Instant Gratification snkpack: I recently overheard a comment made by an older gentleman that set me to thinking. Basically he said that our generation is "impatient". He of course tempered this by saying it wasn't necessarily our fault, but that society as a whole has become so used to "speed" in every aspect of our lives, that we find ourselves easily frustrated when things take longer than we expect.
And it most certainly is true. The difference in just 20-30 years is substantial. We have become either lazy or super industrious. Have you noticed the recent influx in product innovation? Everything is geared to be "quicker" or "easier". Instead of scrubbing a shower like our mothers used to, now we just spray on after each shower and it self cleans! Let's not even go there with the Swiffer system! Mopping has never been so easy!
And the internet. I can't even imagine how many employees are set to figure out how to make it faster, quicker, more efficent. We are a nation obsessed with speed and efficiency. And while these aren't necessarily bad things, we're basically wasting all the extra time these innovations give us. Microwaves and dishwashers and all these time-saving inventions are turning us into impatient and intolerant people.
Now instead of spending 5 months saving the money for a new color television, we are spontaneous "charge it" spenders. We honestly don't have the patience to think things through, carefully evaluate a purchase/decision thoroughly before making it. We are often called upon to make on the spot decisions that aren't necessarily in our best interest. But society as a whole has become so "fast-paced" and so "rush-rush-rush" that no one takes the time to stop and breathe anymore.
EVERYTHING these days is geared towards speed: express lanes at the grocery stores, buying postage stamps at retail stores. Everything has become TOO convenient and yet we still gripe!
The only place we're really rushing to go is the grave people!
Re: Instant Gratification pluscachange: Excellent observation.
However, the victim in this case is a victim of his/her own acceptance of the "necessity" of everything being instantaneous.
Credit card? ROFL! Nah, use cash, keeps you out of debt, and that itself is a powerful thing in this day and age. Really keeps a lot of the system off of your back that makes you feel compelled to always go go go.
You make some great points. Too bad people will simply justify it away, or take one day every three years to sit around watching Bugs Bunny and then pretend that this was "taking it easy".
You old fashioned chick, you. If you say you love reading On Walden Pond, I'm going to absolutely have a crush on you. :)
Re: Instant Gratification just_me_detroit: ???
Re: Instant Gratification darkrose: You know Snk, I see this too. I think other influences cultivate this state of mind.
At least around me, I spend a lot of time in line waiting to get off the interstate at some random exit. I know these exits are backed up and I get in the lane I need to be in WELL ahead of time to insure I'm going to be in that lane when the traffic slows. But invariably, there's always some line jumpers who will "cut in" where they don't belong. What does this do? Sure it saves THEM five minutes, but it increases the wait time of those who legitimately waited in line.
I believe what cultivated this type of thinking is the rise of the dual-income family and lack of a family life. I was fortunate enough to grow up in a tight-knit family, my parents are still married, and my grandparents lived a block or so over from the house I grew up in. My mom stayed home (for the most part) and my dad worked. We had everything we needed and a lot of the things we wanted, but we (the children) were by no means spoiled. I think this instilled family values in us that live on today.
I think the reason all of this is happening is because many people didn't have this. I can remember a kid from down the street that had all the really cool toys and such..both of his parents worked and they made up for it by buying him whatever he wanted. See my point? It's about being used to getting what you want, not making due with what you have.
..and me? I've gone to the next exit and turned around in the rare instance I miscalculated and missed my exit.
Re: Instant Gratification snkpack: Its crossed over into every aspect of our lives! Even in dating, its rush-rush-rush. I hate that people expect you to make a decision about them before you ever truly know them. And as a general rule, we're having sex way too early!
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