Renzatic on 23/6/2010 at 17:04
I'm not one to normally post random news bits, usually TTLG has more than its fair share of people talking about horrible oil spills and war orphans. But sometimes I'll come across a small bit of news, something rather inconsequential, yet so ridiculous, so loaded with hysterics and hyperbole, that I just have to bring it to light for a collective pondering upon.
(
http://cbs2chicago.com/consumer/ban.toys.from.2.1766584.html) click here for stupid.
Yeah, sure. People bitching about Happy Meal toys. Nothing too big, usually something I'd just quickly read and pass on for more interesting info, if it weren't for one line.
Quote Posted by GWAHHHH
MCDonald's spends big bucks trying to appeal to kids. And a non-profit health group says that's a big problem. The group is giving McDonalds 30 days to stop putting toys in Happy Mealls or it will sue...one child psychiatrist says these marketers are similar to pedophiles.
Oh, okay. So getting a toy Robot with a hamburger is roughly the equivalent to an 8 year old being forced to play Doctor with the creepy old uncle you never claim as part of the family. I can totally and completely see the correlation here, and I'm glad the issue has been brought to my attention.
But really here, this is just a small example of something I've been noticing more and more of recently. You can't just simply dislike anything anymore. You have to completely demonize whatever you're in opposition of. Make it looks so irredeemably evil that no one in their right mind would ever favor it. Those with an opposing opinions are complete degenerates only worthy of scorn. You see it everywhere nowadays. In politics. Republican vs. Democrats. Liberal vs. conservative. Religious discussions. Clothing brands. Videogames. And now, apparently, fast food. Everything has to be sensationalized to ridiculous degrees.
Has it always been like this? I doubt it. Seems to me to be a more recent societal sickness. Just the other day I was watching an old clip of a republican vs. democratic debate from the 60's and it was...oh god...it was
civil. Topics worthy of discussion were actually discussed in a calm manner. Inconsequential things weren't blown out of proportion. The oneupmanship was limited to political topics. It was a practically breath of fresh air compared to the crap I'm seeing on the news now.
What the hell has happened to us? Our generation has been given the greatest communication tool in history, and we fuck it up this potential solidarity by drawing imaginary lines in the sand and treating every issue like as if we're writing for a tabloid. Are you this, or are you that? If you're that I have to say you're a communist baby raper...no offense.
We should be ashamed of ourselves.
june gloom on 23/6/2010 at 17:12
God, I fucking edited a similar article with similar hysterics a few days ago. It was just as rage inducing then as it is now.
But really, speaking as someone who's gained a reputation for kidneypunching, I totally agree. People get way too enraged, because nobody's polite anymore.
Queue on 23/6/2010 at 18:26
The notion of dethtoll editing something really makes me smile.
So which came first, you think: the rage, or the impoliteness? Which is a reaction to which?
kabatta on 23/6/2010 at 18:32
Weren't those elements preexistent?
theBlackman on 23/6/2010 at 18:40
The thing that pisses me off is that this along with many other trends passes the blame to someone else and aids in making parents no longer responsible for the behavior of thier children.
"Fat? Not my fault. It's Mac D. Of course that fact that I can't control my kids, or that I spoil them rotten and am the one who buys the crap for them has nothing to do with it. It's all the fault of Mac D and Burger King."
BARFFFF!
AR Master on 23/6/2010 at 19:05
Quote Posted by Renzatic
What the hell has happened to us? Our generation has been given the greatest communication tool in history, and we fuck it up this potential solidarity by drawing imaginary lines in the sand and treating every issue like as if we're writing for a tabloid. Are you this, or are you that? If you're that I have to say you're a communist baby raper...no offense. .
there's your problem, you've given a voice to people who without the internet wouldn't have one. they'd sit in their basements and rail against rapist mcdonalds and KKKorpera$huns and BU$HITLERCO and JEWS EATING MY BRAINS until they died of autoerotic asphyxiation and the world would be able to easily ignore them
now with the ability to broadcast every little thought that crosses their mind over the entire globe, coupled with the fact the established media outlets shit their pants once they realized that the internet isn't going away and actually might provide something users want (who the fuck do you proles think you are you will consume our media and be damn fucking grateful for it you pathetic commoners) they jump on it and report every little nutzo voice as HOLY SHIT CHECK OUT THIS VIEWPOINT WE HADN'T CONSIDERED GLOBAL WARMING: WILL IT KILL US AND RAPE YOUR DOG??? A SPECIAL REPORT AT 11 so idiots get the idea that some of these internet crazies are actually to some point legit
you should need a license to use the internet, or cut the whole fucking thing down
Enchantermon on 23/6/2010 at 19:05
Quote Posted by The smartest person on the planet
I think it's fun to get a toy, but it's their parents responsibility to monitor.
Someone give him or her a medal. Why can't anyone else see this?
Quote:
All too often, parents give in.
Hey, I've got an idea: don't give in. There, was that so hard?
kabatta on 23/6/2010 at 19:07
Apparently in this day smacking the brat with a belt is considered an abuse, even if he humiliated you to do as he/she wants. Those were the days when children were more polite. :tsktsk:
Renzatic on 23/6/2010 at 21:43
Quote Posted by AR Master
there's your problem, you've given a voice to people who without the internet wouldn't have one.
I don't think that's necessarily the main issue here. People had a way to voice their opinions long before the internet. The thing is, they couldn't do it quite so anonymously. In and of itself, that isn't much of a problem. Everyone has a right to privacy and ect. ect. ect. The problem is the way people act when they're posting without consequences. They'll tend to more extremes simply because they think it makes them sounds cool, and they'll more than likely post more often. And since everyone loves an edgy opinion by some individual free thinking type who sees the world as it is, that original blog guy's nonsense get linked by some other random anonymous guy's blog, who then in turn gets read by some guy who parrots original guy's opinion and so on and so on. Eventually you've got this sensationalist bullshit spreading about, and the opposing side has no other choice but to scream just as loudly about something equally as stupid. Rinse, repeat. Once it goes on long enough, it becomes the accepted norm, and everyone expects the extreme as the standard.
And our poor professional news sources, they practically have no other choice but to compete with the obnoxiousness. Everything has to be in your face and TOTALLY ON YOUR SIDE in order to maintain the ratings. Now you've got Fox News, conservative talk radio, the multitude of free-thinker sites, and just about any website with some form of the word "reason" in the URL.
If you want an example here, just ask any democrat or republican what they think of the other party. You'll get a rant on how one is full of evil, deluded idiots, and how their party is the only intelligent choice. In truth, the two parties aren't vastly different, beyond the hot topic issues. Depending on who's in office, sometimes taxes go up, sometimes they go down, sometimes stupid things happen. Ultimately, things stay about the same. So why the hell do we have these Tea Partiers freaking out like we're about to slip behind the long since gone Iron Curtain because of a medical reform that just might maybe in a distant, vague sorta way, might sortakinda seem a little socialist if you look at it from the corner of your eye? GUBMINT OPTION? NOT IN MY COUNTRY! ALSO, WHY THE HELL AIN'T THE GUBMIN FIX MAH ROAD YET?
See? Look at my extreme viewpoint up above. Even I can't help but do it on occasion.
PeeperStorm on 24/6/2010 at 01:13
So let me make sure that I understand this: They put toys in Happy Meals because they want them to appeal to kids? I don't believe it. :rolleyes:
And then there's (
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m9wv3MhF2wU) this.
