Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I'll ignore your little snide remarks, but you clearly misunderstood my point. Again, it's like saying all cancers are caused by smoking only. You are focussing on one particular cause of what might be making people seem more negative, while ignoring the host of other reasons, largely as I suspect to make some sort of political point (the word 'entitlements' gets banded around a lot on the political forum and is often used to take cheap shots at the poor).
You're basically saying that the reason why people are more negative is because they can't afford that new flat screen or iPod. I say that from an economic perspective, it's more to do with unemployment, lack of job security, worrying about whether there will be enough money for retirement or to send the kids to university.
What I find interesting is that this is an open thread where various opinions were shared....yet you chose to hone in on my opinion. Says more about your thought process than anything. Not sure if the word "entitlement" is a hot button for you (considering you assumed that I was making a political statement by using it- which I wasn't). But in either case, I think your response was a bit hostile. I can't help you with that. Seriously.
But this is a thread about negativity afterall...so I'll leave you here and I'll move on to something else.
What I find interesting is that this is an open thread where various opinions were shared....yet you chose to hone in on my opinion. Says more about your thought process than anything. Not sure if the word "entitlement" is a hot button for you (considering you assumed that I was making a political statement by using it- which I wasn't). But in either case, I think your response was a bit hostile. I can't help you with that. Seriously.
But this is a thread about negativity afterall...so I'll leave you here and I'll move on to something else.
Maybe it was because you said something that, while not necessarily untrue / inapplicable, was less than comprehensive, doesn't imo address the crux of the issue and then concluded by saying, "it's as simple as that".
It's actually not that simple.
What I find interesting is that this is an open thread where various opinions were shared....yet you chose to hone in on my opinion. Says more about your thought process than anything. Not sure if the word "entitlement" is a hot button for you (considering you assumed that I was making a political statement by using it- which I wasn't). But in either case, I think your response was a bit hostile. I can't help you with that. Seriously.
But this is a thread about negativity afterall...so I'll leave you here and I'll move on to something else.
Frankly, you need to learn how to debate like an adult. This is not good debating:
"But I'm right."
I "honed in" on your post because you are over-simplifying a complex issue caused by many external and internal factors. Pandering for material objects is way down the list.
"We live in an entitlement state so people tend to get MORE dissapointed if they can't have what they want, thus taking out their anger/attitudes on everyone around them. It's as simple as that."
If you consider my response to you as "hostile" that's your problem. Perhaps you believe everyone who openly disagrees with you is hostile. Either way, I don't think your responses have been particularly mature, but I'm guessing you're very young and a tad naive.
Being constantly negative all the time for selfish reasons is rather annoying. My grandmother was one of those types of people. She never, ever looked at the good in life, only the bad. Constantly judging others, she was just plain malicious. Hated everything and everyone, even people she didn't even know.
Sometimes people who are usually optimistic go through hard times and that can make a person negative. I imagine I'd be in a bad mood if I lost something or someone I loved.
Negativity is a reflection of a person's feelings. When we are happy, we are optimistic and positive. Bad moods make us negative. Some people deal with things better than others and can overcome things even in the most dire situation. Some people let even the smallest thing upset them and they become bitter and unhappy as a result.
The only thing you can do when you become overwhelmed by negativity is to remember you are only in control of yourself. You cannot change others outlooks or opinions. If you can overcome negative attitudes and not let them affect you then that's all you need to thrive. It will set an example for those who aren't strong enough to overcome the challenges of life.
People don't respond to advice or help unless they want to. That does not mean, however, that the world cannot change.
This is true, up to a point. It's also about how your made. When things go well, my happy, I'm calm and peaceful. But I don't feel any more optimisic than I do when they aren't. I don't do optimism, knowing all we really hold is now. Can it be beautiful and inspiring? Sure, but that isn't optimism. I am less pessimestic when things are temporarily good, and enjoy them, but know their the gifts life gives us if we're willing to embrase them.
I've been through bad times. I wouldn't call what it made me negative, but realistic. You can plan on tomorrow, but never *know* it will be as you planned, so stay loose and flexable. And just because you didn't get out of it what you expected take as a gift all the good things you did. It made me a survivor, and survivors know that tomorrow the floor may give way again, and you have to pull yourself out of the sand, but you can because you did. But once having your naivete smashed, its just gone and the other shoe is always waiting to drop.
But I'd say on a happiness level, when I would define it as happy, I'm happier. I take it all, not disregard the moment since its not 'enough'. And even fleeting it goes into the 'good' box.
The only thing I really expect now is change. Just hang on to the good ones and are not surprised by the bad ones. But I've learned some of the most beautiful things about living in the bad times and we must remember there is nothing that is utterly black, and nothing which is shining white, just shades inbetween.
The other day a new friend praised me up and down for always staying so positive. (He does this every time he sees me.) It's nice to hear some praise for a change but I have to keep reminding him that I'm not a "saint." (Not hardly!)...I've had a lot on my "plate" over the past few years. (The death of my husband; my son's brain tumors and other "stuff" and set-backs too.)..I try to work through all of my feelings in private the best I can. (By crying and letting myself get mad and you name it!)...I try hard not to be a "downer" or negative towards others when I go out in public. My "troubles" aren't someone else's fault. So I don't want to take "my stuff" out on anyone else if I can help it...The world is already full of complainers and negative people and I just don't want to become like this myself. But I'm definitely not a "saint" either! I'm human just like everyone else. People just don't see me "release" all my feelings in private. Or see how hard I have to work to "go on" at times.
Also, keep in mind that some people aren't happy unless they can drag others down with them. Miserable people enjoy making others miserable along with them. Those are the ones you have to avoid like the plague.
This is the point I was making earlier, about two negatives living together.
If you live with someone who's miserable as you are, then you can't bring them down any furthur!
Misery does love company, and if I lived with an optimist, when I descended into misery, I'd be making any and every attempt to sabotage the other person's happiness, to make myself feel better!
Optimists and pessimists should be kept in separate cages! IMO, neither are of any help to the other!
I notice the rampant negativity online all over the place, but I don't see it too much in real life. It's there, but certainly not as prevalent as it is behind the shield of internet anonymity.
Trying to help other people, I have found is the best way to stay happy. In other words to get our eyes off ourselves.
I did that, helped him out getting him back on his 2 feet. Then he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore now that he has his sh*t together It sucks because I thought we were close friends. If he ever falls down on his a$$ again, he can find someone else.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
