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What's Our Generation's Evilness?

CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
edited June 2010 in Debate and/or Discourse
So I was looking through a collection of sexist vintage ads, and I thought to myself, "isn't it weird that so many people went along with this and didn't realize how wrong they'd be 50 years later?"

And then I realized that people of that generation probably thought the same of the generation before them, and they the prior generation. Every generation we appear to grow more... liberal I suppose?

However, I don't consider myself a member of some unique snowflake generation that won't be subject to the same pattern. I'll be 70 years old one day, cursing at how the world is going to hell because _______, while the rest of the world looks at me and goes "damnit grandpa, why can't you just die".

So what will that issue be? I'm hoping gay rights won't be a major issue by the time I'm 70 so what else is left? Will we consider people with intellectual disabilities to be just as smart as the rest of us? Will we decide that owning pets is immoral or that pets are as smart as the rest of us? Will we scorn old people who think 5-year-olds don't know as much about the world as adults?

I really can't figure out what I'll be hated for in 50 years, and it kind of bugs me. What do you guys suggest?

Cognisseur on
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Posts

  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm sure there will still be an "isn't it weird that so many people went along with this and didn't realize how wrong they'd be 50 years later?" thing about Gay rights. Also, while I can't say that in the future everyone will understand that government spending on the less fortunate will be gone, I'm sure something like healthcare being universal will be understood as necessary.

    Also, I'd bet that video games will be seen as at least a proto-art and the whole "GAMES ARE DRIVING YOUTH TO KILL EVERYONE" will be gone.

    Khavall on
  • Evil MultifariousEvil Multifarious Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    the absolute dominion of entertainment

    Evil Multifarious on
  • MorgensternMorgenstern ICH BIN DER PESTVOGEL DU KAMPFAFFE!Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Having 900 photos of yourself on Facebook in the same pose in front of a mirror.

    Where am I going with this? No idea.

    Morgenstern on
    “Every time we walk along a beach some ancient urge disturbs us so that we find ourselves shedding shoes and garments or scavenging among seaweed and whitened timbers like the homesick refugees of a long war.” - Loren Eiseley
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm going to second the gay rights issue. Shit, it's crazy even now that human equality is being so strongly opposed, let alone what we're going to think of this half a century from now.

    BloodySloth on
  • KhavallKhavall British ColumbiaRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I'm going to second the gay rights issue. Shit, it's crazy even now that human equality is being so strongly opposed, let alone what we're going to think of this half a century from now.

    Yeah I mean.. .that "Gathering Storm" ad?


    That sickens me already. Now imagine we're 50 years in the future, Gays have equal rights to straights, they can marry, they can serve in the military, there's no society difference.

    Now look at that ad again.

    Khavall on
  • Wandering IdiotWandering Idiot Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Eating meat that comes from actual animals, especially with how factory farming is done, I’d guess.

    Also the state of the global underclass in general, and being slow to get off fossil fuels. But those are pretty large systemic problems, not just societal mores.

    Wandering Idiot on
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Khavall wrote: »
    I'm going to second the gay rights issue. Shit, it's crazy even now that human equality is being so strongly opposed, let alone what we're going to think of this half a century from now.

    Yeah I mean.. .that "Gathering Storm" ad?


    That sickens me already. Now imagine we're 50 years in the future, Gays have equal rights to straights, they can marry, they can serve in the military, there's no society difference.

    Now look at that ad again.

    Right, I guess what I'm trying to say is that gay rights is the cheap and easy answer. It doesn't really reveal anything interesting about us. The vast majority of folks on this forum are pro gay rights. Nonetheless, we'll still be shitty old people with shitty opinions. What are we certain we're right about that we'll one day be wrong/against society about?

    Cognisseur on
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    Khavall wrote: »
    I'm going to second the gay rights issue. Shit, it's crazy even now that human equality is being so strongly opposed, let alone what we're going to think of this half a century from now.

    Yeah I mean.. .that "Gathering Storm" ad?


    That sickens me already. Now imagine we're 50 years in the future, Gays have equal rights to straights, they can marry, they can serve in the military, there's no society difference.

    Now look at that ad again.

    Right, I guess what I'm trying to say is that gay rights is the cheap and easy answer. It doesn't really reveal anything interesting about us. The vast majority of folks on this forum are pro gay rights. Nonetheless, we'll still be shitty old people with shitty opinions. What are we certain we're right about that we'll one day be wrong/against society about?

    And even the this forum skews wildly liberal excuse doesn't work, as this generation is at LEAST 2:1 pro-gay rights. It's hard to say, as generally we're blind to our own faults, but I think we're pretty cool thus far. It might turn into apathy? I suspect that will be Gen X's huge flaw.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    Khavall wrote: »
    I'm going to second the gay rights issue. Shit, it's crazy even now that human equality is being so strongly opposed, let alone what we're going to think of this half a century from now.

    Yeah I mean.. .that "Gathering Storm" ad?


    That sickens me already. Now imagine we're 50 years in the future, Gays have equal rights to straights, they can marry, they can serve in the military, there's no society difference.

    Now look at that ad again.

    Right, I guess what I'm trying to say is that gay rights is the cheap and easy answer. It doesn't really reveal anything interesting about us. The vast majority of folks on this forum are pro gay rights. Nonetheless, we'll still be shitty old people with shitty opinions. What are we certain we're right about that we'll one day be wrong/against society about?

    And even the this forum skews wildly liberal excuse doesn't work, as this generation is at LEAST 2:1 pro-gay rights. It's hard to say, as generally we're blind to our own faults, but I think we're pretty cool thus far. It might turn into apathy? I suspect that will be Gen X's huge flaw.

    Nah come on, we can find something legit. Meat-eating is a cool one, I hadn't considered that. I can totally see how, as we become more aware that we're just a slightly more evolved species rather than being some kind of mystical creature unrelated to all others, we'd have a growing problem with slaughtering things for meat. I can definitely see youngins yelling at us one day that we have the equivalent of pig concentration camps and we see nothing wrong with that despite pigs having feelings and shit (mostly shit).

    Cognisseur on
  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Resource management, I'd think. Some cornerstone of our economy will just implode and be gone and our kids will ask, "How could you be so retarded as to not see this coming?"

    Ringo on
    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Ringo wrote: »
    Resource management, I'd think. Some cornerstone of our economy will just implode and be gone and our kids will ask, "How could you be so retarded as to not see this coming?"

    This is a generation that grew up on video games. I doubt that will be the problem. :P

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Meat will probably be considered a horrible thing as soon as delicious clone meat has been in the system for a few generations.

    I'm expecting another generation of accepting newer extreme behaviors and sub-cultures, which will in turn bask in their mutual disdain for a new crop of sub-cultures.

    I'm expecting some eventual change in how we view tribal cultures... not sure which direction...

    I'm rather curious where the massive rise of the latest flavor of Abrahamic mythology, Islam, will take culture.

    Incenjucar on
  • Loren MichaelLoren Michael Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Man, fuck disc golf.

    Loren Michael on
    a7iea7nzewtq.jpg
  • YodaTunaYodaTuna Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Ringo wrote: »
    Resource management, I'd think. Some cornerstone of our economy will just implode and be gone and our kids will ask, "How could you be so retarded as to not see this coming?"

    I agree with this in the context of fossil fuels. We've known since the 70's that it's unsustainable. Jimmy Carter recognized it and wanted to fix it, but everyone else until Obama basically ignored it.

    "You guys knew you were going to run out of oil for 40 years and you didn't do anything!"

    YodaTuna on
  • BloodySlothBloodySloth Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Incenjucar wrote: »
    Meat will probably be considered a horrible thing as soon as delicious clone meat has been in the system for a few generations.

    To tie in with this, I'm thinking as the public's understanding of genetic engineering, cloning, stem cells, etc. becomes more solid, a lot of the problems people have with it now are going to seem really silly and childish in 50 years.

    BloodySloth on
  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    And then 50 years after that people will start questioning the ethics of our vat-grown soulless underclass

    Ringo on
    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • enlightenedbumenlightenedbum Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    YodaTuna wrote: »
    Ringo wrote: »
    Resource management, I'd think. Some cornerstone of our economy will just implode and be gone and our kids will ask, "How could you be so retarded as to not see this coming?"

    I agree with this in the context of fossil fuels. We've known since the 70's that it's unsustainable. Jimmy Carter recognized it and wanted to fix it, but everyone else until Obama basically ignored it.

    "You guys knew you were going to run out of oil for 40 years and you didn't do anything!"

    Well, that's not our generation, for the most part. It's one I think the Boomers suck about.

    BloodySloth's idea might be the best yet.

    enlightenedbum on
    Self-righteousness is incompatible with coalition building.
  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    The question is whether we'll actually learn from anything.

    Considering we've all lived through two or three stupid bubbles now.

    Incenjucar on
  • RingoRingo He/Him a distinct lack of substanceRegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    I could definitely see children asking, "So... you didn't cure cancer because... abortion? How does that work, exactly?"

    Ringo on
    Sterica wrote: »
    I know my last visit to my grandpa on his deathbed was to find out how the whole Nazi werewolf thing turned out.
    Edcrab's Exigency RPG
  • Pi-r8Pi-r8 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Being racist/sexist without necessarily realizing it.
    Eating horrible food that fucks up the environment and our health.
    Still being crazy for money, even if it fucks up third world countries.
    Ostracizing anyone who has somewhat different views on sex.
    Not understanding the culture of other countries at all.
    being lazy and unintellectual.

    Basically all the same stuff that previous generations have done, people are still going to do it.

    Pi-r8 on
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Nah, you guys are looking at this wrong. What do we hate old people for right now, their actions back during the Cold War? No, we hate them for the stupid shit they say right now about the modern day world. When they say shit about a Black guy being president, that's what we hate, not that the Civil Rights act only got passed when they were in their 30s.

    So what will we be hated for being vocal in a loudness that only senior citizens with no reason to still be alive can pull off? Will we be marching with our little walkers in favor of slaughtering animals for real meats? Will we be marching against genetic engineering because we don't like the idea of seeing a generation born that's better than us in every single way?

    Cognisseur on
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Pi-r8 wrote: »
    Being racist/sexist without necessarily realizing it.
    Eating horrible food that fucks up the environment and our health.
    Still being crazy for money, even if it fucks up third world countries.
    Ostracizing anyone who has somewhat different views on sex.
    Not understanding the culture of other countries at all.
    being lazy and unintellectual.

    Basically all the same stuff that previous generations have done, people are still going to do it.

    Yeah, sure, but give me new stuff. What will the future bring us that we can grumble about? The current generation may have all the racism/sexism/whateverelse that the previous generation grumbled about, but they also have to deal with this gosh-darned technology bullcrap.

    Why do I need the Internet? I can get all my information from a library! Technology is stupid! See? That's something relatively new, in that it has risen to the forefront with the most recent generation of old folk. So what new stuff do we get to look forward to?

    Cognisseur on
  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    There is nothing new about Luddites.

    Incenjucar on
  • nukanuka What are circles? Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Religious equality.

    Regardless how excited you or I may be about the idea of an Atheist president, well I've told less funny jokes before.

    nuka on
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  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Homosexuals and bisexuals in society.

    Though I suspect, even in "fifty years", transsexuals will still have a very tough time. But I'm a pessimist.

    That, and things like American Idol. The future will not think we were callous and insensitive, but just flat-out depraved. Also our tendency to go to war and the same tendency to be unwilling to mobilize society or adjust our daily lives to reflect that fact.

    Synthesis on
  • Loren MichaelLoren Michael Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Our generation's evilness is that we didn't form an alliance with The Greatest Generation and imprison/enslave the boomers.

    Loren Michael on
    a7iea7nzewtq.jpg
  • CognisseurCognisseur Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Incenjucar wrote: »
    There is nothing new about Luddites.

    Right, but that's precisely what I'm saying. Luddites may have existed but they weren't really the major reason-senior-citizens-are-annoying until like 10-20 years ago. Suddenly, consumer technology has exploded, especially the computer/cell-phone sort, and old folks are left scratching their heads.

    All I'm saying is that it's new in how major the issue is because my grandparents avoiding new technology creates a far bigger difference in how they perceive the world compared to me, relative to my great-grandparents refusing to use the new self-cleaning oven or some other inconsequential shit.

    Cognisseur on
  • AdrienAdrien Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Cognisseur wrote: »
    So I was looking through a collection of sexist vintage ads, and I thought to myself, "isn't it weird that so many people went along with this and didn't realize how wrong they'd be 50 years later?"

    And then I realized that people of that generation probably thought the same of the generation before them, and they the prior generation. Every generation we appear to grow more... liberal I suppose?

    However, I don't consider myself a member of some unique snowflake generation that won't be subject to the same pattern. I'll be 70 years old one day, cursing at how the world is going to hell because _______, while the rest of the world looks at me and goes "damnit grandpa, why can't you just die".

    So what will that issue be? I'm hoping gay rights won't be a major issue by the time I'm 70 so what else is left? Will we consider people with intellectual disabilities to be just as smart as the rest of us? Will we decide that owning pets is immoral or that pets are as smart as the rest of us? Will we scorn old people who think 5-year-olds don't know as much about the world as adults?

    I really can't figure out what I'll be hated for in 50 years, and it kind of bugs me. What do you guys suggest?

    You're looking too far. You think sexism is gone? Our grandchildren are going to see the state of advertising in our era the same way we look at those ads.

    At least, I hope they do.

    Adrien on
    tmkm.jpg
  • Metal Gear Solid 2 DemoMetal Gear Solid 2 Demo Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Gas use

    Primarily cars

    It's going to be seen as ridiculously wasteful in about 50 years

    Especially things like Hummers and such (moreso than now)

    Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo on
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  • KastanjKastanj __BANNED USERS regular
    edited May 2010
    Killing people in the third world with externalities related to our consumption and production.

    Kastanj on
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  • Metal Gear Solid 2 DemoMetal Gear Solid 2 Demo Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Kastanj wrote: »
    Killing people in the third world with externalities related to our consumption and production.

    haha nope this will never end

    Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo on
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    Orikae! |RS| : why is everyone yelling 'enders is dead go'
    When I say pop it that means pop it
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  • SynthesisSynthesis Honda Today! Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Kastanj wrote: »
    Killing people in the third world with externalities related to our consumption and production.

    haha nope this will never end

    The magnitude, however, will change.

    Though I'm not sure if it'll be increasing or decreasing.

    Synthesis on
  • Metal Gear Solid 2 DemoMetal Gear Solid 2 Demo Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    But it's not even our "generation's" evil, it's like a consistent human evil

    Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo on
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  • Pi-r8Pi-r8 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    yeah. Although, at least I can sort of forgive people for that. It's hard to see something as evil when the bad consequences are really, really far away.

    Pi-r8 on
  • override367override367 ALL minions Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    vintageads11.jpg

    This one's... actually kind of correct, if a bit blunt. Most people go for looks first in a potential mate, I mean it's biology.

    Honestly about the OP I think religion, or more accurately religion in politics (notably gay rights) will be seen as fucking ridiculously stupid. That a candidate HAS to be a GOOD CHRISTIAN will also be looked on as ridiculous.

    override367 on
  • TaramoorTaramoor Storyteller Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    What our evilness will be depends on which direction society turns.

    We could pursue a more isolationist foreign policy, abandoning space exploration altogether along with a few of the more theoretical fields of scientific inquiry, and I could see a lot of our more hippyish tendencies being regarded as downright psychotic (Veganism, Mansions for Pets, Vermont) or we could tend more toward a socialist upheaval and watch as Hummers, American Idol, and (hopefully) Scientology are regarded as the great follies of our age.

    Taramoor on
  • Pi-r8Pi-r8 Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    hahaha is that woman supposed to be hot? she looks freaky.

    Pi-r8 on
  • November FifthNovember Fifth Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Gas use

    Primarily cars

    It's going to be seen as ridiculously wasteful in about 50 years

    Especially things like Hummers and such (moreso than now)

    I am going to go with cars as well.

    You let 16 yr olds drive and jabber on cell phones? What were you thinking?

    November Fifth on
  • IncenjucarIncenjucar VChatter Seattle, WARegistered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Pi-r8 wrote: »
    hahaha is that woman supposed to be hot? she looks freaky.

    Standards change.

    People used to find it attractive if women shaved their eyebrows off and some of the hair on their forehead.

    Incenjucar on
  • Metal Gear Solid 2 DemoMetal Gear Solid 2 Demo Registered User regular
    edited May 2010
    Gas use

    Primarily cars

    It's going to be seen as ridiculously wasteful in about 50 years

    Especially things like Hummers and such (moreso than now)

    I am going to go with cars as well.

    You let 16 yr olds drive and jabber on cell phones? What were you thinking?

    That but I'd say it's going to be more "You have three cars for a family of four???"

    Metal Gear Solid 2 Demo on
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