Do any of you just feel like completely retreating from the 21st century? (drugs, pills)
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Don't take this wrong but you need to get out more.
Before I retired I was a reference librarian who had the privilege of working with Muslim professionals and paraprofessionals, and also served Muslims as clients. There's nothing to fear, really, anymore than non-Muslims.
The period of time since what we like to call "Civilization" began, is but a tiny portion of our species' presence on this planet. Before that, we had to mutually support each other or we would not have survived. The size of our tribes or communities may have naturally been no more than 35 to 50 people and each one was highly valued. There was so much space between groups, that deadly conflicts would have been foolish and perhaps we would have exterminated ourselves right then and there, if we'd engaged in them.
So I think that our true nature is to be peaceful and cooperative with others. What we've seen more recently is aberrant behavior, driven by over-population. Read Margaret Mead's "Coming of Age in Samoa", based on her study of a natural society, only slightly affected at that time by the ways of people like we are now.
Actually these ideas are out of date. Ongoing research has changed the opinion of archeologists. Those small tribes were constantly at war with one another. People died at an early age due to the conflicts. As civilization grew and the "tribes" became larger, so did the wars. If there were an ideal, isolated and peaceful tribes of old, they were definitely not the norm.
Don't take this wrong but you need to get out more.
Before I retired I was a reference librarian who had the privilege of working with Muslim professionals and paraprofessionals, and also served Muslims as clients. There's nothing to fear, really, anymore than non-Muslims.
Then why are there tens of millions of militant Muslims worldwide who support ISIS? Why are the rights of Muslim women suppressed? Why are there vicious conflicts between the sunni and shiite sects? Why is it almost impossible to live in many Muslim countries unless you are Muslim, the correct Muslim, with the correct beliefs?
It you want to talk about getting out more, I suggest a visit to what used to be the world trade center. I lived in the NYC area when that happened. I did not know anyone who died but virtually everyone was greatly affected. I have a neighbor who was a first responder. He will never be the same.
I certainly don't want to single out Muslims as worse than other religions. We just happen to be seeing a resurgence of fervent Muslim faith. Western civilization and the Protestants and Catholics had some equally bad times: witch trials, inquisition, holy wars, dark ages. Fortunately we see some improvements in the US. There is a bit more tolerance for "depravity". We are starting to give other people choices in how they lead their lives, who and how they have sex, who if any that they marry. Maybe there will even be more racial tolerance but that seems especially slow to come.
No, I don't try to distinguish good religions from bad or good believers from bad believers. I support the idea of rational behavior, not following the beliefs of others or the tribe or what is in fashion. Centuries ago there were some very wise ancient Greeks who tried to look at life and develop philosophies of living based on understanding. It is sad that we have had such a difficult time advancing those ideas.
Don't take this wrong but you need to get out more.
Before I retired I was a reference librarian who had the privilege of working with Muslim professionals and paraprofessionals, and also served Muslims as clients. There's nothing to fear, really, anymore than non-Muslims.
I get out a lot. I even made it to Afghanistan. There were plenty of muslims there trying to kill us. We had to fly ANP police and ANA troops on our planes at times. Whenever we did, I always kept my sidearm on me, with a round chambered. I didn't trust them one bit. Too many of our boys died at the hands of so-called friendly troops. I also saw way too many flag draped coffins begin their final journey home. Anyone who wants to see what's in store for America need to look no further than countries like France and Germany. But you need to hear it from the people who live it over there, because you won't see it on the alphabets or Faux News or read about it in the NYT or LAT.
Those muslims who adhere to sharia law DO want to kill us or, whether they want to or not, are called to unless we convert. It's a tenet of their faith. You don't have to actually go there to understand this, although I am sure that helps drives the point home, and many Americans seem to need this point driven home.
Case in point, Dumb ... I mean ... Smartphones. Built to die in just a couple or three years (maybe 4 - 5 if kid gloved, but oh ... the OS issue). What a freaking racket for the phone company (or other middleman), Apple in the case of iCruds, and, lo ... that wonderful scion of human rights and nice treatment of workers ... a place over across the bounding main beginning with the letter F.
Smart phones do not invade. People decide to use them. Why? Because we can use them to connect to relatives and friends. Because we can use them to provide information about virtually anything.
A representation (this is not me, but it is many whom I see):
Because I can look at the near-porn that gets suggested as the next place to tap, because I'm keeping up with the Kardashians, because I forgot how to read a map, because even though it's illegal I just can't stop texting while driving ... heck, almost everyone does it, because I'm never going to get out of debt and this little plaything keeps me from thinking about it, because I can be a shopaholic my entire waking life, or, just because.
Getting back to the OP, I don't think the intent was to suggest that we get rid of modern technology and return to 1950. I am quite sure that OP embraces the best of modern technology. For instance, she wouldn't turn down a surgical procedure with advanced technology that promises better results just to continue to live in the 20th century. But what's wrong with looking at technology and change and innovations with an objectively critical eye? Since nothing happens in a vacuum, isn't it possible that some stuff that is good/healthy/fulfilling is being lost as new stuff/ways replace it? Was everything that came before bad?
And perhaps it's not technology that is the issue. It's people's abuse/misuse of it. After all, no one is suggesting that chocolate shouldn't exist. In reasonable quantities, I believe it adds to people's health and happiness. But doesn't too much of it cause problems?
Almost anything in life comes with both advantages and disadvantages, depending on how people choose to use it. I love aspects of technology and how the world has changed. To have a forum like this and connect with people from all over, whom I wouldn't otherwise have been able to interact with, is amazing. But being with out with people in real life and having them just play on their phones diminishes the social experience for me and makes me feel less important than whatever is on their small screen. Seeing people in the grocery store line who don't interact with the cashier for a second because they are playing on their phone is just sad.
And there is ever-increasing pathology going on with our mental, physical, and social health. This is a fact. Look at increasing rates of depression among college students. Some of it may be due to less stigma and better ways to diagnose it. But even the latest and greatest in technology doesn't seem to take away many of our individual and societal problems. And in some cases, it adds to it. (In other ways, it may help. I personally don't have a Fitbit, but I do understand that they encourage people to move more.) So even though the popular term is "it's all good," in reality, nothing is "all good." That's simplistic and reductive and just not true.
I think it's great that so many people here love technology---even us older folks. But also keep in mind, that there are some of us who are outliers, who for whatever reason aren't average...and some of the changes/innovations/technology may not suit us as well as the average person. We are not clamoring to take anything away from anyone---just wishing that the world could be a kinder, gentler, slower, safer place, for those of us who can crave that type of world.
Now if this couple posts on CD about how they would prefer to live in earlier times (Victorian-1880), then I think we can really take issue because they have taken it to an extreme and aren't even consistent, having a truck and computer (but good for them that she is getting a book deal for it and they enjoy their cosplay):
To add ... Smartphones and VR are great .... unless one is blind. Something odd and a bit brutal. It was a few years ago that I saw tactile key markers disappear from many land line phones. Few cell phones ever had them at all. I suppose the "solution" is voice recognition interfaces. How slow and painful.
Actually these ideas are out of date. Ongoing research has changed the opinion of archeologists. Those small tribes were constantly at war with one another. People died at an early age due to the conflicts. As civilization grew and the "tribes" became larger, so did the wars. If there were an ideal, isolated and peaceful tribes of old, they were definitely not the norm.
I saw a documentary some years ago that included a study on crowded conditions. They put male chimpanzees in cages with one another. When there was ample room, they were fairly peaceful. But when conditions became crowded, they became violent. Which is common sense, when you think about it. Don't you feel pressured and under stress when in a packed elevator or a crowded concert? Imagine living that way.
Just as an aside...when they added testosterone to the mix, the violence increased greatly. Which I suppose is why young males are more violent than older males and females. They have more testosterone.
To add ... Smartphones and VR are great .... unless one is blind. Something odd and a bit brutal. It was a few years ago that I saw tactile key markers disappear from many land line phones. Few cell phones ever had them at all. I suppose the "solution" is voice recognition interfaces. How slow and painful.
I hadn't thought about that. Good point. I don't use voice recognition, so didn't know it was slow.
My Roku has a version that has voice search capability.
BTW..."cell" phones still have keys, I think. My brother has a flip phone...same as they made them 10 years ago. There are also other cell phones tweaked for seniors with large keys. Cricket is one, I think.
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