u.s. politics: now guaranteed to contain no less than 35% u.s. political content

[James Arryn]

1 hour ago, Tywin et al. said:

 

Agreed. And I can point out the exact date where it all went wrong. November 4^th, 1980. That’s the day American decided to defeat the man who said, “We need to live within our means,” and championed the man who said, “F it, we’re Americans, we can have whatever we want and do whatever we want with no consequences because we’re great!”

Pretty much bang on imo. The end of the Vietnam/Watergate/Civil Rights/various assassinations period of self-doubt and introspection and back to being 'Merica.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

45 minutes ago, Ormond said:

People cannot control their "generation" any more than they can control their race or gender. Sorry, I find your comments about boomers to be really personally insulting as someone who was born in 1951 who did NOT vote for Reagan (along with at least 45% of other baby boomer voters). Generational "groups" do not "take actions" as a whole. 

They don’t take actions as a whole, but they are judged as a whole. Right or wrong, there’s nothing new about this. Just look at the greatest generation. They are remembered very fondly even though a lot of the individuals were terrible, racist people. I’m actually genuinely surprised that you’re personally insulted. I would think that you could see that as an individual you’ve lived a very altruistic life while also recognizing that your generation has badly hurt the generations to follow.

[Bonnot OG]

1 hour ago, Dr. Pepper said:

Boomers also tend to get defensive so easily.  #NotAllBoomers amirite

Lol yup.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

24 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

They don’t take actions as a whole, but they are judged as a whole. Right or wrong, there’s nothing new about this. Just look at the greatest generation. They are remembered very fondly even though a lot of the individuals were terrible, racist people. I’m actually genuinely surprised that you’re personally insulted. I would think that you could see that as an individual you’ve lived a very altruistic life while also recognizing that your generation has badly hurt the generations to follow.

Probably easy to say until your generation catches a moniker that you are less than pleased with, or that is associated with some negative characteristics.

[S John]

4 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Probably easy to say until your generation catches a moniker that you are less than pleased with, or that is associated with some negative characteristics.

You mean like Millennials?  

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

7 minutes ago, S John said:

You mean like Millennials?  

Not really sure how you can take any tag Millennials catch as being serious yet. Same seems to be more or less true of my "generation". I mean, Generation X? What does that even mean at this point?

[James Arryn]

Millenials are killing generational tags.

[Dr. Pepper]

26 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Not really sure how you can take any tag Millennials catch as being serious yet. Same seems to be more or less true of my "generation". I mean, Generation X? What does that even mean at this point?

Said like a true Xer.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

5 minutes ago, Dr. Pepper said:

Said like a true Xer.

That's me! Give me some meaningful info you can glean from that tag. I'm a big fan of the X-men? That would be true, I suppose.

[The Wedge]

39 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Not really sure how you can take any tag Millennials catch as being serious yet. Same seems to be more or less true of my "generation". I mean, Generation X? What does that even mean at this point?

As a X'er, I have always thought "Generation X" sounded bad ass, kind of like Speed Racer's long lost brother Rex was known as "Racer X."

Also: Vague Billy Idol references.

Back in the early '90's there was an article in The Atlantic that tried out the moniker "Thirteeners," as in we were somehow the 13th generation of Americans.  I'll take Gen X any day over Thirteeners.  And I love the number 13.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

7 minutes ago, The Wedge said:

As a X'er, I have always thought "Generation X" sounded bad ass, kind of like Speed Racer's long lost brother Rex was known as "Racer X."

Also: Vague Billy Idol references.

Back in the early '90's there was an article in The Atlantic that tried out the moniker "Thirteeners," as in we were somehow the 13th generation of Americans.  I'll take Gen X any day over Thirteeners.  And I love the number 13.

Yeah, I'll second that bit. It sounds pretty cool. Still almost totally devoid of meaning though, near as I can tell.

[The Wedge]

2 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Yeah, I'll second that bit. It sounds pretty cool. Still almost totally devoid of meaning though, near as I can tell.

That's fine with me.  Less meaning in the name means to live up to / live down.

I understand and appreciate the heroic efforts of the "Greatest Generation," but how can any subsequent generation live up to or surpass that name?

It's all marketing.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

27 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

That's me! Give me some meaningful info you can glean from that tag. I'm a big fan of the X-men? That would be true, I suppose.

Gen X is 1961-1981, so in other words those who came of age during the disco era and all that was of the 1980s. Therefore, you’ve done no significant harm to world writ large, but what you guys did to music and fashion was grossly criminal.

[Manhole Eunuchsbane]

5 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Gen X is 1961-1981, so in other words those who came of age during the disco era and all that was of the 1980s. Therefore, you’ve done no significant harm to world writ large, but what you guys did to music and fashion was grossly criminal.

Dude, you're totally forgetting what is arguably the greatest, most creative genre of music ever to grace human ears. PUNK AS FUCK, MONEY!

 

/And disco caught a bad rap once white folks started homogenizing it. The roots of disco are funky as fuck. And I would argue that it formed much of the backbone of your generation's Hippity-Hop and the like. 

[OldGimletEye]

On 9/28/2017 at 4:49 PM, Tywin et al. said:

Gen X is 1961-1981, so in other words those who came of age during the disco era and all that was of the 1980s. Therefore, you’ve done no significant harm to world writ large, but what you guys did to music and fashion was grossly criminal.

Hey, I'm a Gen Xer (thought we were forgotten about. LOL.) And I wore parachute pants and a member's only jacket like one time, and I'm going to be branded a fashion criminal for life? LOL.

And as far as music, I can assure you I wasn't listening to disco as I was sportin' around in my 1976 primered and bondoed out Chevy Nova. Don't pin this all on me man. LOL.

[Kalbear]

12 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Gen X is 1961-1981, so in other words those who came of age during the disco era and all that was of the 1980s. Therefore, you’ve done no significant harm to world writ large, but what you guys did to music and fashion was grossly criminal.

Was thinking about that the other day - that the 70s are probably the best era of music due to the massive proliferation of music types in that era. Aside from genuinely amazing bands, you also had the beginnings of rap, prog, heavy metal, techno, industrial, funk, and almost any other genre of music save perhaps new country. 

[S John]

As an '84 spawn I am not a Gen X, but I also somewhat resent being lumped in w/ millennials because I think that term mostly refers to the younger side of the group.  My childhood was more or less the same as previous generations in terms of what kids would do with their free time.  The internet didn't really come into most regular households until I was in high school and even then it was shitty AOL dial-up and my mom would constantly boot me off by picking up the phone.  I didn't have a cell phone until college and at first thought it was ridiculous that I would even need one.  That is a big difference between people born in '95 or so who by the time they were old enough to retain memories all of this tech was pretty well established.  

Point is that I remember the less connected / plugged in world, but also can easily figure out most of the new-fangled devices and when I think of millennials I think of people who might actually expire without the aid of smartphones / internet.  

[drawkcabi]

When i was a kid, before Generation X was termed, we were called the Baby Busters, yeah Generation X is way better.

The Disco era was largely still the product of the Baby Boomers. Even Madonna and Michael Jackson were born in the latter end of the Baby Boomer generation.

We'll still proudly take ownership of 80's music, fashion, MTV, and even Rick Astley.

 

Just don't forget, Gen Xer's also gave you grunge. Nirvana was a generation X band, "Smells Like Teen Spirit" is the anthem of Gen X.

 

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

16 minutes ago, Manhole Eunuchsbane said:

Dude, you're totally forgetting what is arguably the greatest, most creative genre of music ever to grace human ears. PUNK AS FUCK, MONEY!

 

/And disco caught a bad rap once white folks started homogenizing it. The roots of disco are funky as fuck. And I would argue that it formed much of the backbone of your generation's Hippity-Hop and the like. 

 

14 minutes ago, OldGimletEye said:

Hey, I'm a Gen Xer (thought we were forgotten about. LOL.) And I wore parachute pants and a member's only jacket like one time, and I'm going to be branded a fashion criminal for life? LOL.

And as far as music, I can assure you I wasn't listening to disco as I was sportin' around in my 1976 primered and bondoed out Chevy Nova. Don't pin this all on me man. LOL.

Listen man, I’ve seen things. Terrible things. Watching 80’s movies is like staring into the abyss….

 

Lol, in all seriousness, the 80’s must have been a blast to grow up in, but from an outsiders perspective it looks like an era of chaos and lawlessness and everyone was on all the drugs. All of them! And I only rag on disco because my mom was a self-identified disco queen and it drives her nuts.

12 minutes ago, Kalbear said:

Was thinking about that the other day - that the 70s are probably the best era of music due to the massive proliferation of music types in that era. Aside from genuinely amazing bands, you also had the beginnings of rap, prog, heavy metal, techno, industrial, funk, and almost any other genre of music save perhaps new country. 

Yeah it was just a joke. There’s a lot of goof music from that era. If we’re being honest, it’s my generation’s taste in music today that is shameful.

[HoodedCrow]

On 9/27/2017 at 2:48 PM, Tywin et al. said:

You're misreading Trump's attacks on the NFL. It's basically two fold. He's attacking an old foe of his while at the same time playing to his base. And the latter is blatantly racist. He's attacking the protests and the fact that a primarily black league has a bunch of millionaire athletes who are ungrateful (unsaid but implied to the white man) while also encouraging them to bash their skulls in for his entertainment. That plays well to a racist base. 

Tywin et al. I agree with your analysis. I was choosing to highlight some of the thoughtless malignity of many right wing positions through satire, even if it wasn't successful.

I'm appalled by having a president who preys on race divisions, characterizes protests about racial injustice as disrespect to veterans, and who doesn't endorse liberty (including freedom of speech) and justice for all. The guy is a reality show poser, and a deeply dangerous and vindictive one at that.