Need some help - Want to post a thread

Now, at first glance, this may seem like an odd thread, but bear with me here for a few moments; there IS a point.

You see, I've been reading threads here ATS for a couple hours now, over recent days and over years even, and something just struck me. In my mind it seems like one thought, but it is built upon a foundation of several distinctly different concepts. Consequently, I can't really figure out if it's a "rant", if it's a "Mud Pit", if it's a "New World Order", a "US Political Madness", a "Dreams and Prediction" or 'none of the above'. Perhaps you can lend me an ear (or eyes, as it were) for a moment and help me decide.

I thought about titling the thread "I'm Blind", but then I was conflicted with another potential title, "Magic 8 Ball". In any case, the foundational thoughts are basically these (not in any particular order, as they are all different, but related):

1. We all remember as kids when our parents said things like... "When I was your age we had to WALK to school, in a snowstorm, and it was 5 miles each way and uphill both directions!"...OR...You kids now days have it EASY; when I was your age we had to (insert drastically more difficult situation)". We remember muttering "Yeah, whatever" under our breath in response.

2. As kids we can all likely remember looking around at our world and thinking to ourselves we would never become like the older people we saw around us. We'd always be 'cool', and we'd always listen to rock & roll and we'd always stomp in puddles. It would always be that way.

3. As we grew older we found ourselves doing more and more of the things we said we'd never do. We became responsible, had families and effectively became the very things we said would never happen (though I still listen to rock & roll). So, as we look back, nothing really changed. In other words, even though our lives seemed so vastly different from older generations, they weren't really.

4. Today, as we look back to the past we see all these things, but knowing how different we 'thought' we were then, and coupling this with the concept..."the more things change, the more they stay the same", one would think we could reasonably extrapolate what the future will hold for subsequent generations, right? Sure, things would change, but the fundamental underpinnings which grounded us would remain relatively intact. The sky would always be blue, the sun would rise and the countries / cultures we lived in would be the same for the most part.

5. From my vantage point, I see a world now which is fundamentally different than the world we all lived in as kids, fundamentally different than the world our parents lived in even. And, for the first time in my life I can't really say for sure what tomorrow will bring. Oddly, I'm blind to the future. I think we all are. Things are changing on a paradigm level, and they're changing rapidly. Whole cultures are shifting, ways of life are rapidly disappearing, entire populations are shifting, both on an ideological level as well as on a physical level.

(Note - Now you may see why I considered titling this thread "I'm Blind" ...(likely a scary glimpse inside how FCD's mind works!))

6. Things like "Political Correctness" and uniformity have torn our World society into pieces. "Different" is no longer politically correct; everything must be homogeneous or it's not okay. Even things like 'History' are being altered to suit this paradigm change. Case in point, one of many;... Today is October 28th of the year 2018, right? Or is it? 2018 stands for 2,018 years after the birth of Christ. However, the terms "B.C." and "A.D" are no longer politically correct, now we are teaching children to use terms like "CE" and "BCE". How long will it be before it's politically incorrect to even track time relative to the birth and death of Jesus Christ? Tomorrow the date could be October 29th, 4041 or 24857. Maybe we'll reinvent the calendar to track volcanic eruptions since Plato, or Solar Flares since the dinosaurs. After all, three hundred and sixty four and one quarter days really is a pretty awkward measure for a "year" don't you think? (/sarcasm).

7. We look around us and we see things like censorship all around us. We see entire segments of society telling us that things which have been done for centuries are no longer acceptable. We see opinions being stifled, voices being silenced and entire cultures being eclipsed. We see Apu being eliminated from the Simpsons, we see a female Dr. Who, and we could go on, and on. Political correctness has such a strangle-hold on modern society that people are afraid to say anything other than some bland, monotone, 'yes/no' response.

8. If I pick up a 64-Pack of Crayola crayons and I dump them all into a big pot and put it over a flame, all the pretty colored crayons in the pan will melt eventually. And if I take a big spoon and mix all those colored crayons together do you know what I get? I get a great big glob of boring brown goo, it has nothing remarkable about it in any way. It doesn't make you happy, and it doesn't make you sad; it doesn't make you feel anything at all. It just exists. It doesn't have any character, it's just a boring brown gob of goo. In fact, it's devoid of any emotion, character or form at all. That's where we're headed as a World society right now...right into becoming a great big Worldwide gob of boring brown, politically correct, goo. Devoid of laughter and odd angles, and weird people and fun. We'll all just 'exist'.

9. Tomorrow the news could come on and the brown newscasters, in their brown suits, and their brown hair could tell us half of the world just blew up, and hundreds of thousands of boring brown people just vaporized. And the brown people, in their brown bathrobes, sitting on their brown couches in their brown living rooms, watching their brown TV's won't act surprised. No, they won't have any emotion at all, they'll just sit there like brown zombies...and their unremarkable lives will go on...and on.

10. When we get to that point (and believe me we're headed RIGHT THERE...on the express train, folks!), we could pick up one of those old Magic 8 Balls and ask ourselves if we'll be around to see tomorrow. As we vigorously shake our now 'brown' 8-Ball and look for the answer in the little window on the bottom, we could see "Reply Hazy, Try Again", or "Concentrate And Ask Again"

(Note - And now you may see why I was conflicted with the title of this thread, and alternately thinking I maybe should call it "Magic 8-Ball")

For the very first time in my life, I seriously question whether the future will be a better place for our future generations. I wonder what that future will hold.

**shake, shake, shake**

Hmmmm...it says "Better Not Tell You Now"

---The End---


Any ideas for an OP title, and a forum to put it in?

ETA- BTW, the question about where to put this was really more of a rhetorical one. A boring brown rhetorical one.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I like Magic 8-Ball or maybe Melting Into The Future. But the substance of what you wrote is more important. Great read.

I still listen to rock and roll ....and I still stomp in mud puddles.

So with you on all of that.

S+F

a reply to: DAVID64

Ssssssshhhhhh!!!!....so do I. Don't tell anyone though, okay?

You like music...Choose an appropriate song title.

...or a line from lyrics.

originally posted by: IAMTAT
You like music...Choose an appropriate song title.

...or a line from lyrics.

The Eve of Destruction.....By Barry Mcguire

a reply to: IAMTAT

Well I'm standing by a river
But the water doesn't flow
It boils with every poison you can think of
And I'm underneath the streetlight
Not the light of joy I know
Scared beyond belief way down in the shadows
And the perverted fear of violence
Chokes the smile on every face
And common sense is ringing out the bell
This ain't no technological breakdown
Oh no, this is the road to hell

And all the roads jam up with credit
And there's nothing you can do
It's all just bits of paper flying away from you
Oh look out world, take a good look
What comes down here
You must learn this lesson fast and learn it well
This ain't no upwardly mobile freeway
Oh no, this is the road
Said this is the road
This is the road to hell

- Chris Rea, The Road to Hell

By golly...maybe that's it!!!...The Road to Hell

IAMTAT FTW!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

It's Biblical....the Earth is wearing out like a garment and this all is supposed to happen, it's been foretold actually.

Not much longer though!

a reply to: Tarzan the apeman.

I like that too..."Melting Into the Future"

Maybe we need to go through this?

It is interesting. Maybe this conflict is forcing us to consider our humanity for the first time en masse. There have always been intellectuals that ponder the meaning of life, but this 'change' is now coming to the doorstop of the average human being and soon they will need to make a choice.

If we were in the age of a continuous yesteryear, would we advance as a society? Maybe we are simply being forced to verbally or physically announce what our view of morals are or fight for the type of society we wish to inhabit.

I used to think we were all going to embrace the need for compromise but reading several OPs recently, why should I need to suffer the yolk of PC & SJW ideology? It isn't what this reality is and will only bring unhappiness. Why should I need to compromise so someone else can experiment with feel good policies that will only bring us to ruin.

but again, maybe we need to go through this? Has this ever happened during this era of recorded history?

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

'g mornin'' FCD...How about..

"When we become our parents"

or...

"Wait until you get to be OUR age!"

or...

"You think you know it all?!"

even...

"You think you know everything!?"

or.....

Oh, forget it FCD...sigh....I need a nap now....nice talkin' you Mr. Disk as always........best, M.S.

"I Told You!"

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I have thought of many of the things that you speak of.

I seem to always end up with the question, "Why did we let it happen?"

It amazes me that we lament circumstances that we don't like, and don't want, yet we are not willing to fight for, until it is too late.

Less than 1% of the population has been successful in making the major changes in our society that the average person complains about. Those among the few, were passionate enough to go all in for what they believe. The 99% allowed the changes because it is hard to fight for something that you already have.

That old saying, "You never truly know the value of what you have, until you lose it." Says it all.

well written. BRAVO. thanks for bringing me back to the good old days. when my dad would be driving down the highway and I could stand, as a young tyke,on the front seat with impunity. dad would say pass me a beer they're under the seat. my seatbelt was his outstretched arm when he hit the brakes. I would lay in the back window....but that's where my entire box of crayons melted in the sun. where knowledge was contained at the library and not in the palm of my hand.(though I do like that).i do splash in the occasional puddle once in awhile, and I'm right back to the age of 5. THANK YOU

As Time Goes By
Dooley Wilson
You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say "I love you"
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate
Woman needs man, and man must have his mate
That no one can deny
It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs
Never out…

originally posted by: DAVID64
I still listen to rock and roll ....and I still stomp in mud puddles.

Pfft, amateur. I still send up walls of water to anyone at my side dragging my feet through them at just the right angle & speed

originally posted by: Justso
As Time Goes By
Dooley Wilson
You must remember this
A kiss is just a kiss
A sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say "I love you"
On that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs
Never out of date
Hearts full of passion
Jealousy and hate
Woman needs man, and man must have his mate
That no one can deny
It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory
A case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
Moonlight and love songs
Never out…

Play it again, Sam.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Well written!
Definitely resonates with me. A title that popped in my head is "Children of Yesteryear".
Just kinda fits.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

I think the pendulum is already reaching its point of maximum reach and may even already be beginning its swing in the opposite direction. People are already beginning to reject this PC agenda.