Actually, Katshot, it would appear that you're as guilty of what you accused Randeaux of doing. You're reminding him of how Gen-x'ers blame everyone else (e.g. their parents) for the situation that they're in today. Meanwhile, you're actively blaming Gen-X'ers for the situation today as well. Seems to me that you're slingin a lot of rocks in that glass house of yours.
I agree that this pattern of behavior involving blaming everyone but themselves has seemingly become more rampant in recent years, but Gen-X'ers aren't the only ones engaged in it, as is evidenced by your own point of view.
The simple point is this: You're living in today's society too, thus you're just as responsible as anyone else..........including Gen-X'ers. Actually, that's another thing that irritates the hell out of me........Why do we have to deliniate ourselves into such individualized categories? Today, we have Gen-X'ers, Baby Boomers, Gen-Y'ers, Free Lovers, African-Americans, Irish-Americans, Asian-Americans, Gay-Americans, unionized-Americans, etc, etc, etc. This is the reason we can't get anything accomplished in this country anymore. We all want to individualize ourselves to whatever "group" we want to be identified with, so that we all feel like segregated, special, little 'snowflakes', which is a massive load of fertilizer. Whatever happened to being a part of that other group simply called "Americans"? We have, all of us, actively made efforts to separate ourselves from each other in this country, and then we wonder why we don't know each other, nor can get along on anything anymore............gee, I wonder why.
We create these walls, or lines of distinction, because we want special attention to be paid to our particular interest. This is the basis of special interest lobbyists that have perverted our system of government to this degree that it has become. Also, don't think our government is going to do anything about this problem, as it has no vested interest in doing so. Simply put, the concensus in our federal government appears to be that if the rest of the nation is bickering over every little thing (e.g. generation names and blames), then as a whole we become incapable of achieving what those in government fear most...............change. If this country was able to act as a nation again, our government may actually have to become somewhat effective, as each elected official would actually have to fear his or her own constituency because they know they can be eliminated for not doing the job properly. Currently, all a politician has to do is pull the right lie out of his or her briefcase to quell whatever concerns each rally they go to has. If they have a luncheon with the beekeepers association of America, then you can guarantee that they'll say whatever it takes to make those people believe that their hobby and livlihood is protected before all others. That's crap, plain and simple. If those beekeepers stopped them in their lies, and said "Well, that's all fine and good that you're going to see that honey isn't taxed as much, but can you tell us what you're going to do for the rest of our neighbors and fellow citizens, in detail?" I'm quite certain that they'd have to start to stick to a plan, as every individual group would hold them to the plan that benefits the whole, not just every little group.
I have no issue with individualized interests, and I believe that individual interests and rights should be protected and fostered. But I don't believe that individual interests should be placed before the needs of a nation, but that has become how our country is run, and it will eventually be the cause of our demise, governmentally speaking.
Anyway, to sum up, you're both guilty of blaming when everyone is at fault. The culpability of the state this nation is in rests on every person calling themselves a citizen of this country, and that's the way it should be. If we, as a nation, realized this simple little point, we'd probably be able to interact better, and possibly make changes that would improve things dramatically.
I know, I'll get blasted for my point of view, but I have spent my life watching human behavior, I have studied it both informally, and formally (as I have a few degrees in this kind of crap), as well as being an employee in the federal government. I might actually have a mild clue as to what I'm talking about. Then again, i could be just as full of crap as the next guy......but that's not for me to decide..........it's for all of us.
