Talk Elections

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Many, many people misconstrue my opinions when I reminiscence of the "Good Old Days". What were they? Were they the 1950s? Where the Russians were gaining in the Cold War, when racial tensions were building stronger in the South? Were they the tumultuous 1960s that radically changed America and the world? Were they the despondent 1970s? The egotistical 1980s?

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I think too many people see a Reaganfan post called "The Good Old Days" and presume I'm speaking of the 1980s.

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In actuality, what I speak of during my interminable stream of consciousness postings about the "glory days" of the United States with respect to popular culture, politics and history, is not only a recollection of 1980s culture, but looking back to a time when America truly was a different place.

What makes this significant is that in the general scheme of things, these times were not long ago at all. In fact, I would reckon that even the 1990s more closely resembled the America we all remember and love when compared and contrasted against the dystopian-like atmosphere that defines the 2010s, thus far.

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When I say I admire and reflect positively on the 1950s, for example, that doesn't mean (as many liberals seem eager to jump at inconclusively) that I reflect positively on the civil rights violence and segregation of the 1950s. I mean, after all, if someone says they prefer music from the 1960s, does that mean they wish the Vietnam War was still going on? Of course not. When I say I admire the 1980s, that does not mean I look back positively on the crack epidemic or the horrific AIDS epidemic that took so many souls back during the decade. On the same token, I should note that just because my recollection of the 1990s is not as favorable as my yearning for earlier decades, that doesn't mean I don't miss many movies and much of the music of the 1990s. Indeed, my three favorite films were released in 1992, 1996 and 1998 respectively.

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My three favorite films, all products of the 1990s.

What is driving the negatives in America, is a combination of the following:

Political Correctness - The incorrect thought process of "You can't say that" when, yes, indeed you can and you should.

Entitlements - More government handouts, more government involvement, more giving without doing anything or earn or deserve it. It is fitting that at a time when this is at an all time high, we also have a President who was elected on a platform of platitudes. Almost seems Orwellian doesn't it?

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"I'm voting Obama." Is he a Governor or a Senator? "Uh...I don't know what those words are." Then why vote for him? "Cuz." BARACK OBAMA ELECTED PRESIDENT
 
Sense of Entitlement - America is founded on Capitalism, Freedom and Opportunity. Period. We had a "Cold War" that would have brought about nuclear Armageddon before communism. Think about that. Just 20 short years ago, we would've launched nuclear warheads before surrendering our Capitalistic society. Now, just a brief page turn later, we find citizens and sadly even some of our leaders acting as though Capitalism is not the American way, but rather the Utopian-like society of Europe. Moreover, people across the country feel "entitled" to everything. They are not. Period. They are entitled to Life, Liberty and Pursuit of Happiness. Not free things because they feel like it. You're Americans. Don't forget.

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Double Standards - By many accounts, I would be considered a sexist today. However, if it were 40 years ago, I'd be considered pro-feminism. That's how drastically and extreme things have changed. Although it's often called "close minded", I can't grasp how if a woman is so strong and independent, she should also feel obligated to something "because she's a woman". What I mean is, "Okay, you wanna be a strong feminist, be my guest...but don't let me ever hear you complain about something being unfair or unjust "because you're a woman". It's like when people would say, "I know it's hard, but you're a cop. You should be able to handle yourself." Same logic applies to feminists. With regards to race and culture, they're just words. If words upset people that much, then NEVER talk about Freedom of Speech.

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Culture Cringe - Don't run away from your culture. Embrace it. Culture cringe is defined as an internalized inferiority complex which causes people in a country to dismiss their own culture as inferior to the cultures of other countries.

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"Yo man wats up cracker jack fool yo?" You're a white guy. "RACIST!"

If these simple issues could be resolved, America would instantly become better. We can look to our past for examples. 60 years ago, it was much, much easier for children to get hold of firearms. But 60 years ago, there was not nearly the violence and/or school shootings we see today. So guns aren't the problem. That is obvious. Then what is? Let's zero in on what changed during the preceding decades that caused this sudden volt of violence, then we can roll up our sleeves and get to the cause of the problem. If the banks fail, let's start again. Let's not use taxpayer money to bail them out. You don't put a band aid on a broken bone. Don't bail out hopeless infrastructure.

It's very simple. Very simple, and that's what amazes me. If we come to terms with what we face, we can bring back the good old days.

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Perhaps. Just perhaps.

Reaganfan

You seem like the type of guy I could use to make school Powerpoint presentations.  How much you chargin'?

this should have been you last picture, instead:

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Reported for racism/hate speech/painful stupidity.

No where in this post was anything racist or hate speech said. At all.

I believe he was being ironic. :P

Grass is greener on the other side, etc.

America is pretty great, it hasn't really stopped being great. It's pretty annoying that the opposition (of both parties) always declares that America "stopped being great" when they're on the outs.

There always has been and always will be (for the foreseeable future), people that vote without thinking about it. Cherry picking a fraction of the youth vote that went for Obama does not craft a good argument. Republicans have  similar zombie voters in those good 'ol rednecks.

This is bad and you should feel bad. I recommend you stop this drivel and get a nice stable job as a janitor with no internet access.

My question is if you become defensive, does that mean you condone the negatives I mention in this thread? If you don't condone, then why become defensive?

So, Naso has moved on to the 90s?  By 2020, the 2000s will be considered wonderful.


I didn't notice any negatives.  Please point them out.

Naso considers these people the epitome of moral values and good political thinking, certainly better informed and thoughtful than Obama's youth voters no doubt:

The hilarious thing is that Naso thinks he's any different from these hypothetical people.

+1, Naso liking Fargo surprised me.

I wonder if Michael Anthony Naso, Jr. did read a single book in his life.

Yes that was the most interesting thing in this post.

I have to admit I'm a nostalgist too, Naso, and for very nearly the same time periods, though for pretty much the opposite reasons.

One things for sure - things can only get worse.

Not gonna argue with the "painful stupidity" point though, eh? :P

Alas! If only painful stupidity were an infractable offense. If only...

The Good Old Days = Childhood, no matter what decade.

Can we have a dump of some funny Naso 2005 quotes? 

At least you like Reservoir Dogs!

They're hot!

Mike Naso has a hard-on for America and America has a hard-on for him.

Dubious for a such a fat, unhealthy place.  Perhaps a slight tumescence, but nothing really, properly hard.

I'd do both those girls at once.

Such a good Greek boy :)

The fact that so many mock me and/or become defensive is troubling. Ask any ordinary American what they think about political correctness, reality television, ect and they all give you the same negative reaction. If so, then who are the ones condoning it, and who are the ones supporting it?

Dude, seriously, there is no greater uber mega-billion$$$$ win for tv than reality tv.

And I agree, definie "ordinary".

The Good Old Days were the 1920s.

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What?

Reaganfan- I find your post to be very well written and I agree that thre are many differences between now and hte past... the 50s were much simpler and over all happier. I also agree that it should not be taboo to talk about the 50s in that way- of course no one wishes blacks to be segregated. There is nothing wrong with wanting to return America to the attitude of hope that defined th time I grew up but remember that there was also fear... constant duck and cover drills in grade school including wearing a dog tag so our bodies could be identified. People forget how awfully frightening Sputnik was... to think the Russians had control over space- UFOs doing bidding for our enemy... also don't forget how my mother and her mother saw Elvis Presley the way folks my age see Lady GaGa!
My point is this- it is just fine to remember the good aspects of the past but do not forget that there were challenges then too and even though it may seem that today's challenges are worse- we still love our country and our country will pull through as she always does...

I really don't have anything that's not negative to say in this thread...

I skimmed over most of the original post, but one thing caught my eye; The comparison of '90s culture to a largely dystopian feel to the 2010s. I think the somewhat more depressed tone of our culture has a lot more to do with ourselves than it does with our government. The government to me seems to be more about globbing on and riding the people than actually being a catalyst to positive change. They made themselves out to be greater than they were during the economic success of the '90s and started doing more stupid, unnecessary things to make it even "better" and have subsequently screwed us so deeply we've noticed the giant monkey on our back. The government's over-involvement in our lives and its overbearing negative impact is irritating because it has only exacerbated the problems we had already been dealing with. They created unnecessary economic bubbles and set us up to fall so much deeper than we would have. The government wasn't good in the '80s and '90s, they were just playing on our own successes and taking credit while acting like they were making things even better. The government's actions in the "Glory Days" were far worse than they are now. That mindless and needless grandstanding coupled with greed-fueled abuse led us to where we are now. They could do it under our noses because we were doing so fine (and were so narrow-minded) that we didn't bother to figure out the stupid government. They weren't making things worse for us at the moment, so we let them toil and pretend to be great. Now, when they're supposed to be here (and were the ones that put us here), we're finally turning around and looking in the face saying, "what the hell?" The "glory" of those days were just a cruel facade that should have been quite easy to see through. True to American culture though, we chose to ignore mounting problems until they threatened us with complete collapse.

I guess my point in a more succinct sense would be that the positivity of the '90s was just an illusion brought on by the high of near universal success. Being slammed back down to earth by those propping us will give us a better view of just what they were doing right under us the whole time.

You hate America.

That's it. It's final.


Reaganfan '12! :)

This sucked.

Except Reservoir Dogs and Fargo being in there. That was kinda cool.

Only Naso could list those two and Armageddon as his favorite movies.