Slow Time in Fat City™, part 5: Quotes from the Edge.

[Adios]

Good stuff. It's unsettingly comforting to hear you say things are basically as normal as they can get ...

And in the end it's not just that "everyone eats it up", but it's almost like everything is eating itself up. I've seen it happen. Not like really for real, but on my computer, and in forgotten dark corners of my fridge. It's always the same. Something beautiful grows, and then it reaches the edges, and the edges wilt, and the soggy ends make the entire structure unstable and it collapses into a slimy gooey mess. Or on my computer the beautiful snowflake star shape corrupts slips up and becomes a chaotic mess of flickering pixels. I wish I could say it's part of a cycle, and at some point starts up again. But I guess our world is different, since so far things have always crawled back up, even if it takes a long time.

It was the 'normal' part that disturbs me. The accepted march of self destruction.

[Doktor Howl]

We live in a world that had steadily - and with great cost - improved for a full century, but has now seemingly burst at the seams, allowing a century's worth of awful sewage and filth to come pouring out.  Orwellian bullshit is on the rise (Example:  Battered White Man Syndrome, where anyone who points out their racism is somehow racist for doing so.  Another example:  The Media Shield Act.), but we can all pretend everything is okay, so long as we have Hispanics to dump on.

Any historical context as to whether this is just a temporary (decade or so long) slump, or are we really taking a couple steps backward? Just want to know whether I should start loading up on popcorn and weaponry now.

EDIT: Forgot to mention. Nice work Dok. Enjoying these pieces immensely.

I think we're on the first real bump on the ride down to Visigothville.  Fortunately, that means I'll be dead before it happens, and you under-30 spags can deal with the unwashed horde.

[Doktor Howl]

Nothing like this, I think, Semaj.


I hate it when you do this, Dok. The mundanity of all that bothers me a lot, and you point it out a little too clearly.

The worst part of evil is that it's so banal.

[The Wizard]

I think we're on the first real bump on the ride down to Visigothville.  Fortunately, that means I'll be dead before it happens, and you under-30 spags can deal with the unwashed horde.

Okay. Personally don't think so, but I also acknowledge that I could be wrong. Way I look at it, the world gets slowly better every year. Compare where we are to where we were during the Dark Ages, and things look pretty good. We are nowhere near perfect, hell we're not even close to acceptable, but I think things are improving. Either way though, I'm stocking up on equipment/weaponry as soon as possible.

[Doktor Howl]

I think we're on the first real bump on the ride down to Visigothville.  Fortunately, that means I'll be dead before it happens, and you under-30 spags can deal with the unwashed horde.

Okay. Personally don't think so, but I also acknowledge that I could be wrong. Way I look at it, the world gets slowly better every year. Compare where we are to where we were during the Dark Ages, and things look pretty good. We are nowhere near perfect, hell we're not even close to acceptable, but I think things are improving. Either way though, I'm stocking up on equipment/weaponry as soon as possible.

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

[Phox]

I think we're on the first real bump on the ride down to Visigothville.  Fortunately, that means I'll be dead before it happens, and you under-30 spags can deal with the unwashed horde.

Okay. Personally don't think so, but I also acknowledge that I could be wrong. Way I look at it, the world gets slowly better every year. Compare where we are to where we were during the Dark Ages, and things look pretty good. We are nowhere near perfect, hell we're not even close to acceptable, but I think things are improving. Either way though, I'm stocking up on equipment/weaponry as soon as possible.

Maybe it's the years, and maybe it's the miles, but I really even your optimism. I had hope that maybe we were going to take an upturn, but that was before 2009. The world doesn't get any better. It stays the same, but the people care less and get worse. I've met a lot of people, but only a handful really CARE about anything... and that usually gets beaten out of them when they actually try to do something about it. I used to be that way, not so long ago. And I still try for certain causes. But my days of idealistic youth are over. Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

[The Wizard]

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

THIS I agree with one hundred percent. The real problem is apathy, which unfortunately is a part of human nature.

Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

I can understand that, believe it or not. Sometimes I want to just watch humanity die out too. But I've always come out with a reason to keep trying. If the species can produce the likes of Gandhi, Patton, Jack Churchill, and similar people, then I've got hope for it. But I'm young yet. We'll see what I think in five years.

[Phox]

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

THIS I agree with one hundred percent. The real problem is apathy, which unfortunately is a part of human nature.

Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

I can understand that, believe it or not. Sometimes I want to just watch humanity die out too. But I've always come out with a reason to keep trying. If the species can produce the likes of Gandhi, Patton, Jack Churchill, and similar people, then I've got hope for it. But I'm young yet. We'll see what I think in five years.

Five years makes all the difference. I'm only 21, ya know. Maybe in five years, you will realize that Gandhi is the only person on your list worthy of true admiration, but we will just have to wait and see.

[Doktor Howl]

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

THIS I agree with one hundred percent. The real problem is apathy, which unfortunately is a part of human nature.

Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

I can understand that, believe it or not. Sometimes I want to just watch humanity die out too. But I've always come out with a reason to keep trying. If the species can produce the likes of Gandhi, Patton, Jack Churchill, and similar people, then I've got hope for it. But I'm young yet. We'll see what I think in five years.

Five years makes all the difference. I'm only 21, ya know. Maybe in five years, you will realize that Gandhi is the only person on your list worthy of true admiration, but we will just have to wait and see.

Only if your standard is "perfection".

[Phox]

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

THIS I agree with one hundred percent. The real problem is apathy, which unfortunately is a part of human nature.

Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

I can understand that, believe it or not. Sometimes I want to just watch humanity die out too. But I've always come out with a reason to keep trying. If the species can produce the likes of Gandhi, Patton, Jack Churchill, and similar people, then I've got hope for it. But I'm young yet. We'll see what I think in five years.

Five years makes all the difference. I'm only 21, ya know. Maybe in five years, you will realize that Gandhi is the only person on your list worthy of true admiration, but we will just have to wait and see.

Only if your standard is "perfection".

Why shouldn't it be? You can admire Patton and Churchill for their various characteristics, like them, carouse with them, whatever. But a t the end of the day, are they models of what human beings should aspire to be?

[Doktor Howl]

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

THIS I agree with one hundred percent. The real problem is apathy, which unfortunately is a part of human nature.

Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

I can understand that, believe it or not. Sometimes I want to just watch humanity die out too. But I've always come out with a reason to keep trying. If the species can produce the likes of Gandhi, Patton, Jack Churchill, and similar people, then I've got hope for it. But I'm young yet. We'll see what I think in five years.

Five years makes all the difference. I'm only 21, ya know. Maybe in five years, you will realize that Gandhi is the only person on your list worthy of true admiration, but we will just have to wait and see.

Only if your standard is "perfection".

Why shouldn't it be? You can admire Patton and Churchill for their various characteristics, like them, carouse with them, whatever. But a t the end of the day, are they models of what human beings should aspire to be?

1.  Yes, if you're up to your arse in Nazis.  This is looking more and more likely.

2.  JACK Churchhill, incidentally.  Same war, bigger balls.

[Phox]

We've had worse times as a nation, but the times aren't the problem, as I spelled out in the OP.  The problem is gutless, entitled citizens who stopped giving a fuck about the republic the day they elected Reagan.

THIS I agree with one hundred percent. The real problem is apathy, which unfortunately is a part of human nature.

Now, i just want to watch humanity burn itself to the ground. The world will keep on turning, same as always. But without people, it will finally start becoming a better place.

I can understand that, believe it or not. Sometimes I want to just watch humanity die out too. But I've always come out with a reason to keep trying. If the species can produce the likes of Gandhi, Patton, Jack Churchill, and similar people, then I've got hope for it. But I'm young yet. We'll see what I think in five years.

Five years makes all the difference. I'm only 21, ya know. Maybe in five years, you will realize that Gandhi is the only person on your list worthy of true admiration, but we will just have to wait and see.

Only if your standard is "perfection".

Why shouldn't it be? You can admire Patton and Churchill for their various characteristics, like them, carouse with them, whatever. But a t the end of the day, are they models of what human beings should aspire to be?

1.  Yes, if you're up to your arse in Nazis.  This is looking more and more likely.

2.  JACK Churchhill, incidentally.  Same war, bigger balls.

Oh, I know who Mad Jack is. He wore a sword and took out Nazis with a long bow, right? Patton was arguably a modern day military genius. My point is, if there were more people like Gandhi, there would be less chance of Nazis in the first place. Unfortunately though, you are right in saying that the Nazis do exist, and thanks to the fact that human nature tends towards making people like ol' George and Jack, there won't be a shortage of them any time soon.

[Doktor Howl]

Oh, I know who Mad Jack is. He wore a sword and took out Nazis with a long bow, right? Patton was arguably a modern day military genius. My point is, if there were more people like Gandhi, there would be less chance of Nazis in the first place. Unfortunately though, you are right in saying that the Nazis do exist, and thanks to the fact that human nature tends towards making people like ol' George and Jack, there won't be a shortage of them any time soon.

No, more Gandhis mean more Nazis, unfortunately.  More Pattons mean less Nazis.

[Phox]

Oh, I know who Mad Jack is. He wore a sword and took out Nazis with a long bow, right? Patton was arguably a modern day military genius. My point is, if there were more people like Gandhi, there would be less chance of Nazis in the first place. Unfortunately though, you are right in saying that the Nazis do exist, and thanks to the fact that human nature tends towards making people like ol' George and Jack, there won't be a shortage of them any time soon.

No, more Gandhis mean more Nazis, unfortunately.  More Pattons mean less Nazis.

While I understand your logic, I disagree with it. But either way, I think we are in agreement about the current state of affairs.

[Doktor Howl]

Oh, I know who Mad Jack is. He wore a sword and took out Nazis with a long bow, right? Patton was arguably a modern day military genius. My point is, if there were more people like Gandhi, there would be less chance of Nazis in the first place. Unfortunately though, you are right in saying that the Nazis do exist, and thanks to the fact that human nature tends towards making people like ol' George and Jack, there won't be a shortage of them any time soon.

No, more Gandhis mean more Nazis, unfortunately.  More Pattons mean less Nazis.

While I understand your logic, I disagree with it. But either way, I think we are in agreement about the current state of affairs.

I'm not sure you understand what I'm saying, but okay.