School shooting in Jokela

[LivePsy]

Originally Posted by Old Vantaa Man

Ripping off kids with the promise of a lifestyle is nothing new.

True, Rock and Roll was a scam before the "young people" figured it out. But today school leavers have credit card debt because of the mobile phone plan. This is far worse consumerism-gone-mad than in my day. Also, the new young people think they are too clever to be sucked in with marketing, but my post was trying to say that it is the young people themselves who impose a uniformity. Must-have gadgets and clothing so you can be included in the cool group. This is not the same as my youth, or maybe that is just my skewed experience. Perhaps I was supposed to conform but was too stupid to think it was important

You would not blame the children of hippies for today's marketing strategies, but I do

Cheers,
B

[Juho L]

Every new generation tries to differ from the previous one. "So my folks eat food. We'll show them! We'll eat... We'll eat... SAND!"

The extreme competitiveness of modern society is really taking its toll on youth. It shows for example on steep increase in mental problems of teenagers and young adults. Although the increase can be partly explained by the fact that to go to therapy and seek for help for mental problems has lower threshold than before, but I know people who are in piss because they have gotten into a fast track even when studying or people who are depressed because they couldn't meet the expectations everybody set on them.

[LivePsy]

Originally Posted by Juho L

The extreme competitiveness of modern society is really taking its toll on youth.

Yes, Juho. The amount of information and media we are expected to absorb, and the competitiveness is far more than my day. I personally wouldn't want to be 20 right now. I know the 'young people' are supposed to be all multi tasking these days (home work, TV and instant messaging all at the same time) but it seems more like floundering until a pile of things demanding attention.

The leisure society promised by the information age sure as hell didn't happen.

Cheers,
B

[Old Vantaa Man]

Every generation imposes rules on itself. It's called fashion, and that's been around forever.

Consumerism gone mad? It's just the natural progression of capitalism without a war getting in the way. The evil children of hippies? You're just getting old and paranoid, mate. Most top TV, record company, advertising, bank and mobile communications executives are at least our age, if not much older.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Fuller
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Larian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Sorrell

[LivePsy]

Originally Posted by Old Vantaa Man

Every generation imposes rules on itself. It's called fashion, and that's been around forever.

Consumerism gone mad? It's just the natural progression of capitalism without a war getting in the way. The evil children of hippies? You're just getting old and paranoid, mate. Most top TV, record company, advertising, bank and mobile communications executives are at least our age, if not much older.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simon_Fuller
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isaac_Larian
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Branson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Sorrell

Thanks for the research on these fine examples to which we should all aspire I don't blame these captains of industry for exploiting youth, but they are not the evil I am talking about.

The 'evil children of hippies' in my mind refers to the youth themselves - a generation which encourages itself to being sucked into greed, conformity and consumerism. No one is making them buy into it. I'm not saying it didn't happen back in my day, I really didn't notice. But can't they wake up and free themselves from the pressure?

Perhaps I was too alternative to even fit in with the alternative crowd. Not so much reacting against anything as just doing my own thing. A whole heap of difference.

Cheers,
B

[Old Vantaa Man]

Psy. Were you raised by a troupe of Kangaroos in the fucking outback?

[Old Vantaa Man]

Damn. Forgot to post this vid of our Psy as a lad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCHY6n907OE

[AlexHall74]

BWAAAAHHHH!!!!!

Is Skippy the Australian version of Lassie?

Funny as hell!

[LivePsy]

Originally Posted by Old Vantaa Man

Psy. Were you raised by a troupe of Kangaroos in the fucking outback?

Heh, I guess growing up as trailer trash in Auckland NZ is equivalent to the outback for you.

I only wanted 2 things desperately as a teenager (apart from the obvious), a hammond wheel organ and a mini moog. Of course I couldn't afford either of them. But I have a TI to make up for that. Don't worry, I feed the consumer machine myself, but I'm doing it for the right reasons (greed) instead of seeking approval.

Cheers,
B

[AlexHall74]

LivePsy wrote:
"Don't worry, I feed the consumer machine myself, but I'm doing it for the right reasons (greed) instead of seeking approval."

Nicely put! Gordon Gecko, the main character in the movie "Wall Street" said:

"Greed works. Greed is good"

My mother even once said: "There is nothing wrong with want as long as you have some sense about it. Without want you would sit around with no drive to succeed and ultimately, accomplish nothing."

I have my own wants and desires just like anyone else but I also think its important to help others in need as you can.

Back to the Columbine kids. In my high shcool there were these kids that wore black trench coats and were majorly obsessed with computers. They caught some crap from the mainstreamers as I remember. I myself was somewhat removed from the mainstream and happy about it. I was one of the biggest kids in my high school so I didn't get messed with. I had a girlfriend and a job and got good grades, so I didn't need to play football to try and get laid. I'm glad none of those kids went postal in my school!