There's a few things about the world that are bugging to me...

[dragonrider]

I disagree that humans are becoming more stupid; however, I feel that we (at least in the society to which I am privy) are becoming excessively COMPLACENT and unwilling to put in effort for what we want. When a packet of ramen noodles is 25 cents, and takes only a stop at the gas station, why grow a field of wheat? When American Idol is on, why put aside the time to read a book?

Our brains still work; we simply choose to be ignorant. You can choose to empower yourself through knowledge. You don't have to hold yourself in higher regard than you hold others, just to a higher STANDARD. Find solace in that you carry the secrets of whatever it is you have worked to educate yourself on, and that is a treasure, and a gift you can give if you wish.

This is a neat discussion, and I'm so happy to see how polite it is! That, in and of itself, should be enough to give you a glimmer of hope that there's still people in the world, and even in your [virtual] community who have NOT chosen complacency, and can still form an intelligent argument without resorting to bickering!

You guys are the best.

You are so right about this.

People are actually no smarter or stupider than they were 10,000 years ago. We have the same basic intrinsic intelligence that our species did when it first evolved. But now life is very easy in a lot of ways when you talk about basic survival. Basic food and shelter are not a challenge for most people, as it was even in the very recent past, and there is a lot of frivolous, distracting entertainment available. People can easily become complacent because they don't have to worry about their basic needs and there is a lot to take their mind away from trying to be somethieng more or achieve something. There are some people who are basically entertaining themselves into worthlessness.

And then the opposite side of that coin is that those who are driven and want to achieve are mostly driven by the desire to want more stuff. Going to college, getting an education, working hard at a job, and building a career are often just seen as paths to the "good life" of more material pleasures. The drive to achieve is good, but the goal is wrong.

Sitting on your ass, being lazy, not achieving anything, and just passivly enjoying entertainments and distractions all your life is a waste, and not a way to happiness. And working your ass off for bigger houses, bigger cars, more wealth and status is also not a path to happiness. But working toward something and achieving something of value that has meaning to you is satisfying, and there is certainly room for enjoying some entertainment along the way.

[dragonrider]

This is a neat discussion, and I'm so happy to see how polite it is! That, in and of itself, should be enough to give you a glimmer of hope that there's still people in the world, and even in your [virtual] community who have NOT chosen complacency, and can still form an intelligent argument without resorting to bickering!

You guys are the best.

You knew it couldn't last:

another loser who blames his social failings on everyone else. have fun being miserable and thinking you have it all figured out, cretin. have you ever read the book confederacy of dunces. you are a deadringer for the main character. i highly recommend it it would be a nice eye opener for you.

[stinkyattic]

Ironically, we joined the site on the same day.
So sad; I thought this was an interesting discussion, whether or not we all agree on the validity of the content

Edit:
You-all should go run grab a copy of 'amusing ourselves to death' by Neil Postman. It fits this train of thought perfectly. Excellent book on our culture's need to have even education and facts presented in an entertaining way in order for them to be assimilated.

[dragonrider]

Yeah, it's sad.

When a person is dealing with chronic pain and depression, it really doesn't help them to call them names. Gandalf already mentioned he was in a sort of mood when he made the original post and apologized for the tone, so I don't see where this "cretin" comment is very helpful.

[stinkyattic]

Let's drop it if y'all don't mind, and try to get back on a positive track?
After all, IT'S FRIED-DAY! And there is a ssssssshmokin' bowl of something spicy waiting for me at home.

An' I ain't talkin' no chilicheezfries neither!

[dragonrider]

You-all should go run grab a copy of 'amusing ourselves to death' by Neil Postman. It fits this train of thought perfectly. Excellent book on our culture's need to have even education and facts presented in an entertaining way in order for them to be assimilated.

I never read this book, but one of the professors I had in college mentioned it several times in a lecture on this topic. I definitely beileve that our society makes it very easy to distract ourselves away from things that matter. A cynical mind might even believe that the volume of entertainment and distraction we are constantly bombarded with makes us easier to control as a society. Hmmmm....

But back on happiness... One of the resaons I think that a lot of people have not found happiness through our society's focus on buying new and better junk is something called the "Hedonic Principle." The idea is that you might a get small surge of satisfaction from owning something new or having a new experience, but after awhile you get used to it and need a new "jolt" to get the feeling back. So you get back on the cycle of having to earn more money to buy the next things to make you happy for the next moment. After a point, there is nowhere left to go down that path. You actually enjoy special things more if they are rare and novel, than if they are commonplace and everyday.

One example would be if you went one time to a great restaurant with a bunch of people who could afford to go there every day. For you, it might be the best meal you ever had in your life and you would really enjoy it. But for the other people, they may have enjoyed it the first few times, but now it is just a meal like any other. You are actually in the better position, because you will return to your everyday meals and can hope to maybe someday have that same great experience again. But those other people have nowhere to go. They are used to the great experience to the point that it is no longer special, and they have little hope of experiencing something better. That is the self-limiting nature of hedonism.

[stinkyattic]

A cynical mind might even believe that the volume of entertainment and distraction we are constantly bombarded with makes us easier to control as a society. Hmmmm....

We Unwashed Masses need our bread and circuses. Otherwise we have more time to challenge the Emperor.

[Coelho]

We Unwashed Masses need our bread and circuses. Otherwise we have more time to challenge the Emperor.

Indeed... it used to work some 2,000 years ago... and it works still today... its interesting how the human nature remains the same with the passing of the ages...
(and still there are people who believes in evolution...)

[dragonrider]

One of the ways I "amuse myself to death" is to spend WAY too much time on this site. I have a lot of important things I should take care of that I don't get around to because I have a strong compulsion to come here. I have more of a compulsion for this cannabis website than I do for cannabis itself, really.

[40oz]

I have a lot of important things I should take care of that I don't get around to because I have a strong compulsion to come here.

Intellectual masturbation...feels great yet still unsatisfying.