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Well I hope I wasn't "insulting" in my comments, but various points of view and reactions do occur on the forums and why shouldn't they. I think some responders are wondering first of all why the original poster cares, and why there seems to be so much putdown on his part about people who live quiet, predictable lives that includes watching TV.
I have led a very much "outer" super-responsible life all of my life since high school. I brought up a bunch of boisterous kids and looked after their friends and worked in and out of the home and had so much social stuff and volunteer work and evetns to go to and obligations and people to take care of that I am very much OVER that kind of outward living. I cherish an even, private, predictable, routine life that I am always eager and grateful to get back to the quiet boring life at home, puttering around, watching TV or listening to the radio, reading, not thinking many great thoughts or wanting to be challenged in any big way. I crave peace and quiet and being left alone as much as possible without becoming a hermit. I do mundane and find that I love doing mundane! Give me a drawer to clean out while I listen to music, or bread to bake, or a houseplant to prune. I've served many societal obligations over my life and did my time with intellectual artistic pursuits and some travel. If I now turn into a doddering old idiot, who cares? Why waste time wondering about things one can never know, and make lifestyle judgments about people you know nothing about?
I wasn't referring to your comments when I talked about the insulting ones. And I don't think anybody was criticizing people who cherish quiet, calm moments. I would think we all do, to a greater or lesser extent.
We shouldn't be interested in human behavior? How bizarre.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SCBaker
I believe the posters explained in detail why they were infuriated by the OP's posts. Once again quite simply, it is no one's business as to how anyone else spends their free time in retirement. To assume that people are miserable and wasting their lives because they do not engage in activities that you think are stimulating is simply wrong. Why is it necessary for you to wonder about how others live their lives? Live and let live.
People are the most fascinating thing in existence. Trying to understand the broad differences among people (or "wondering" about them, to use my earlier word), is not at all the same as not minding our own "business" in the sense of prying into the private affairs of others. If we were to all follow your advice about how these matters are "no one's business", then there would be no books, articles, or internet forum discussions about human behavior. Despite your explanation, I still do not get what is pulling your chain. "Live and let live" is exactly the philosophy I follow in dealing with other people as individuals, but to apply that to an interest in how other people live as a general matter seems at least mildly preposterous.
People are the most fascinating thing in existence. Trying to understand the broad differences among people (or "wondering" about them, to use my earlier word), is not at all the same as not minding our own "business" in the sense of prying into the private affairs of others. If we were to all follow your advice about how these matters are "no one's business", then there would be no books, articles, or internet forum discussions about human behavior. Despite your explanation, I still do not get what is pulling your chain. "Live and let live" is exactly the philosophy I follow in dealing with other people as individuals, but to apply that to an interest in how other people live as a general matter seems at least mildly preposterous.
Are you saying there are books, articles & forums that address the disfunction of retirees who may enjoy a simple life which does not include studying human behavior or engaging in other so called stimulating activities? Those retirees may enjoy watching TV shows that document the behavior of sea mammals or those animals that live in the wild. A very interesting subject since most of us cannot or do not live in that environment for an up and close personal observation. However, many of us have no interest in studying the behavior of humans, mammals or animals. Our differences is what makes us all so special.
Having an interest in how other people live does not give you or any one else the permission to criticize or belittle another person's lifestyle just because it differs from your own.
Having an interest in how other people live does not give you or any one else the permission to criticize or belittle another person's lifestyle just because it differs from your own.
Are you perhaps a Kindergarten teacher? All of us can criticize anything or anybody that we wish to criticize. We do not need "permission". That just doesn't make any sense at all. I do not need "permission" to breathe in the air around me. In a police state, such as for example in Nazi Germany or in the former Soviet Union, criticism was fraught with danger. But in a free society, the right to criticize to vital to the continuance of freedom. Just open any newspaper in the United States, Canada, Western Europe or many other places, and there will be criticisms of all sorts of things, including people's lifestyles. Sometimes criticism carries consequences - if I criticize my boss, for example.
I recently read somewhere the idea that some people simply live the same year over and over. These types of people are satisfied with the status quo and just live life in the same ways - not really ever experiencing anything new or learning anything.
Do you know people like this? Are you one?
I am not and would not want to live just to watch TV day after day.
I wonder how people can be satisfied with so little in the way of meaning in life . . .
When you find a good thing why not stay with it? I mean I am content living my life in this same fashion for quite sometime. My concern is health making me change it. But for now life is a beach and I should get tired of the beach? Oh yeah, babysitting and barbq.
I wasn't referring to your comments when I talked about the insulting ones. And I don't think anybody was criticizing people who cherish quiet, calm moments. I would think we all do, to a greater or lesser extent.
I wasn't talking about people who cherish quiet calm moments. I was talking about how happy I am to be leading a relatively routine predictable life. I admire those full of adventure and zest, of course. But the OP, if not overtly, was making a significant judgement about those whom s/he believes to be leading pretty dull lives. If my neighbors saw me on my deck repotting a plant and 15 minutes later hanging out my laundry and a little later reading or vacuuming the house and later eating a sandwich on the deck, etc etc all day long, they would probably assume I am really pathetic, as my neighbors lead very active lives as I once did. For me it's a choice to live low key now. Assumptions cannot be made about who I am from what people observe of me.
I heard David McCullough (author of The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris) interviewed (on TV!) by Jeffrey Brown (PBS) last night talk about how Paris created America. One of the things that he said (I'm taking this out of context, but it seems to hold up outside of context) is that "one cannot make assumptions based on what one observes." This flies in the face of science, but McCullough is talking about the realm of art, and in that realm that statement holds true and points up why science and art will always diverge.
Are you perhaps a Kindergarten teacher? All of us can criticize anything or anybody that we wish to criticize. We do not need "permission". That just doesn't make any sense at all. I do not need "permission" to breathe in the air around me. In a police state, such as for example in Nazi Germany or in the former Soviet Union, criticism was fraught with danger. But in a free society, the right to criticize to vital to the continuance of freedom. Just open any newspaper in the United States, Canada, Western Europe or many other places, and there will be criticisms of all sorts of things, including people's lifestyles. Sometimes criticism carries consequences - if I criticize my boss, for example.
Hello, this is a discussion forum!
Free speech always carries risks, whether it takes place on a discussion board or on the town square. OP's posts became increasingly condescending towards persons who do not share her values. As you pointed out, but failed to connect to the postings on a discussion forum, criticism carries consequences. IOW, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. OP is living in a glass house and others called her on it. IMO, the responses were appropriate.
IOW, those who live in glass houses should not throw stones. OP is living in a glass house and others called her on it. IMO, the responses were appropriate.
Spot on. This thread has been a bit like witnessing a train wreck. Once a poster implies a differing view is Nazi-ism, however, it has gone off the cliff and I think they forfeit the right to a dignified reply. As they said themselves:
Spot on. This thread has been a bit like witnessing a train wreck. Once a poster implies a differing view is Nazi-ism, however, it has gone off the cliff and I think they forfeit the right to a dignified reply. As they said themselves:
Bye bye.
Actually I implied just the opposite. Go back and re-read. Differing views are legitimate, saying that one needs "permission" to criticize something is not legitimate.
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We shouldn't be interested in human behavior? How bizarre.
