma, has always been a fave of mine. Primarily, because it allows people to shamelessly air the dirty laundry of life in a major media publication. It can also provide a fascinating look at mainstream trends in your generation that you isolated yourself from long ago by signing up for military service. After reading a Politico article about this new wave of young voters, it sounds like these youngsters are looking for "change" in the form of free government healthcare, free college tuition, and free beer money from the tooth fairy. Call me a cynical asshole if you must, but it's well known that people tend to vote their self-interest and riding the feel-good train to fame and fortune seems to be the lofty aspirations of all these would-be Paris Hiltons based on polling data.
But a looksy at these two My Turns gets to the root of the problem with many young people today, they are just too doggone self-centered and woefully dependent on their parents. An NYC denizen describes her "subsidized" friends living up every hipsters dream of having a studio in SoHo:
Higher rents and the need for deeper pockets are part of the charm associated with city living, but urban pricing aside, it is possible to live in any city regardless of your age or income; it just takes a little budgeting and prioritizing. Surrendering to lifestyle flexibility may be unattractive, but sometimes it's necessary. It's easy to "keep up with the Joneses" when financial responsibility is someone else's problem. The fact is, my peers who flood out of designer stores, arms adorned with shopping bags, wouldn't be able to afford their purchases without ringing up a massive credit-card debt. By continuing to provide for their twentysomething kids, parents hinder their children's ability to be financially responsible. If you don't learn to budget early on, what will inspire you to do so when your finances become your own prerogative?
Welcome to the world of professional paper-writing, the dirty secret of the tutoring business. It's facilitated by avaricious agencies, perpetuated by accountability-free parents and made possible by self-loathing nerds like me. For three-hour workdays, the ability to sleep in and the opportunity to get paid to learn, I tackled subjects like Dostoevsky while spoiled jerks smoked pot, took naps, surfed the Internet and had sex. Though some offered me chateaubriand and the occasional illicit drug, most treated me like the help. I put up with it because I feared working in an office for $12 an hour again.
This frightening trend will most likely lead to these spoiled turds growing up to be CEOs of large corporations looking for more and more government bailout money to fund their pricey lifestyles. This will have a crippling effect on our society as urban decadence is publicly financed, while schmucks employed out in Rubes-ville have to work longer hours to make ends meet and pay their taxes.
Due to a court-order from that smartass judge, I'm not allowed to father children, but if I had some kids I would do them a favor and give them the boot right when they finished high school (with parental affection of course). The world is an interesting place when you make your own way, and it would help prevent a burgeoning class of skinny-jeaned hipsters from continuously trying to vote themselves largesse at everyone else's expense.
Oh dear. It appears Soulja Boy has a new YouTube video entitled "Rich Nigga Shit Part 1" where he blows his nose on money and struts around in an embroidered robe while mumbling incomprehensible speech patterns (h/t NY Mag). Sadly, Soulja Boy's antics are hardly an isolated incident and seem to be indicative of the desired model by many of our nation's youngsters. While our country's citizens are increasingly crushed under a mountain of debt and home foreclosures in the 21st century, those, like Soulja Boy, coming into adulthood seem to still hold aspirations for the ever-elusive "wealth" and "fame".
USA Today has an article talking about newfound altruism immediately following 9/11, but polling that same year of 579 18-25 year olds speaks a different narrative about their priorities. For the top goals, "To Get Rich" tops the list, with "To Be Famous" at #2. The most important "important individual problem" is "Money/Finances", with "natl/intl conditions" bottoming out just below "miscellaneous". This polling data shows a shocking disposition towards a solipsistic outlook of the world, despite the fact that global communication and the information age have made it easier to consume news and understand distant cultures from your geographic location. Wouldn't it follow that young people (who tend to be more idealistic) would desire to put forth a marginal effort to end worldwide socialinjustices?
In light of muchcontroversy over McCain's unknown plethora of homes sparking criticism of elitism and over-consumption, and that great innovation is more attributed to organizations than individuals, it should follow that people would be more satisfied attaching themselves to a worthy cause rather than getting their name in the paper. As for getting "rich", in a country where advertisement for unnecessary products is an industry unto itself, skepticism should be employed in buying into this scheme of perpetual debt and even a humble lifestyle in America can provide a lot of material benefits. I would never advocate for the seizure of wealth by the state, only that excessive wealth and narcissism seems to be a corrupting force on mainstream society.
America has a proud history of honoring the average schmoe. From the early days of the militia that won our independence from the British to the auto plant workers in Detroit that helped turn our nation into an industrial powerhouse. The culture of schmoedom is a galvanizing force on the internet, as groups of average citizens gather together to shape the political debate and new ideas. Where is this quest for money and power coming from?
Old Blue has an excellent post up on The Sandbox about how coming back to the states from Afghanistan has been a malaise-ridden experience. He summarizes society's attitude toward war in our modern era:
The apparent inattention of the American public to the war, the seeming lack of support for the task, even with the apparent support for the individual, is something that requires some getting used to. It was my life for nearly a year and a half, counting the spin-up time and the deployment itself. To find it so trivialized in the daily life here is, for some reason, mildly disturbing.
The "mildly disturbing" feeling seems to be common amongst many in the milblog community, and is likely representative of the larger group of veterans who feel alienated from the mainstream. So much attention gets focused on WWII-era homecoming parades with smooches and victory signs, but it really isn't like that these days. You get into the airport stateside with a stack of paperwork wondering why all these travelers are going about life as normal with a war on. You realize that you have to deal with bullshit like getting the electricity turned back on at your house and figuring out what to do with the registration on your car that expired. Maybe you'll get to do it with your spouse that first night back, but that's only if you're married. Silly little things that life sends your way end up becoming frustrating endeavors. I personally don't believe that people "owe me a homecoming" or coerced kudos, but the fact that life hasn't changed at all in America is psychollogically defeating. A deployment changes the way you view reality. This includes a tolerance for the melancholy of routine, a mild sense of accomplishment, and not getting too worked up about the frivolous things in daily life that our society attaches so much importance to. Things like sitting around in traffic listening to radio commercials, working all week so you can go golfing on the weekend, and looking down awkwardly when people ask you where you have been the last year just don't happen on deployment. It's all such bs. Fortunately, blogging seems to be at an interesting point in time as a very influential cross-culture. At least I can always fill up my free time doing this shit.
The new ABC family show The Secret Life of the American Teenager is from the creator of 7th Heaven, so wholesome Christian values resembling a modern day Leave it to Beaver were to be expected. Unfortunately, it was an outrage of epic proportions when we were treated to a girl who got knocked-up at band camp, the young hunky football star who lusted after a new Jezebel when his virtuous girlfriend wouldn't "put out", and even the grandiose wisdom of Molly Ringwald was unable to salvage the moral character of this show.
An examination of the official blog affiliated with this televised cesspool shows comments from young lasses, which highlights a decaying society:
ive already had my 1st kiss (12) and have had sex (15) but its called using a condom i mean please. ppl (LT Nixon Comment: can someone please explain what "ppl" means?)
I had a baby at 16. I know what it's like to go through something like this. There is one thing though that always got me mad. People showing shame in the baby, when it isn't even his fault. What me and the father(who is NO longer in our lives) did was a mistake NOT the baby.
I kinda like the show. I agree that not all teens have sex on there mind, but i am not any better b/c i am pregnet and 16 :-/ Its very hard to tell your parents & the hardest part was telling my boy friend.
Ye gods, is there no hope for America? Please take heed to not hang around the blog for lengthy periods or leave racy comments if you are male, because you will likely be tagged by the FBI as a possible Class III Sex Offender.
For a more appropriate way to conduct yourself as a teeny bopper, please view this clip from the classic Troma film, Toxic Avenger:
Above The Influence: One Example of The Epidemic of Uncoolness from Today's Youth
The superb journalist, Kerry Howley, wrote an article in the LA Times discussing the nature of today's youth and their predisposition to side with socially conservative values and wussiness. She cites numerous bits of empirical evidence:
For every Paris Hilton, there is a Hannah Montana. Along with the sordid materialism of "The Hills," cable television has brought us cloyingly wholesome, kid-friendly entertainment from channels such as Noggin, Sprout and Playhouse Disney...Kids are more likely to wear bike helmets today, though not because bikes are more dangerous. Wealth engenders risk-aversion, and over-mothered kids are ultimately a sign that so much has been invested in them.
Looking around at our great nation's youngsters, I am inclined to agree with Ms. Howley. However, I disagree with her conclusion that this is beneficial to modern living since the kids aren't out of control. Rather, this is a fuckin' scourge upon modern civilization, since the future will be deprived of unconventional thinkers! It's no secret that society is tits up: corrupt politicians, people massacring each other in places like Zimbabwe, environmental woes, AIDS, terrorist thugs still not captured or dead, the dollar sucks, our national debt is out of control, and on and on. Our world needs critical and revolutionary thinkers to get us out of this mess. Unfortunately, most kids are satisfied being spoon-fed mainstream culture from the likes of American Idol and posting their boring pics on Facebook from the abstinence concert they got to "rock out" to during their summer break. That is, of course, if these poor kids even get to have a summer as their parents whisk them from college prep courses to cross-town playdates at the age of 8.
High school has been out of session in my neck of the woods for weeks, and I have only once wanted to hurl a half-filled beercan at some young punk driving too fast down my street. You wouldn't believe that WA once spawned the counterculture phenomenon known as "Grunge". In those days, I bet my mailbox, symbolic of the establishment and everything wrong in the world, would have been knocked down at least 3 times by this point in summer. Yet my mailbox still stands! The decline of hessian culture in the suburbs for young boys may have something to do with this, but a lack of underground activity in urban areas, like raves in the late 90s, is also apparent of a larger problem. So, parents, I beg of you not to micromanage your kids lives and let bygones be bygones. Try to ignore certain habits, like that incense they keep burning in their room when their scruffy looking friends come over, and remember that they have the rest of their life to work for "The Man" (like yours truly). We need unconventional ideas in these dire times, and it's best not to dilute their creativity with nonsense. For goodness sakes, if it wasn't for Gen Xers calling bullshit on abominable culture in the 90s, Mark Wahlberg might still be singing horrendously over-engineered tunes instead of making excellent movies like The Departed.
Do you want this to be the future of culture? I certainly hope not.
Due to the marginalization of suburban, teenage male culture through a campaign of conformity from our largest media monopolies and public schools, it is now more important than ever to pay homage to our proud hesher traditions. What defines a hessian? No, it is not a mercenary from Bavaria in this context, but rather a lifestyle well-suited for males who came of age in the 80s and 90s. These youngsters would often be seen riding around on BMX bikes with Ratt T-shirts while setting off bottle rockets at the local 7-11. The musical and cinematic tastes of this demographic was superlative in its own right, and a dominant cultural paradigm has yet to supplant this unsung piece of Americana.
The Hessian Studies Institute of Los Angeles seeks to chronicle the history of America's young dirt-lipped Heshers, and they also define the seemingly nihilistic message into a broader contemporary perspective. From their "Lifestyles and Values" page:
Hessians values are deeply rooted in Romantic idealism, characterised by quality not quantity. Hessians seek to transcend life by living in harmony with nature. Metal music is part of the Hessian lifestyle, not the definition. In the vein of Faust, those that want the sensation of power can find it in metal. Nihilism is a tool of thought, not a destination; fifty years of depression, rebellion, beer, weed, whores and gore evaluates as a life experience that sums to zero. Hessians seek to travel beyond where metalheads will not go. Knowledge, power and worldly experience rank far above the pleasures of the body.
Where hessians seek rebellion from the establishment, our current youth avoid independence to conform to the branding schemes of the mainstream. This is like a needle through the heart for me personally, as angry youth are the creative force behind our greatest music, art, movies, and culture. Indeed, the hessian lifestyle of cynical commentary on dominant themes existing in society is a prominent force behind the blogosphere. To honor our Hessian heritage, here is a humble tribute set to Hammerfall's "Stronger Than All".
Of course I did see some teenagers eyeing my pickup truck today while I was at the Jack in the Box. Hopefully, they wanted to throw some thunderbombs at me or have me buy them some beer. If that was the case, there would still be hope for America.
This is the "Sucks To Be Me" dance number from Avenue Q, which has its last showing at Seattle's badass Paramount theater tonight. The Stranger reports that some sensitive types walked out of the theatrical production because of the "offensiveness" of muppets singing about sex and booze. Seeing how "Meet The Feebles" already set the bar for grotesque and hilarious puppetry, these playgoers may have walked for a different reason. It "Sucks to Be Me" when you're a farmer in Zimbabwe, and Mugabe and his band of murderous thugs have just announced that they will stay in power through a campaign of brutality and intimidation (see Hot Air for details). It doesn't "suck" to be a college-educated, urban hipster who's biggest anxiety is that a burly construction worker gave their beloved golden retriever a stern look while walking on Park avenue. This generation has a knack for attaching melodrama to the most mundane of life's details (see the Twitter phenomenon), which effectively creates an atmosphere of self-absorption and neglect for pressing world issues. Pardon me for not making the show. Tix on the floor are 140 bones and the show starts at 8pm.
Although, I do empathize with the "Internet is For Porn" message below:
A few busybodies in our fair country may say that the decline in adult smokers has contributed to better public health. But did these buzzkills ever stop to think about the effect smoking cessation would have on the overall coolness of our country? They certainly did not! The New York Times reports that more and more niche groups are abandoning smoking:
It was a time when the percentage of adult smokers in the United States fell to 21 percent from 45 percent. As the investigators watched the smokers and their social networks, they saw what they said was a striking effect — smokers had formed little social clusters and, as the years went by, entire clusters of smokers were stopping en masse. So were clusters of clusters that were only loosely connected.
It has been scientifically proven that smoking automatically elevates an individual's coolness factor. It would follow that a societal trend of declining smokers would lead to an overall drop in the worthiness of our culture and music scene. The graph below represents exhaustive research compiled by this blog for the purpose of this study:
(Note: All data compiled from the CDC and the author's perception of coolness)
1978 (34.1% Smoker Rate) - The Bitchin' Period: NYC sees the rise of punk rock with the musical simplicity of power chords and The Ramones. CBGB's becomes a mecca for coolness in light of the recent disco trend that has swept the nation. Los Angeles follows the new punk uprising with bands like Black Flag, The Circle Jerks, and The Germs. Smoking, pogoing, and face-punching were all in style. However, even if a person chose disco over punk, they were guaranteed to get laid at the inevitable swingers party that followed a night of dancing and cocaine.
1985(30.1% Smoker Rate) - Awesome Times: Big hair and hot chicks were everywhere on the Sunset Strip as Motley Crue ushered in a new era of decadence and awesome. Of course, this scene didn't leave our middle American peers behind, as the parking lot at a Judas Priest show was all anyone needed to have a good time. Most people smoked, but everyone was getting shitfaced on Budweiser and trickle-down economics. Times were good.
1993(25.0% Smoker Rate) - Meh, it was sorta cool: A new type of music disenfranchised with the ridiculous glamor of MTV began to emerge. Nirvana, Sonic Youth, and Soundgarden all spoke to a cynical generation tired of mainstream fluff. Unfortunately, that music became "trendy" thereby defeating it's purpose, which culminated with Nirvana's appearance on MTV's Unplugged. The people who understood the irony of this madness smoked, and they were sorta cool.
2006 (20.8% Smoker Rate) - Welcome to Squaresville, population YOU: Music and culture has become so watered down that the youth are forced to watch hallow renditions of their generation appear on American Idol and make imbeciles of themselves. People take out small loans to go see a horrible concert of Jack Johnson where no alcohol is served, and the lone individual who dares to light up a cigarette is promptly escorted from the premise. This is your Orwellian reality.
Sure, our children may have a healthier future without the demon tobacco polluting their little lungs, but it's a future of lameness in which the the separation of cool vs. uncool is indistinguishable. All that is left a boring hallow middle, where the best they can hope for is an aging Metallica to do a reunion tour. Why do you non-smoker people hate the children anyways?
Scholar of all things Gen X, Wek of Latchkey Man, has directed me to this most excellent article at Radar. The article slams Millennials for being a bunch of whiny, self-obsessed twerps , incapable of understanding that reality exists beyond their own narrow-understanding of current events, and that "They're like pod people with Facebook accounts" in their sheer number and influence. Having been born in 1980 during the Jimmy "Malaise Forever" Carter administration, I was pretty relieved to learn that I fell into the Gen X generation according to the article's classification. Maybe it's my general surliness towards the demographic of the young punks that egged my car, or my curmudgeon-like schtick on this blog, but I feel a world apart from the "The Millennial Generation", despite just a few years age difference. Here's why:
I do not subscribe to the belief that writing about my daily existence of mediocrity would be of interest to anyone (e.g. going to the bathroom BRB!, OMG! eating lunch, I just got another Anthrax shot LOL!)
I understand that work is supposed to be boring, dull, and laborious as opposed to a "super way" to boost an already inflated self-esteem and get kudos from the boss
Evenings of getting wasted and gambling away my paycheck are vice and not a sign of my independence that needs to get posted on a Facebook profile
I am incredibly skeptical of chintzy, expensive brand names and manufactured coolness that can be bought off the rack from Hot Topic
I am accepting of the fact that you don't have control over certain events that happen in society and "just putting your mind to it!" might not be good enough to solve the problem
I am not the most important person in the world
Consider this a disenfranchisement message from the Millennial generation, and I saw The Ramones before they broke up back in '95, ergo I'm cool enough to be part of the cynical Gen X, I sure hope.
Of course, it is not fair to paint such broad assertions of those born after 1981, so I'm willing to believe that some people younger than me are okay. One scary trend of the last decade has been girlie mags perpetuating the ideal of women as skinny and dumb as the bed posts at IKEA. GI Kate, Battle Dress U, and Gen Pink are all female millennials and they all provide a sharp counter-point to the ridiculous idealization that women are supposed to be dumb broads waiting for their frat-boy husband to whisk them away to a mansion in the Hamptons, while dressed up for prom riding a unicorn. A couple of my favorite blogs, Toy Soldier and Iraq The Purgatorium, show that millennials don't swallow the "company line" and are able to go on a Hunter S. Thompson style foray through a place like Iraq, viewing everything with a skeptical perspective (although I probably haven't heard of any of the music they enjoy). Unfortunately, these fine young men and women are most likely in the minority, and most millennials will be content to update their Facebook profiles compulsively as society collapses around them.
The city of Boulder, home to the University of Colorado and well known for its flagrant yuppie douchebaggery, is going to allow a professor into the ranks who has to be a conservative. The Wall Street Journal explains (h/t Malkin):
Chancellor G.P. "Bud" Peterson surveys this landscape with unease. A college that champions diversity, he believes, must think beyond courses in gay literature, Chicano studies and feminist theory. "We should also talk about intellectual diversity," he says. So over the next year, Mr. Peterson plans to raise $9 million to create an endowed chair for what is thought to be the nation's first Professor of Conservative Thought and Policy.
This would be a remarkable turn of events from the college campus that once allowed nutjob Ward "Little Eichmanns" Churchhill to spew his vile slander to impressionable young minds. But, alas, not every student is happy about the marketplace of ideas as Sophomore Marissa Malouff explains:
"They need to learn about social problems and poverty and the type of things liberal professors are likely to talk about."
I'm going to have to agree with Ms. Malouff, since it is necessary for our future policy-makers, politicians, and lawyers to be able to remember their years as grass-roots activists with self-righteous clarity. How else could the elite class justify to themselves fucking over millions of people with their disastrous policies foisted upon the American citizenry, if they didn't have that "Free Tibet" sticker on the car their parents bought them in college.
Horrible Dickensian Strife For the Proletariat in Colorado Must Be Taught in College
Pretty interesting article and comments thread from Professor Hilzoy over at Obsidian Wings on Obama's recent speech where he said Vietnam Vets were "shunned and demonized" and how that must not happen again. There seems to be a lot of denial that vets were treated poorly after Vietnam from those left-of-center boomers, where they often cite this Jerry Lembcke research that says returning Vietnam vets were never really spit on. This purported debunking of the "spit-on" vet myth serves as a moral cleansing tool to eradicate the guilt of some anti-war liberals treating their fellow man poorly. I'm still working on my time machine and flux capacitor to go back to the 60s/70s to get the real scoop, but judging by movies like "Born on the Fourth of July" (directed by a Vietnam vet based on the life of a Vietnam vet ) and the alarming number of homeless veterans I saw growing up, it can probably be surmised that those who proudly served our country got served up a steaming bag of dog ass by many fellow Americans. There seems to be a certain level of collective guilt from lefties of that generation in regards to that issue (see the ObWi post), and I don't want to play off people's fears like some demagogue, but it is certainly positive as many of those people are in DC running policy on how veterans benefits are allocated. Plus, the Vietnam vets had to fight tooth and nail for these types of benefits to exist and for cultural awareness, so props to them from yours truly.
If perception of veterans is an issue based on the paradigm of a generation, it's only natural for us to try and predict what we are going to face. Judging by the twitter habits and self-involved trends that spread like wildfire through people born post-Vietnam, I'd have to say the vet perception problem is that there is no perception. I have griped about Gen Y like some nutty curmudgeonextensively on this blog, but the fact that war remains a volunteer effort in America could cause some serious negative ramifications. Primarily, that the cost incurred will be blamed on those who volunteered, and that our small minority/token status will only make disturbing realities (PTSD, disability) a "fringe" issue in politics. At best we can hope to be relegated to some pathetic underclass status that gets "sympathy" from the general public, if we don't do anything about this quandary.
Because of all this, it's probably best to be outspoken in various forms of media to make sure that marginalization doesn't occur. So if you came upon this rambling blog post, you have my respect for caring about this issue and not being apathetic, but there's a lot more work to do from my end.
Update: Thanks to OCSteve (an ObWi regular) who points out this analysis on Just One Minute that pretty much says Lembcke is full of shit.
You ever wonder what life in your 20s would've been like if you hadn't exposed yourself to the busload of nuns in your teenage years? Or if you never developed that meth habit which keeps you from top-notch employment? Well you probably would've looked a lot like these young successful people. From Fortune, and the "Faces of the Future" series:
Julie says:"I am extremely 'client facing,' to the point that I spend more time in the client's office than at an IBM office. It is exciting to be representing IBM to a client so early on in my career."
Ms. Julie, your overexuberance for the mundane should cause some level of despair. Be weary of that "Bad-Boy" boyfriend who's going to run up all your credit cards to buy jewelery for his stripper girlfriend he keeps on the side. You will never be privy to this as you are working 70-90 hours a week.
Anshul says: "Imagine a job where you have experts in fields as diverse as computer security, optimization, data analytics, experimental game theory and supercomputers sitting in the same building."
Mr. Anshul, while we wager you are a pretty smart dude, there is no need to discuss the complexities of your job in a social-like setting. See those chicks you just scared off because you talked about how you were one of the original coders for Linux? They were totally unimpressed. They only thing guaranteed this evening is that you are going to get a wedgie by those meatheads playing pool.
Brooke Says: "From the minute the show begins, I am running from one dance to the next, quickly changing from one costume to another."
So... I may have just lost all my money at craps, but you look like you know how to party! They say women like to reach out and do charity work...I could be that charity! Your place or my car?
Sorry, but happy and satisfied people really make me angry.
Quite possibly the most candid and hilarious version I have ever seen of current bar culture. Time was you could sit down at a bar and bitch about getting laid off from the paper factory with a Yuengling and a shot of Old Grandad. Now it's become MTV Spring Break except more intellectually vapid. GI Kate has the post here and it is excellent.
Burt Prelutsky writes an excellent article for Pajamas Media characterizing the 1960s long-hair, draft-dodgin', leftistas as a mere self-indulgent movement that stood on the good side of the civil rights movement, but was wrong about everything else. I sent the article to Generation X scholar, Wek of Latchkey Man, for his further analysis, since there has always been some underlying generational tension with that demographic of the population. Not without justification either, as Gen Xers will most likely have to foot most of the bill as the boomers retire off to their expensive yoga retreats to become one with the cosmos...at a very heavy cost to the taxpayer. Being born in 1980, I kind of hoped I was part of the angst-ridden generation that had good taste in movies like "Slacker" and viewed the world with a cynical eye. But, alas, I think I was born several years too late, as I am part of, arguably, the worst generation in the history of America!
At Least the Baby Boomers Knew How to Have Good Times
If you were lucky enough to avoid service in Vietnam, it seems to me like the 60s might have been a blast! Lots of sex, drugs, partying, which was followed by the economic boom in the 80s to ensure you had that nest egg set up so that you could golf on the weekends, but still have those Hendrix LPs on standby lest anyone call you a "sellout". At least these people stood for something, Gen Y doesn't stand for shit! The only common trait I have found among people my age is there undeniable love for themselves that cannot be penetrated with any sort of constructive criticism. This is the result of a terrible array of mainstream culture that focuses on the melodrama and importance of incredibly vapid personalities which can be found on MTV reality type shows. MTV used to have classics like "Headbanger's Ball" and "Beavis and Butthead" that highlighted angst and frustration in a chaotic and imperfect world. Now all I hear about are these princess types celebrating their own existence with bullshit like "Sweet 16" (what the fuck has anyone at 16 done with their life to deserve these luxuries?). No doubt, these gals are sought after by gel-haired douchebags decked out in the latest hipster fashion in a major bid for attention. People of my generation are so caught up with going to the gym, staying healthy, and not learning anything along the way, that this phenomenon will certainly propel legions of ignorant pleasure-seekers well into their old age.
Dude...seriously, just stab yourself
What the hell are we doing?!? Gen Y has nothing to show as far as cultural or intellectual achievements because of this self-absorbed paradigm that will certainly beget the downfall of civilization. As far as I am concerned, the greatest calling for our generation to actually achieve something was defeating terrorism after 9/11. I'm not saying that everyone should gear up and join the military, but recruiters can't even get the bare minimum of interested applicants according to this Navy Times article (thanks Wek!). Is this due to the national malaise that the Iraq war has caused, or is it due to this viral infection of self-absorption that has swept my generation like a modern-day bubonic plague. The fact that people aren't even interested in what's going on with foreign policy and events suggests that it's probably due to the apathy, sadly. This NY Times article frankly discusses how even thinking about Iraq has been completely pushed out of the public mind to avoid any "unpleasant" thoughts. Well, that's not very reassuring as we are probably going to be here for years, and Afghanistan even longer.
Some Gave All...
To make such broad sweeping generalizations is unfair, which I understand. And I also think it's silly to think everyone should sign up with Uncle Sam. But can Gen Y people even work a regular 9-5 job? With an attitude that they are the little darlings of planet Earth, I don't see how. Work requires an individual to shut the hell up and do what the bossman or bosswoman tells you to. I have worked a lot of different jobs, and it seems to be a common theme (that's why they call it "work"). It's not supposed to be fun, it's not supposed to be "enhancing", and it's supposed to be totally lousy (that's why you get paid). Instead, I see people moaning and groaning about how their boss is mean and doesn't recognize their full potential. Shut the hell up and get back in your damn cubicle! Is it any wonder that people are borrowing more and more money off their parents to live their high-falutin' lifestyles of partying all weekend, while text-messaging their buddies during work hours? Is it up for debate that Gen Y people want a government that will provide them with all they need to sustain their completely unsustainable lifestyles? I suggest we step out of our solipsist role where our consumer-culture makes us function like sheep and start brainstorming. But what the fuck do I know, I'm just some asshole! If you know something Gen Y has accomplished, please rebuke my vile discontent in the comments thread. Excuse me while I update my Facebook page to let everyone know how awesome and important I am. Blegh!
In the aftermath of the battle of sexes that has raged through our culture for the past several decades, it is apparent that American men have taken a serious ass-kicking. No, I'm not some fundamentalist creep talking poorly about women's rights and equality (I agree with all that), but rather the standards we hold for the opposite sex. American women seem to want a man who is up to speed on postmodern literature, works out at the gym 13 hours a week, owns a successful business (something eco-friendly), drives a nice car, takes time on the weekends to do totally extreme sports while simultaneously working with "the children", and has a handsome mug. These absurdly high expectations just cannot be met by those of us with a type-B personality, and our standard for women includes "Uh, is that really a chick?" and "She's not dead, right?". I've heard rumors that women want a man with high standards, but these tactics will most likely get you completely humiliated at any place where men and women mingle.
To counter this glaring inequality in our modern web of relationships, I propose that some rich lady marry me, divorce me, and pay me alimony (think of the good it will do for society!). WSJ had an article about more and more men countering the cultural taboo of seeking alimony payments (h/t to perennial crank Debbie Schlussel). As a selling point, my attributes include: a most excellent DVD collection with not just one, but two copies of the horror classic "Silent Night, Deadly Night", no loss of shame when you hide me in the closet somewhere when your high class girlfriends come to visit, frequently zoning out during talks in a way that looks like I'm paying attention, and various other amenities. The divorce would be emotionally simplistic, as you give me the boot since you get tired of me sitting around the house drinking beer and hanging out on the internet all day. Think of the boost to your ego when you proclaim to everyone that you got rid of that loser (which would be me fleeing the state), and how it will make you feel that much younger. All for the low, low price of $1,000/month for the rest of my mediocre existence.
Julie says:
Brooke Says
Think about it!
