Generational purpose?

[Sin]

I was just thinking of this today, Living in the struggle finding a reason/purpose for being and having belief in something worth dying for... Its my opinion that in all the generations that have come before us that they all had those reasons. For example one of the reasons i left the service was because there was no real great struggle and the bad guys in turn were really us. I became aware that Sept 11 was a direct result of our own meddling in affairs that were not our own in order to secure a beach head for american busines to gain control of oil deposits. But a generation back we would have been fighting against Soviet comunism in order to preserve our individual freedoms and liberties. Take it back further we have WWII, Civil War, Independence, hell even the crusades which men can find reasons to justify putting their lives on the line. All gave due cause as something to fight for and if necessary to die for. What honor is there to struggle to live just to take another wasted breath?

We have no great war to fight, We have no great depression to overcome. Its my opinion that deep down a great deal of us know this and thats why we cling to idiocracy, fall prey to what we see on MTV. Follow bullshit scenario's like the ones orchastrated on hit tv shows like survivor. Fck it i'll even go on a limb and say that its possibly even the reason why Brittney Spears is going crazy!!!. I think we, as a generation lack any real meaning in our lives. Without any real purpose aren't we essentially the walking dead? The dinning dead? I mean why dream of buying that Mercedez or Ferrari what's the point?? Don't you know the CO2 is destroying our Ozone layer and warming up the planet? Why buy that 56'' Flat screen when somewhere a whole vilage in africa can be fed food for a whole month for that same price? Why buy a 7 million dollar mansion in miami when 50 years from now it will be under water? Its as if somewhere along the line we said **** it we don't need common sense or our brains anymore lets just be retards and live a life as painfully dull as stabbing yourself repeatedly with a butterknife. What do you guys think?

[Joe Black]

It really comes down to a generation raised in a society of greed and centralized around material possessions. The previous wars have been excused by the notion of self-preservation and the dehumanization of the enemy. In fact, I don't understand why it seems more honorable to resort to violence to solve a dispute rather than resorting to diplomatic means. Sure there are times where a country may be forced to take up arms against invaders, but what is the point now of killing for lines on the map, political influence, or religious differences?

the wars we have today... I dunno, perhaps we are bored with ourselves and the only way we convince ourselves to amuse ourselves is by creating some sort of havoc. at times, I wonder how much political leaders really know about the value of human life. For example, the so called "War on Terrorism" that you mentioned seems to be in the eyes of Bush as a simple way to trade human blood for oil. Of course, by the way of conspiracy, it didn't matter to him how many people had to die during September 11th, as long as he can further implement his further goals. He's not the only one guilty of sacrificing innocence for power, but I feel that this example shows just how easily leaders of today are corruptable by their own greed.

as for your last point, I agree. many people cannot handle the reality that is the end product of all the injustices created over our evolution, primarily in the 20th century. they cling onto fantasies rather than solid, reputable goals such as assisting those in need rather than count how much one has in a bank. all in all, it is times like today that I wish I could invite people to THINK, then DO, to change the injustices we ignore.

[Sin]

Yeah, it's like there's this egoist yet ridiculous mentality that bigger is better... I mean think about it, we wasted so much gasoline by mass producing these behemoths on the road. If we had done like the europeans and made tiny, economical and gas efficient vehicles and stop trying to be fast and furious we'd be so much better as a society but no one thinks! They just want to make money, well i say enjoy it cause its going to bite you in the ass when however percent of the world goes under water because of global warming! Fresh water shortages because of the lack of rivers and streams due to receeded Ice caps. Oh not to mention, and this is my favorite 40-50 dollars a gallon in the next 5-10 years by the way things are going, Enjoy your profit and ridiculous way of living. Bleh am so annoyed at their stupidity!!

[Guy]

I completely agree that too much money is being spent on wars, and what's worse, pointless wars. Living in America, I know that the American pride was damaged by 9/11. However, where's this war taking us? Bush claims it's for fighting against terrorism, but for reasons already brought up, it's really just for oil. If we decide to invest more in alternative sources such as solar, wind, hydro, etc., like Europe is doing, we would rely less on oil. We could really pressure the Middle East that way. The terrorists can easily threaten America anytime, just because they can take over oil fields. If we depend less on oil, the terrorists wouldn't really have anything that they can use against us.

Alternative energy also benefits the world because they cause less pollution. Nonetheless, I'm deviating from the topic. As stated before, there are indeed many useful things we can and should be doing. I, for one, believe more money should be spent on alternative sources and less should be spent on war. I believe that is what our generation should do. Unfortunately, America is not doing that. Why? I'm not sure, maybe it's because America cannot survive 30 years without a war. (We've got Vietnam 30 years back... then WWII before that.... then the Spanish American War before that... then the War of 1812... get where I'm going?)

Now away from politics, I believe the reason why this generation is so materialistic (as is pointed out in the first post here) is because that's what the media portrays. The media is everyone's main input. Commercials bombard us saying "You deserve the best!" You've got so many shows, commercials, etc. that are basically screaming "the only thing that matters in life is happiness".

The media does this because it makes great profit from doing so. By promoting hedonism, people are more likely to buy a specific brand, and by buying specific brands, the economy goes up. Likewise, by promoting humbleness, the media doesn't really generate any profits. "Be thankful for what you have! Don't buy so much stuff; give your money to the poor instead". How will they earn back the money that they spent on making this commercial through such messages?

It's sad, but that's how things work.

[sweeter]

I was just thinking of this today, Living in the struggle finding a reason/purpose for being and having belief in something worth dying for... Its my opinion that in all the generations that have come before us that they all had those reasons.

I believe our generation's purpose is to end our existence. This is why we have no great wars to fight, no drama, no meaning - we are the callous, apathetic, indifferent, selfish generation. We're the end. We will cause the pollution and abuse that will end this planet and our life as we know it, and there is no other generation better geared for it than we are.

(:

[Dexter]

We have no great war to fight, We have no great depression to overcome
Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives.

Without any real purpose aren't we essentially the walking dead?
Yes. And here some people argued against suicide. That was a joke by the way. In a serious fashion.

This question is intricately linked to "What is the meaning of life?"

If you can answer that then we're all saved.

I mean why dream of buying that Mercedez or Ferrari what's the point??
Exactly.

Why get up in the morning? Why eat? Why breathe? Why live?

And this question is so easily answered by those suffering - the answer? Don't. Just stay down. Don't eat. Don't breathe. Don't live.

Don't you know the CO2 is destroying our Ozone layer and warming up the planet?
Well yeah, it did significantly heal itself though of course not totally, thanks to humans cutting back on some idiocy.

Why buy that 56'' Flat screen when somewhere a whole vilage in africa can be fed food for a whole month for that same price?
Because we can. We believe we worked for it. This was answered earlier by a question of yours.

We believe that while we are eating and breathing our pointless lives, we deserve some happiness along the way. Since we believe we have no purpose, and therefore neither do the starving kids in Africa, why should we let them live as well?

As you said: What's the point, we're all going to die anyway.

I believe our generation's purpose is to end our existence
That's the purpose of humans anyway.

Agent Smith likens us to a virus. We are a plague upon the earth.

Smith: "The purpose of life is to end."

the wars we have today... I dunno, perhaps we are bored with ourselves and the only way we convince ourselves to amuse ourselves is by creating some sort of havoc.
Somewhat incorrect. It's not "just us today". Wars always were and always will be. The only truth of life is

1. That we will die.
2. That there will be wars.

It has been said since BC, by great scholars, they can never see an end to war. Even when "peace times" are here, there are still wars in corners of the world that people cannot find on maps. There always is.

As stated before, there are indeed many useful things we can and should be doing
Anyway, here's my opinion on what we should be doing.

The hell with the world. Since it's going to end anyway, why not discover things that will not just prolong our idiocy? Spend all possible finances on space exploration. The more we know of infinity the wiser we can get. The more money we spend on the universe the quicker we will increase our technology and eventually come across things that will benefit the planet. If we spent the finances on space exploration, and spent less money on weapons and therefore fighting against terrorism and safety and police etc etc etc, we would be so much better off.

Since we're all going to die anyhow, why not endeavour to know everything there is to know in the universe in which we miracolously exist?

The reason we're still alive today. Since we're "bored" as you all put it, we need to find things that we have no idea of, to alleviate that boredom. When you get to level 2 in a game, do you stop and run around that place for all eternity? Or continue to explore the depths of the games to increase level?

Things that amaze us and open our minds and intellects. I believe that's one of the reasons why we are alive.

[特雷弗]

We have no defined reason to live, because we have no war? I, actually, pity those generations with a great war or some other "reason" to live.
No one has a reason to live, you may either live pointlessly, trying to enjoy yourself, or kill yourself.
No one is keeping you from that, if you really think living is pointless in our generation.

[sweeter]

This question is intricately linked to "What is the meaning of life?"

If you can answer that then we're all saved.
There is none. And when we learn to accept that life has intrinsically no meaning - that human lives are nothing but specks in an infinite (yet similarly meaningless) universe, I think that is when we will be "saved". We will be free when we accept that we do not need meaning in order to exist - when we stop chasing rainbows for a reason for us to actually matter - because it's a futile chase.

That's the purpose of humans anyway.

Agent Smith likens us to a virus. We are a plague upon the earth.

Smith: "The purpose of life is to end."
Exactly. And it thrills me that our generation could possible be the one to finally fulfill our purpose. Ironically, you could say that it's what gives me "meaning".

Anyway, here's my opinion on what we should be doing.

The hell with the world. Since it's going to end anyway, why not discover things that will not just prolong our idiocy? Spend all possible finances on space exploration. The more we know of infinity the wiser we can get. The more money we spend on the universe the quicker we will increase our technology and eventually come across things that will benefit the planet. If we spent the finances on space exploration, and spent less money on weapons and therefore fighting against terrorism and safety and police etc etc etc, we would be so much better off.

Since we're all going to die anyhow, why not endeavour to know everything there is to know in the universe in which we miracolously exist?

The reason we're still alive today. Since we're "bored" as you all put it, we need to find things that we have no idea of, to alleviate that boredom. When you get to level 2 in a game, do you stop and run around that place for all eternity? Or continue to explore the depths of the games to increase level?

Things that amaze us and open our minds and intellects. I believe that's one of the reasons why we are alive.
Yes, I think that we should also do this, but not entirely for the similar reasons.

Of course, in a typically selfish manner, I would be happier if I was a part of the final generation.

However, due to the sense of survival ingrained upon us, the above should be expected. It would be a spit to the face of the evolutionary process if we deny ourselves this basic, fundamental instinct. I mean, if we're going to end our existence, we gotta do it right. It's got to be at the right time.

(:

[Reyin]

I think if nothing else society at the moment is leaving it up to the individual to find their reason to live. Personally I seesaw back and fourth, but generally speaking I have some definite goals for myself in life. I've tasted love enough to know what I want relationally, and what I want in the future as far as a family goes. I've also tasted luxury enough to know there are some things I really could care less about and some things I really do want in the future. I think until/if there comes some great defining crisis that will prevent me from reaching my goals, then everything would change, but for the time being I've found enough reason as is.

This is a great quote by John Adams, probably one of my top 5 favorites of all time that has something to do with the concept of generational goals:

"I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy. My sons ought to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain."

Basically, I feel as though right now I'm a mix of the son and the grandson. I want to enable my future children to whatever goals they setup for themselves, as well as being the one being able to study the arts, history and philosophy. Like Dec. said I think right now part of what we should be doing is exploring intellectual, technological and philosophical areas--isn't that the whole reason previous generations fought for peace?

I know I use myself as an example a lot, but I think that speaks to the state of our generation.

[II Xion II]

I was just thinking of this today, Living in the struggle finding a reason/purpose for being and having belief in something worth dying for... Its my opinion that in all the generations that have come before us that they all had those reasons. For example one of the reasons i left the service was because there was no real great struggle and the bad guys in turn were really us. I became aware that Sept 11 was a direct result of our own meddling in affairs that were not our own in order to secure a beach head for american busines to gain control of oil deposits.

American interventionism has posed a problem on an international stage but I don't think laying the blame on that for a terrorist attack is the strongest argument one can have. Especially considering the fact that these people HATE everything associated with the West and this fanatical anti-Americanism extends so far that they are willing to kill civilians and even their own countrymen to accomplish the twisted objectives that they set in their minds.

But a generation back we would have been fighting against Soviet comunism in order to preserve our individual freedoms and liberties. Take it back further we have WWII, Civil War, Independence, hell even the crusades which men can find reasons to justify putting their lives on the line. All gave due cause as something to fight for and if necessary to die for. What honor is there to struggle to live just to take another wasted breath?

Fighting for such things, even if it costs one one's life is indeed asinine in my opinion. While I respect the decisions of those who decide to do just that, I think that living is the most important thing one can do and that benefiting others through living can be accomplished in less precarious and controversial ways.

We have no great war to fight, We have no great depression to overcome. Its my opinion that deep down a great deal of us know this and thats why we cling to idiocracy, fall prey to what we see on MTV. Follow bullshit scenario's like the ones orchastrated on hit tv shows like survivor. Fck it i'll even go on a limb and say that its possibly even the reason why Brittney Spears is going crazy!!!. I think we, as a generation lack any real meaning in our lives.

Then we need to find a purpose. I try to avoid vast generalizations when it comes to such philosophical matters but I have always been extremely precocious when it comes to ontological matters. I always question and wonder what is the point of life and existence and I believe after searching long and hard through the veil of the dawn of life and looking past the fog of the twilight of death that we all must find meaning or merely exist. I personally have found meaning through my occultist beliefs, but others find it in other ways or do not bother finding it at all and just accept life as an unsolved mystery.

I could do that. But I choose to believe because it is something so intensely personal that it eludes words. I seek to understand myself in the serenity of my mind and seek to find truth that way as I have come to the conclusion that to know truth one must seek it out in oneself. There one shall find meaning.

Without any real purpose aren't we essentially the walking dead? The dinning dead? I mean why dream of buying that Mercedez or Ferrari what's the point?? Don't you know the CO2 is destroying our Ozone layer and warming up the planet? Why buy that 56'' Flat screen when somewhere a whole vilage in africa can be fed food for a whole month for that same price? Why buy a 7 million dollar mansion in miami when 50 years from now it will be under water? Its as if somewhere along the line we said **** it we don't need common sense or our brains anymore lets just be retards and live a life as painfully dull as stabbing yourself repeatedly with a butterknife. What do you guys think?


I am glad you are starting to think like this as I consider it an evolution in the thought process and one that leads one to start to hopefully contemplate the nature of reality itself.

Once you start to reflect on everything, the repetition and meaninglessness can drive one to insanity. Everything starts to reflect that quality and those hedonistic pleasures that so many seek even become meaningless. Ferraris, videogames, skiing...you name it, when one starts to reflect, the meaninglessness and ephemerality become obvious. Everything is transient, everything dies, everything is constantly in motion and yet at the same time the meaning escapes us. I have viewed things like this since my mid-teens when I feel that most do not in their entire lives think such things for more than a moment.

But I do not get depressed over it, though it probably could drive one to insanity. I live by the moment and seek the truth within myself. The best way to deal with it is not to think about but to simply reflect on it in the moment and to relax. I would go on, but I feel I have ranted for long enough.

:)

[sweeter]

Our great war is a spiritual war. Our great depression is our lives.
You are not a beautiful and unique snowflake. You are the same decaying organic matter as everyone else, and we are all a part of the same compost pile.

We are not special. We are not crap or trash either. We just are. We just are, and what happens just happens.

On a large enough timeline, the survival rate for everyone will drop to zero.

(:

[Dexter]

I see the strongest and smartest men who've ever lived. I see all this potential, and I see squandering. An entire generation pumping gas, waiting tables; slaves with white collars.

Advertising has us chasing cars and clothes, working jobs we hate so we can buy shit we don't need. We're the middle children of history. No purpose or place. We have no Great War. No Great Depression. Our Great War's a spiritual war... our Great Depression is our lives.

We've all been raised on television to believe that one day we'd all be millionaires, and movie gods, and rock stars.

But we won't.

And we're slowly learning that fact.

And we're very, very pissed off.

--
That sums up this thread quite nicely, since it started with a FC quote anyway.

[Sin]

^LOL

Good play on the fight club, but that's not what got me thinking.

I am thinking of the reasons why not just me and my friends who have died, but so many others and even our grandfathers and their father's before them made a sacrifice so we can see the masses becoming mindless trolls? Believing whatever is seen on a tv add and MTV? I mean we know where fn' up the environment but aren't doing a damn thing to stop it? If this were the 1800s there would have been riots and revolts but we're so domesticated that instead of taking it to the streets we buy a new tv or a pair of shoes... We ***** about not making a high enough salary fresh out of college while on our own streets there there homeless everywhere! And world wide hundreds of thousands die from malnutrition and diseases that can easily be cured should we add the human factor to it but instead we decide to throw away food thats more then a day old because there is an over abundance here.

Where is the human factor or the Human element? I don't see it, and that's why i left because my life wasn't worth sacrificing to endure this standard of living and I know for a fact alot of the guys i served with regret enlisting and a lot of em died. I am sorry to say but as far as i can see, I did some good but mostly i only contributed to the growing evil in this world. By that I mean ensuring the standard of living that people are used to.

This status quo won't do... I won't go so far as to say that we're meant to annihilate ourselves but we're heading for a world that will only see rainy days ahead and it will probably be acid too.

Sorry to rant but don't misunderstand me fight club the movie and novel was great and it carried some of that message in there but am examining real life situations here and while most of the responses have been egocentric in nature I invite you to think of what those personal choices mean on the global scale. Because if you examine it, removing one person from the pool of life carries effects throughout the world, it changes things, how much more influence do you have remaining in the world?

Edit: My overall point is that there is something really really really really wrong with this world.

[sweeter]

Edit: My overall point is that there is something really really really really wrong with this world.
Why yes there is! And we should all do everything we can to make it right!

Or so the fairy tale goes.

Don't get me wrong, I have nothing against being good and morally upright citizens. I, myself, try to be a good person. I am helpful to others. I respect my elders. I eat my vegetables. But I am not so naive to think that you or I could actually play a part in delaying or stopping the inevitable.

Maybe, just maybe, our generation is past the point of no return. Maybe we can't make an encompassing change for the better no matter how much we try because in the natural progression of events, we happen to be the ones who will bring about the imminent destruction of our species.

Birds acquired wings because they needed to fly, fish had gills so they could breathe underwater, and guess what humans, at this point in time, have developed? Increasing callousness, lack of concern for fellow human life, abuse of the environment, etc. - it's not a pretty picture, but look at it this way - those are exactly the traits required for the endangerment of the whole earth and those who inhabit it.

(:

[Sendivoge]

I was just thinking of this today, Living in the struggle finding a reason/purpose for being and having belief in something worth dying for... Its my opinion that in all the generations that have come before us that they all had those reasons. For example one of the reasons i left the service was because there was no real great struggle and the bad guys in turn were really us. I became aware that Sept 11 was a direct result of our own meddling in affairs that were not our own in order to secure a beach head for american busines to gain control of oil deposits. But a generation back we would have been fighting against Soviet comunism in order to preserve our individual freedoms and liberties. Take it back further we have WWII, Civil War, Independence, hell even the crusades which men can find reasons to justify putting their lives on the line. All gave due cause as something to fight for and if necessary to die for. What honor is there to struggle to live just to take another wasted breath?


While i do agree with most of what has been said already by yourself and others, i wouldn't say our lives are meaningless compared to past generations. There's still much to discover, and even my life over the past 18 years have seen some major advancements. I'd prefer a life to do and learn what i want, over a life where i feel the need to go to war and die for the freedom of generations to come. A world where there isn't something worth dying for sounds like progress to me. I can't imagine people 50 years ago thinking their life was all that more exciting than we do of ours today.

I for one am happy to have witnessed the transition from VHS to DVD. The change in memory storage from floppies, to CDs, to memory sticks (I'm carrying around the equivalent of 2000 floppies, just in my left pocket). I survived Y2K. I played countless pixilated 2d games on an Amiga, and today i'm playing GTA:IV on an xbox 360. If i want to listen to music, or the radio, while i run through the park, i don't have to carry around 200 CDs and a discman.

We know more than ever about the world around us, and this stuff is being taught to us at younger ages. The biggest problems i see today are what we're doing to the world we live in, and what we should be doing to help those who need help. I'm glad those are the big issues i think of when prompted. Things are probably going to get worse, but at least they're being acknowledged enough that people know it can't be half ignored for much longer.

Don't you know the CO2 is destroying our Ozone layer


As far as i'm aware, CO2 isn't linked to ozone depletion in any way. :)

[II Xion II]

^LOL
I am thinking of the reasons why not just me and my friends who have died, but so many others and even our grandfathers and their father's before them made a sacrifice so we can see the masses becoming mindless trolls? Believing whatever is seen on a tv add and MTV? I mean we know where fn' up the environment but aren't doing a damn thing to stop it? If this were the 1800s there would have been riots and revolts but we're so domesticated that instead of taking it to the streets we buy a new tv or a pair of shoes...

So basically you think that we need to return to "better" times?

If so, you are probably sadly mistaken. While it is easy to look around and say "sheeple this, sheeple that..." it is also a tad narrow and vastly overgeneralizes the situation.

Sure, marketing and entertainment has given way to a seeming decay in intellect, morals, and everything else...but technology has also allowed us to become more independent-minded and to learn things that we never could have learned before or to just expand our minds.

We ***** about not making a high enough salary fresh out of college while on our own streets there there homeless everywhere! And world wide hundreds of thousands die from malnutrition and diseases that can easily be cured should we add the human factor to it but instead we decide to throw away food thats more then a day old because there is an over abundance here.

The logistics of helping everyone is nearly impossible to imagine let alone implement and there are many cases where people are the cause of their own problems. But naturally that does not apply to most cases, but we can't be intervening in every country's affairs and it is nearly impossible to help even those that need the help. If you need a catharsis then head down to Myanmar or something, but fretting about it will not solve the problems.

Where is the human factor or the Human element? I don't see it, and that's why i left because my life wasn't worth sacrificing to endure this standard of living and I know for a fact alot of the guys i served with regret enlisting and a lot of em died. I am sorry to say but as far as i can see, I did some good but mostly i only contributed to the growing evil in this world. By that I mean ensuring the standard of living that people are used to.

This status quo won't do... I won't go so far as to say that we're meant to annihilate ourselves but we're heading for a world that will only see rainy days ahead and it will probably be acid too.

Sorry to rant but don't misunderstand me fight club the movie and novel was great and it carried some of that message in there but am examining real life situations here and while most of the responses have been egocentric in nature I invite you to think of what those personal choices mean on the global scale. Because if you examine it, removing one person from the pool of life carries effects throughout the world, it changes things, how much more influence do you have remaining in the world?

Edit: My overall point is that there is something really really really really wrong with this world.

Yes there is. But, again, there is not much an individual can do despite all that pseudo-bullcrap fed to people about how one person can make a difference. The only was a real change can happen is by a radical change in thought in EVERY person's mind, not just your or mine.

[Sin]

@Xion: Your a hilarious one, you claim am generalizing everything but yet the rebuttals you've provided solve nothing to the greater problems at hand. I've traveled most of the world and seen the end result of your technologies, you know what they are nothing. Nothing at all. And am not saying lets return to better times because quite frankly there were no better times am a history major and political science major and for me to say such things would be simply stupid.

Every time around it gets worse and yes there are solutions to such things as world hunger but it will never be implemented because of the stupidity of people all around. There were these groups of scientist sent to a country in africa to help teach them modernize farming techniques that we use to implement the growth of vegetation and cattle to be abundant enough to feed their entire country. Some naturalist sent the prime minister of this country a nice little letter about how non organic food is poisonous and it will kill the prime minister's people and poof they refused the aid of the scientist because they thought they were going to be poisoned when there was no basis to it. On a political point i understand the decision that was made by the prime minister but i don't understand why someone would perceive it better for a whole country to starve from lack of food then to take a few growth hormones and be able to feed themselves.

So keep thinking am making generalizations from the comfort of my home when the truth is i've traveled and seen the world for what it trully is. The only real technology that makes a difference is the kind that is purchased to inflict harm upon an another. AK-47, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, M22 assault riffles. Those are the kind of technological inventions that make a difference in the world. I've seen it, i've been in the end result of them. And in other parts of the world if they have a beautiful daughter she's made into a whore so the money she makes can be used to feed her family. Yeah i am generalizing the state of the world, In africa its not just girls but boys as well. Its not 1000 dollars their making but maybe 5 or 10. This is the generalizations i've seen, it's probably even worse in other places i just can't recall. Don't be so quick to think am generalizing, i've traveled North, South America, Africa, the non glorified parts of Europe as well as the glorified ones, Middle East, India, Australia, and South Eastern Asia so when I speak i speak of what i've seen not things i blindly read about or saw on a special on CNN. There haven't been any real better times but its just increasingly worsening like Sweeter says.

[II Xion II]

@Xion: Your a hilarious one, you claim am generalizing everything but yet the rebuttals you've provided solve nothing to the greater problems at hand. I've traveled most of the world and seen the end result of your technologies, you know what they are nothing. Nothing at all. And am not saying lets return to better times because quite frankly there were no better times am a history major and political science major and for me to say such things would be simply stupid.

My technologies? What the hell is that supposed to mean? If you are attempting to categorize people into "us" and "them" then you too are missing a giant freaking point. I am furthermore convinced of this generalization due to the fact that you constantly made reference to the "sheeple" (though you never stated the word per se, you nevertheless semantically basically referred to it). As if everyone is the ignorant masses and you are one of the few elites who truly realizes that this world is screwed.

And are you insisting that technology is a bad thing? Because I would argue it can be both depending on the uses we put it to. And what do you mean by technology being "nothing, nothing at all"?

Every time around it gets worse and yes there are solutions to such things as world hunger but it will never be implemented because of the stupidity of people all around.

That includes the people "suffering" you know too?

Not always, but in many cases lack of education and clinging to archaic beliefs go a long way towards preventing development and modernity.

I don't blame it on them because many are born into such environments, but it is a problem that even with a world-wide effort would not be totally eradicated.

There were these groups of scientist sent to a country in africa to help teach them modernize farming techniques that we use to implement the growth of vegetation and cattle to be abundant enough to feed their entire country. Some naturalist sent the prime minister of this country a nice little letter about how non organic food is poisonous and it will kill the prime minister's people and poof they refused the aid of the scientist because they thought they were going to be poisoned when there was no basis to it. On a political point i understand the decision that was made by the prime minister but i don't understand why someone would perceive it better for a whole country to starve from lack of food then to take a few growth hormones and be able to feed themselves.

I agree. Even if something like that did have health concerns, it is certainly better than starving to death.

So keep thinking am making generalizations from the comfort of my home when the truth is i've traveled and seen the world for what it trully is.

Do I detect a hint of self-righteousness there?

"You...who sit in the opulence of your surroundings know nothing about the true decadence of the world...while I have traveled the world and have witnessed the abysmal squalor first hand."

Please do not do that.

The only real technology that makes a difference is the kind that is purchased to inflict harm upon an another. AK-47, grenade launchers, rocket launchers, M22 assault riffles. Those are the kind of technological inventions that make a difference in the world. I've seen it, i've been in the end result of them.

Immunizations, genetic engineering of crops, communications breakthroughs...none of those make a difference?

I am sorry...I find that a tad ridiculous.

And in other parts of the world if they have a beautiful daughter she's made into a whore so the money she makes can be used to feed her family. Yeah i am generalizing the state of the world, In africa its not just girls but boys as well. Its not 1000 dollars their making but maybe 5 or 10. This is the generalizations i've seen, it's probably even worse in other places i just can't recall. Don't be so quick to think am generalizing, i've traveled North, South America, Africa, the non glorified parts of Europe as well as the glorified ones, Middle East, India, Australia, and South Eastern Asia so when I speak i speak of what i've seen not things i blindly read about or saw on a special on CNN. There haven't been any real better times but its just increasingly worsening like Sweeter says.

Can you please stop appealing to your personal experience...it gets tiresome very quickly?

Your tone is so august and pompous that it is nearly unbearable.

I started out agreeing with you but now this is just getting hackneyed.

Not things i blindly read about or saw on a special on CNN

So people can't have valid opinions if they don't "experience it for themselves?"

That's logically fallacious right there.

[SolBeowulf19]

I agree with you when you say there are alot of people in the world who have essentially no idea what they're doing and end up ****ing up the place even more. However, what I don't agree with is purpose. Why do we need purpose? What is the point? No matter what we do, we are all going to die. Whether we accomplish something or not, in the grand scheme of the universe, these accomplishments and goals we attempt to reach are completely insignificant. Sorry to be a downer about it, but that's just the way I see it. What should be done is people should find their own purpose. Some reason to live that is for them, or even better yet, don't bother. Don't make goals that lead to a lifelong purpose, just go with life and see where it takes you. Now, I'm not saying don't prepare for stuff that comes up, and do try to help out where you can when it comes to the environment and the like, however, don't make it some universal purpose, because there really is no point. It's all gonna end the same way, it matters to us, but it doesn't matter anywhere else.....sort of. Anyway, sorry to be somewhat pessimistic about it, but this is just my view on the whole thing.