A sincere question on what do we do?

[Flatbutt1]

With the Angry White Man, What would it take for you to believe...? and other such threads , there is apparently a great deal of anger in our community. At least thats my perspective. So what do we do?

The last couple of years have been very challenging for me ego wise. Being left to wither on the vine at work while younger people blow by me. I'm too old to leave as I have too much at stake in terms of medical benefit etc...

So what do we guys and gals? Keep shrugging it off?(what I try to do) . Rant and rave here?

How do you cope?

[CJFusco]

For most people, our individual, day-to-day lives supercede whatever is going on in the world-at-large. Whatever is more immediate is therefore more important... but we all have opinions on world issues, and they come out when we aren't thinking about whatever is most immediate in our lives. They reveal themselves at dinner parties (after a few drinks), on BBS boards, while writing (shameless plug: OUR ORWELL, RIGHT OR LEFT will be in bookstores autumn 2008 ).

I am deeply and unabashedly political, but for me Pelican OT is a place for laughs and frivolity, so I tend to stay out of political/religious conversations here. But "in real life" I probably rant and rave just as much (if not more) than anyone here. What keeps me sane? Friends, family, beautiful girls, fast cars, music/movies/books, and a stiff drink now and then.

[Flatbutt1]

A thoguhtful response that. I often find myself just writing my anger off as having its seed in ego. And ego generally hurts me more than anyone else.

[stomachmonkey]

Being left to wither on the vine?

Aw poor me, I'm too old and have no options.

BS, get off your lazy a55 and do something about it.

Make something happen.

But please get out of your current environment.

I can feel it starting to erode you.

You are becoming complacent, accepting of the "inevitable".

Have seen it many times before and have nearly been sucked in by it myself.

Don't just lay down and die, go kicking and screaming.

[Lothar]

Resolve to find ways to create personal success even if the world crumbles around you. Our society may be going to hell, our population becoming increasingly simple-minded, our government more totalitarian, etc. You don't need to follow the crowd. Do the things that are of value to you. Provide for yourself and then give back to society in the ways that are best suited to your gifts and talents.

You are an individual. See yourself as that and nothing more. See others as individuals and evaluate them as that and nothing more. Racism, bigotry and class envy cannot exist when we don't lump ourselves together into some kind of collective. Be the best individual you can be.

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by Flatbutt1

How do you cope?

I create things. Music, photos, video, ideas. I'm not much of a car mechanic (although i can build a mean bicycle) so fixing cars isn't my forte. But I think the act of creating or building is what keeps people alive and engaged.

Even if you're making lattes at Peets, they can be *amazing* lattes. There was one guy at my local Peets who was a total artist with the control of foam, etc. A craftsman.

[varmint]

in reference to the political threads...

some people seem to be waiting for government/mommy to make their lives better. when they do not get the money/love they feel they deserve, the rage builds. don't know how to get them over that, except to say, "your personal issues are not government's problem".

this is a forum for gear heads. i'm going to spend the afternoon riding in the canyons. best stress reliever i can think of.

[livi]

Two spontaneous thoughts:

Everything is relative. There are always people that have it worse than myself.

There is only one factor any individual have complete control of. My own state of mind. Some people are well off but miserable, some are poor, happy sods. It has to do with ones general outlook on life itself.

Unfortunately, I have not found the formula myself for this theoretical ranting.

[jyl]

I generally suspect that the degree of anger and bitterness here reflects the person's lack of happiness and success in real life.

I'm not saying that being one of the "Angry White Men" crowd necessarily means one is "losing" in real life. But I do think that the more one is a winner, the less reason to be one of the AWM. You'd have better things to do.

[Seahawk]

What do I do?

I move forward, never pretend, never lie and bring talented folks with me. Fish gotta swim.

Anger is a crutch, an endless tale of woe.

[WI wide body]

I wonder if the AWM crybabies realize how similar they sound to the very folks that they are yapping about and whom they so despise.

It's hilarious to hear AWM goobers COMPLAIN about paying the AMT or not qualifying for the upcoming enonomic stimulus give away. One might guess that they would instead say "gee, I must be doing okay."

Both groups have a "poor me" mentality...but I think that probably only a majority of one group drives a Porsche!