Are we up to the challenge?

[Shaun @ Tru6]

not a PARF thread.

Are we, as a people, up to the challenges that lay ahead over the next 20 years?

Are we up to the standards that were set by those at the turn of the 20th century through the Greatest Generation?


Yes, no, why, why not?

[Christien]

My $0.02:

Yes, I think so, but not to the levels seen in the past. I think society is fundamentally different than 50 or 100 years ago, and some of the past "glory days" may never be relived, at least not in our lifetimes. I think a large part of that is that there are simply more people, which means more mouths to feed, cars to drive, money to spend and tax, broken bones to heal, etc.

I don't buy the doomsday prophesies that society is going to hell in a handbasket because of crippling national debt, lazy slacker generation, greedy corporations, too much self-interest, etc. I also don't buy utopian prophesies that whomever as pres will lead his people to the promised land, etc. etc. I think most of this talk comes from people who like to feel and talk important. I think in 20 years life will be very similar to today, save for typical advances in technology.

I think the American and global financial markets will recover from the current situation without a depression, 700B bailout or no bailout. I think gov'ts and the financial industry are sufficiently intelligent to avoid a true depression. I think that might be one instance where we've learned from our past mistakes. And comparisons to 1929 are really stretching things - the world is a fundamentally different place now than it was then.

I do think the US is in for a fairly major recession, not the least of which because of your national debt, but I don't think it's anything that's going to destroy society in any way. People will still get up, go to work, have kids, buy homes and cars and TVs, then take a dirt nap.

(edit: I tried to keep this non-political, and I think it's a good thread for the non-politics/religion OT forum, if we can keep it that way. I think that was your point Shaun - let's discuss this outside politics)

[IROC]

I voted no, unfortunately. It simply seems to me that until an atmosphere develops in this country where personal responsibility is rewarded and encouraged, we're going to suffer.

[Porsche-O-Phile]

I think you have more faith in people than I do.

Collectively, I think we're doomed. Although there will be some shining lights out there - industrious, motivated people with good minds who excel and help the situation.

Unfortunately, they are outnumbered overwhelmingly (I think 100-to-1 is far too generous) by average boorish idiots who barely have enough intellect, critical thinking capacity, work ethic or sense of accountability to do much other than sit around and mope and whine about how hard life is.

I see opportunity in the challenges that lie ahead and I hope to be one of the people that can capitalize on them, do well for myself by them and hopefully leave the world in better shape for my efforts as a result. But I (sadly) also think that my efforts (and the efforts of those who think like I do) will only be a band-aid against the onslaught of stupidity that's flooding our society every day. It'll buy us (collectively) a little time. Probably not much more.

Too many lazy, dumb people. Just too many. It's a numbers game.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Collectively, I think we're doomed.

Can you expand on this a bit? I'm curious as to how you envision society in, say, 25 years. Or maybe 50.

[Rikao4]

agree with Jeff,
Once upon a time..there was this place called America...
so everyone have fun,
and please turn out the lights when your done picking over the carcass.

Rika

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Ever see "Idiocracy"? Kinda' like that.

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Porsche-O-Phile

Ever see "Idiocracy"? Kinda' like that.

No, no idea what you're talking about!

edit: what I'm trying to say is that I can't envision massive economic fallout to the point of India-style poverty in the USA. I can't see roving gangs, bread lines and small communities of gated mansions guarded by armed patrols where the few hundred wealthy people live, while the rest of the population starves.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Peggy Noonan has new book out about this. going to pick it up.




http://www.harpercollins.com/books/9780061760129/Patriotic_Grace/index.aspx

[RWebb]

yes

here's the reason:

the Constitution was designed by geniuses so that even idiots could run the country
[stolen from Thomas Friedmann]

[Jim Richards]

I'm always up for a good challenge.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

I'm always up for a good challenge.

if we had a nation of Jim Richards', we'd be all set. fact is we don't.

I have mixed feelings on the response to the bailout; it gives me a little optimism. But since it passed, pessimism regains control. We need some demonstrations in the streets on this issue alone.

[Bill Douglas]

I think life will be a bit different. Neither better nor worse, just different.

In fact it's different already.

[sammyg2]

Many of us are, but too many are lazy, greedy, and want to live off others.
Maybe tough times will teach the boys to be men and get back to the basics of self-dependency, self-reliance, and personal responsibility.

[nut11]

I'm ambivalent. Voted yes but as a culture, we need to re establish the value of personal responsibility. I'm just beat down a bit during the past few weeks.

87 blk coupe

[robbajob]

Weren't there lazy average idiots 50 years ago? A hundred years ago?

[The Gaijin]

If we turn the baby boomers into soylent green we would be OK.


Those self centered whiners will only get worse with age.

You think they liked drugs in the 60s? Wait till they are all in their 60s!!

[Jim Richards]

Originally Posted by The Gaijin

If we turn the baby boomers into soylent green we would be OK.


Those self centered whiners will only get worse with age.

You think they liked drugs in the 60s? Wait till they are all in their 60s!!

I'm a baby boomer and I'm wondering "What the hell are you whining about, Gaijin?"

[Christien]

Originally Posted by Jim Richards

I'm a baby boomer and I'm wondering "What the hell are you whining about, Gaijin?"

There are too many of you taking up more than your share of resources!!

[Jim Richards]

I'm sorry, but I have an extremely small carbon footprint, and am fiscally conservative, unlike most of the younger generation.