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I worded the post poorly. I was saying that those things are great, but the overall thesis is one of pacified teens who are too fat, lazy, and unmotivated to go

I worded the post poorly. I was saying that those things are great, but the overall thesis is one of pacified teens who are too fat, lazy, and unmotivated to go do interesting things. For some, those interesting things are sex drugs and rock'n'roll, which you'll all agree are bad. For others, those interesting things translate to youth leadership, contact sports, and other things that make boys into men. All I see when I am with American kids is a whole bunch of iGaming on iDevices and SnapChatting under the watchful eye of overprotective soccer moms who are doping them up with garbage food and SSRIs. Good luck with all that in 20-40 years if China, Russia, or the Muslim world decide to make aggressive battle-tested men.

cafard 11y ago
I haven't spent that much time around teenagers in about ten years. Those that I knew then were rarely fat or unmotivated. The kids I see on the bus, including those going to what suspect is a mediocre high school, appear reasonably fit. The soccer moms may be big on medication, but I think that garbage food is for a different economic stratum.
lemming 11y ago
Good luck with all that in 20-40 years if China, Russia, or the Muslim world decide to make aggressive battle-tested men. Because we should be training our children for the impending apocalypse at all times?
- Altay- 11y ago
  I've argued for a long time that America is in a privileged position where we can literally see our own future: Japan
underwater 11y ago
> For some, those interesting things are sex drugs and rock'n'roll, which you'll all agree are bad. For others, those interesting things translate to youth leadership, contact sports, and other things that make boys into men. Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are purely hedonistic. I don't know how you can see them helping build positive qualities. I figure the next generation is always going to be different, whether it's more conservative or more liberal, or that they use weird apps on their iDevices. You have to make your peace with that. Trying to paint everyone of a generation with the same brush is lazy just an excuse to be resentful.
superuser2 11y ago
Fortunately the gamers will make excellent drone pilots and the computer nerds will build interesting weapons systems. I highly doubt WWIII is going to hinge on the personalities of the infantry, if it even has infantry.

cafard 11y ago

I haven't spent that much time around teenagers in about ten years. Those that I knew then were rarely fat or unmotivated. The kids I see on the bus, including those going to what suspect is a mediocre high school, appear reasonably fit. The soccer moms may be big on medication, but I think that garbage food is for a different economic stratum.

lemming 11y ago

Good luck with all that in 20-40 years if China, Russia, or the Muslim world decide to make aggressive battle-tested men. Because we should be training our children for the impending apocalypse at all times?

Altay- 11y ago
I've argued for a long time that America is in a privileged position where we can literally see our own future: Japan

underwater 11y ago

> For some, those interesting things are sex drugs and rock'n'roll, which you'll all agree are bad. For others, those interesting things translate to youth leadership, contact sports, and other things that make boys into men. Sex, drugs and rock'n'roll are purely hedonistic. I don't know how you can see them helping build positive qualities. I figure the next generation is always going to be different, whether it's more conservative or more liberal, or that they use weird apps on their iDevices. You have to make your peace with that. Trying to paint everyone of a generation with the same brush is lazy just an excuse to be resentful.

superuser2 11y ago

Fortunately the gamers will make excellent drone pilots and the computer nerds will build interesting weapons systems. I highly doubt WWIII is going to hinge on the personalities of the infantry, if it even has infantry.