Them and us

"rebellion against authority, self-satisfaction, the obsession with self-gratification, the groundless demand for "respect" disconnected from one's own behavior -- is crippling his students' future by rotting their character."

Wow, you complain about these social maladies like they came with hip-hop, or was it the hippies, or was it Elvis....

Pffffft, these maladies have always existed and arose from the capitalism of the modern era of affluence, materialism and consumerism of the 1950's. These maladies arose from poverty which is always with us.

Yes, let's applaud the rich, even if they are not above breaking the law or violating business ethics to make an extra buck. That is a different kind of rebellion against authority, I guess. Let's applaud the rich, even when they buy a 400,000 dollar car that serves no practical purpose other than to gratify their need to drive faster than the speed limit. Let's applaud the old money trust fund babies who have no clue how to take responsibility for their drinking and driving and then expect to be treated with "respect" merely because they are rich. By all means let's applaud Mr. Tian for his success without questioning his integrity and make generalizations about another entire group of people based on the music they listen to, the sagging pants they wear and maybe even if the color of their skin.

Money and greed rot the character. Just look at the numerous politicians over the past two three years who are being investigated for corruption. Just look at Ted Haggard, you think his fall came as the result of anything other than the money and power that he gathered?

Richard Roberts power and access to money did not lead to his recent resignation?

The ignorance is stunning.

I was wondering the same thing, Larry.

And exactly what DID you think about "our therapized American culture," Rod?

Did you think that the question of "why I behaved like that" is exactly what therapy addresses? Did you think that if your Chinese tycoon had been "therapized" he would have known exactly why he behaved like that, and would able to NOT behave like that in the future?

It sounds like you equate "therapizing" with self-indulgence. And yet you fancy yourself, and probably are, an educated person.

I wonder why you behave like that.

Oh, I forgot to mention that the only reason everyone was such a model citizen back then was that they were told they would go to hell if they stepped out of line, whereas nowadays they just walk to talk about your "feelings".

In a way, it's the most narcissistic philosophy imaginable. Everyone who's ever lived has gone through the realization that they were happier as a child; I sure was, even though my family wasn't well off and I was spanked every other day. As an adult, I don't know where my life is headed, I have to support myself, and I've come to the realization that the government I used to trust is one grand, protracted third-rate burglary.

I can react to this in two ways. The first way is to declare that I'm living in historic times and this once-perfect nation has fallen into irrevocable decay right before my very eyes, and begin looking for clues as to who the villain is.

The second way is to accept that the world has always been a mess and I just never noticed it because I was a child.

Dear Mrs. Pickle,
Any such list must include our wayward sisters who have forgotten their proper place as females. That terrible Clinton creature, for instance, whom I shall not dignify with her matrimonial title. Speaking of which, my dear, you must surely realize that the proper form of address for your good self is NOT to brazenly use your own first name, but that of your legal husband. Thus: "Mrs. DILLINGTON (Lulu) Pickle." Unless, of course, you are a widow, in which case, my condolences to you, and I hope that your oldest son has taken over the management of your affairs as he should.

I prostrate myself chastised.

Dude, he was shovelling food into his mouth because he was hungry.

Have you ever seen Jonah Goldberg at the Hometown Buffet? Not a pretty sight.

Indeed, Larry. It would be interesting to hear Rod's take on those things. I found scarshapedstar's comments interesting and mostly accurate. My only disagreement is that I, for one, am WAY happier than I was as a child. That's because now, as an adult, I get to make my own decisions, and I'm no longer at the mercy of other people's undiagnosed and untreated problems. Yay therapy, I say. Things, and people, can change. Progress can be made. Life can get better.