Social and cultural upheaval

boliverchadsworth

boliverchadsworth

Member
Any folks, like me, seem to agree that there is a decided and obvious downturn in our culture since say the 50's by decade up until the present ?

Freedoms - abuse of power - lying incompetent
leaders, politicians ..trusted entities etc - not just the U.S. -but other major and minor countries as well?

OR- is my tin foil hat on too tight today?-

It is difficult for me, to be enthusiastic about our chances of escaping and being better off-

George Carlin, ten or so years ago seem to have a pretty good grip on it. At least looking back on it.
 

boliverchadsworth said:
Any folks, like me, seem to agree that there is a decided and obvious downturn in our culture since say the 50's by decade up until the present ?

Freedoms - abuse of power - lying incompetent
leaders, politicians ..trusted entities etc - not just the U.S. -but other major and minor countries as well?

OR- is my tin foil hat on too tight today?-

It is difficult for me, to be enthusiastic about our chances of escaping and being better off-

George Carlin, ten or so years ago seem to have a pretty good grip on it. At least looking back on it.
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Very well said. (y)(y)
 
boliverchadsworth said:
Any folks, like me, seem to agree that there is a decided and obvious downturn in our culture since say the 50's by decade up until the present ?

Freedoms - abuse of power - lying incompetent
leaders, politicians ..trusted entities etc - not just the U.S. -but other major and minor countries as well?

OR- is my tin foil hat on too tight today?-

It is difficult for me, to be enthusiastic about our chances of escaping and being better off-

George Carlin, ten or so years ago seem to have a pretty good grip on it. At least looking back on it.
Click to expand...

It's difficult to tell. There is a group of people right now who mostly just scaremonger, exaggerate, make things up, and pretty hate on the fabric of American life, but I hope it passes eventually. If you say something they don't like, they demonize you, and if you have evidence and facts they just shrug and call you a liar. Or change the topic and move the goalposts. I just think these people have a vested interest in undermining what has made America the great country that it is today. They're doing more damage than any foreign power plot could have hoped for.

As such, you're correct in the sense that right now there's a lot of noise being made to destroy the nation, under the mantra that they're really trying to save it. But we'll have to see what the next few years bring before we can say it's a reality.
 

I think in general freedom in the US has increased for many, unfortunately many white males seem to think that newfound freedoms of others have been been at their expense hence the need to do everything in their power to cling to what "remains" of their freedom or in other words, power. This has lead to what VJB has written in the 2nd paragraph of his post, #3, above.
 
VaughanJB said:
It's difficult to tell. There is a group of people right now who mostly just scaremonger, exaggerate, make things up, and pretty hate on the fabric of American life, but I hope it passes eventually. If you say something they don't like, they demonize you, and if you have evidence and facts they just shrug and call you a liar. Or change the topic and move the goalposts. I just think these people have a vested interest in undermining what has made America the great country that it is today. They're doing more damage than any foreign power plot could have hoped for.

As such, you're correct in the sense that right now there's a lot of noise being made to destroy the nation, under the mantra that they're really trying to save it. But we'll have to see what the next few years bring before we can say it's a reality.
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The pot is certainly being stirred and the heat is increasing...on high. One can find good stuff anywhere they look. The beauty that is life itself. Take in that which brings you joy, or not. It's weird that we sometimes do not want to look at the disaster, and sometimes just turn away. Sometimes it snags our attention and we have to look and try to see what happened. It's different for everyone. Different stokes....
The main stream media broadcasts what brings them profit. They have us pretty well convinced that our country is in trouble. That is what people want to hear and see. Scientific breakthroughs are popping up daily. We are accelerating in advanced technology. We are not going to be able to ignore the sciences for long. I try to keep up with peer reviewed scientific knowledge. When it hits the main stream it gets "carried away". :) It is best to have references before one makes a claim that can cause alarm in others. That would be like trying to scam them. If you like fiction then enjoy. We all love stories that intrigue us.
 
Paco Dennis said:
The pot is certainly being stirred and the heat is increasing...on high. One can find good stuff anywhere they look. The beauty that is life itself. Take in that which brings you joy, or not. It's weird that we sometimes do not want to look at the disaster, and sometimes just turn away. Sometimes it snags our attention and we have to look and try to see what happened. It's different for everyone. Different stokes....
The main stream media broadcasts what brings them profit. They have us pretty well convinced that our country is in trouble. That is what people want to hear and see. Scientific breakthroughs are popping up daily. We are accelerating in advanced technology. We are not going to be able to ignore the sciences for long. I try to keep up with peer reviewed scientific knowledge. When it hits the main stream it gets "carried away". :) It is best to have references before one makes a claim that can cause alarm in others. That would be like trying to scam them. If you like fiction then enjoy. We all love stories that intrigue us.
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Paco Dennis, online sites? Which information sources do you find worthwhile?
 
JBR said:
Paco Dennis, online sites? Which information sources do you find worthwhile?
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I use Wikipedia a lot. I also use FactCheck.org. Sometimes I check info at Snopes.com. It specializes in debunking urban legends, myths, and rumors. Every website I visit I always consider it's profit motivation, and/or it's virtue signaling appeal. That information is relative also because of it's potential for social popularity.

I am testing Bing Chat GPT-4 on my Android smartphone. I find it very reasonable. I have done some pretty complex researching and fact checking with it.
 
I can definitely agree that some things were more affordable in the '50s. (But a lot of tradesmen were underpaid then.) And crime rates, at least in terms of certain crimes, were lower. Rates of substance abuse, other than alcohol, were lower.

But, also can't forget that we North Americans were generally naive or blind to some things. A cigarette company was free to use an actor, dressed as a doctor, in ads promoting their brand. A lot of women were frustrated that their job options were limited (my mother certainly felt this by the early 1960s). Nuclear production of electrical power was seen to be pretty much a problem-free option. And who in the public had learned that, by 1938, early scientific warnings were starting to be published suggesting excessive CO2 discharged into the atmosphere might cause a global climate shift?
 
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dilettante said:
Wikipedia must be used with caution. It is hardly unbiased, but instead carefully curated content with a definite agenda. Check for anything you might be expert in and the man behind the curtain can be "heard" rustling around.
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Exactly! That is what is reliable about it, you can check all the resources of the info and know how it "leans". :)

Check out Ground News. It even rates their stories bias. They try to show the most "unbiased" stories. They always have a meter showing the rating like this example...

ew.JPG
 
JBR said:
Paco Dennis, online sites? Which information sources do you find worthwhile?
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I like Victor Davis Hanson and wanted to read this post from 5 hours ago however, it was already removed - he has many other insightful posts :unsure: :

Victor Davis Hanson​

The Gazette5 hours ago
One common denominator that explains why previously successful societies implode is their descent into fantasies. A collective denial prevents even discussion of existential threats and their solutions.
 
We didn't invent corruption, abuse of power, lying, incompetent government, greed, lawlessness, etc. in the1960s. We have a long cherished tradition of those ideals, going back to when Neanderthals made their campfires close together. There's no point in history where there was some kind of heaven on earth. It's not that times were so great way back when, it's that we have a crummy memory of what truly happened.
 
chic said:
When people work but still can't afford to live because our military industrial complex is funding wars all over the globe but the leaders of every country neglects their own citizens, then yes. Things were better 60+ years ago. Let's get our priorities straight.
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Yes, Jim Crow was better. Black folks living in ghettos were better. A woman wasn't allowed to have a credit card in her own name. Better. A woman could not hope to be in management, let alone President. Better. A woman was a slut and boys will be boys. Better.

You people are getting old if you think it was better

eta
Gay people. Don't be gay 60 years ago if you know what's good for you. Get married for decoy and ruin your spouse's life instead.
 
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All good points Pepper!! Also people had much lower expectations and were content with less. They realized you had to work and save before you were able to afford nice things.

Young people now want to have everything that their parents worked years for. They buy crap they can’t afford and then whine it takes 2 jobs to get by.
 
Does it ever occur to anyone that Feminism was a scam to conceal the fact that one income could no longer fund the American dream all the while putting the other half of the population (women) to work and paying taxes, in exchange for the meaningless symbol of being able to burn a bra? Then the government has more control over the kids' educations because neither parent has time and by the time a kid reaches puberty they don't even know what sex they are. This is a fact of life now.

I still don't get enough credit for all I refrain from saying.
:oops:
 
fuzzybuddy said:
We didn't invent corruption, abuse of power, lying, incompetent government, greed, lawlessness, etc. in the1960s. We have a long cherished tradition of those ideals, going back to when Neanderthals made their campfires close together. There's no point in history where there was some kind of heaven on earth. It's not that times were so great way back when, it's that we have a crummy memory of what truly happened.
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At least in the past we could huddle together in safety, now we're hopelessly outnumbered, and they have big guns.
 
chic said:
Does it ever occur to anyone that Feminism was a scam to conceal the fact that one income could no longer fund the American dream all the while putting the other half of the population (women) to work and paying taxes, in exchange for the meaningless symbol of being able to burn a bra? Then the government has more control over the kids' educations because neither parent has time and by the time a kid reaches puberty they don't even know what sex they are. This is a fact of life now.

I still don't get enough credit for all I refrain from saying.
:oops:
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You should get no credit for your ridiculous, inaccurate, insulting, totally unreal and unhistorical assumption.
 
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chic said:
Does it ever occur to anyone that Feminism was a scam to conceal the fact that one income could no longer fund the American dream all the while putting the other half of the population (women) to work and paying taxes, in exchange for the meaningless symbol of being able to burn a bra? Then the government has more control over the kids' educations because neither parent has time and by the time a kid reaches puberty they don't even know what sex they are. This is a fact of life now.

I still don't get enough credit for all I refrain from saying.
:oops:
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Bravo .... on some points to consider and i understand the self control it takes to refrain form some saying somethings.
 
Pepper said:
Yes, Jim Crow was better. Black folks living in ghettos were better. A woman wasn't allowed to have a credit card in her own name. Better. A woman could not hope to be in management, let alone President. Better. A woman was a slut and boys will be boys. Better.

You people are getting old if you think it was better

eta
Gay people. Don't be gay 60 years ago if you know what's good for you. Get married for decoy and ruin your spouse's life instead.
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I do not think anyone thinks any of that is......... better.
I am over 55 yet my neighborhoods as toddler was integrated no issues .....
my mom was co-owner of several businesses and always had a card in her name from back when i was a child .... was elected president of school board in the 70's
Have a gay child and have met many in his circle.... and some STILL marry a decoy .... for family / for career ........ this is their choice to hide... now days...

the debate will never end when it comes to slut vs boys will be boys .... because some put themselves in situations that the lines become blurry ...for anyone feeling they have been labeled or boy got away with it .... ... Please realize some blame goes to those women/ girls who cried wolf or twisted stories and now reasonable doubt is a tough hill to climb

while work can still be done and some success or measure of progress can be seen in some places and not in others
many assumptions about racism / sexism / homophobia is based on long ago history.... NOT today.
i come from a smaller city ........did not see issues people want us to believe are happening every day all over.. ......
people make assumptions and worse STEREOTYPES about people because of places? ........ what State they live ? the country perhaps? maybe a place you have never even been to ......
Almost all states have diverse populations in maybe certain areas are more liberal and other areas conservative yet people assume ALL residents think XYZ based on who was elected really? That is Better??????
i was lucky i guess....... i saw NONE of this .......yet am told it is here so how did I miss it for decades?

Perhaps the change we NEED is to see each person from their content of character not because of assumptions and stereotypes....
 
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chic said:
Does it ever occur to anyone that Feminism was a scam to conceal the fact that one income could no longer fund the American dream all the while putting the other half of the population (women) to work and paying taxes, in exchange for the meaningless symbol of being able to burn a bra? Then the government has more control over the kids' educations because neither parent has time and by the time a kid reaches puberty they don't even know what sex they are. This is a fact of life now.
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A Canadian perspective... chic, I can understand your interpretation in a way. I might wonder if those drawbacks were unintended consequences of the movement. Though it could be that some people in government came to terms with the feminist movement by adopting the attitude you've described.

The women I've known who are either self-proclaimed feminists or feel that they benefitted from feminism were/are motivated by the need or desire for more options than had previously been there for them. BTW, more than a few of them decided not to have kids.
 

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