Oh FUCKING SHIT.

[Jenne]

Americans have little left to live for than their jobs, apparently. 

Obviously.  They're conditioned since birth to think that way.

Despite growing up with the Nike ads, I totally agree.

"Wear our shoes and pretend you aren't a fat ass."

That's just to make people feel like they're okay, so they can continue being productive.

  I  meant "If it feels good, do it."

[Doktor Howl]

Americans have little left to live for than their jobs, apparently. 

Obviously.  They're conditioned since birth to think that way.

Despite growing up with the Nike ads, I totally agree.

"Wear our shoes and pretend you aren't a fat ass."

That's just to make people feel like they're okay, so they can continue being productive.

  I  meant "If it feels good, do it."

Ah.

Looking around, it feels good to stuff Big Macs down our pie holes and waddle from place to place, worrying that our jobs will be in Maylasia by this time next year.

[Jenne]

COMFORT FOOD + PARANOIA BOUT XENOPHOBIC SHIT = AMURRICAN WAY OF LIFE

[Doktor Howl]

COMFORT FOOD + PARANOIA BOUT XENOPHOBIC SHIT = AMURRICAN WAY OF LIFE

Also,

Comfort cars that you can't afford (Those payments sure are comfy!).
Comfort homes on nice comfy mortgages (For two years, then comfy reality sets in.).
Comfort politics that are spoon fed to you (To save you the discomfort of thinking.).
Comfort Television that lets you be comfortably outraged.

I'm sure I've missed thing or three, but you get the point.

[Jenne]

You're not trying to...comfort...me, are you, Rog? 

[Doktor Howl]

You're not trying to...comfort...me, are you, Rog? 

Everything will be okay.

Until it isn't.

But tomorrow never comes.

Until it does.

[Jasper]

Heh, it hasn't been explicitly hashed out very much, but there is definitely an implied assumption in all of our comforts and conveniences- that we somehow merit them.

[Doktor Howl]

Heh, it hasn't been explicitly hashed out very much, but there is definitely an implied assumption in all of our comforts and conveniences- that we somehow merit them.

Get the <insert luxury item> you deserve.

How many times have you heard THAT on the radio/TV/pop-up ad?  Why DO I deserve a Lexus?  What did I do to merit that?  My favorite one is for computers..."Even if your credit is bad, you can still get the computer you deserve."  If my credit is shitty, then I obviously don't deserve a damn thing, I'd think.

But it's damned effective advertising, in a nation full of people that honestly DO believe that they deserve any impulse item they see.

America does deserve something, though, and they're going to get it.  Hell, some people already ARE getting it.  You can tell who they are, too, by the "For Sale" signs stained in arterial blood out front of the McMansion they just HAD to have (because, one presumes, they deserved it.).

For 30 years, we've confused "want" with "deserve", and now it's time to pay the piper what HE deserves.

[Jenne]

AMERICA: FUCK YEAH, WE ARE THE ENTITLEMENT COMPLEX!

[Doktor Howl]

AMERICA: FUCK YEAH, WE ARE THE ENTITLEMENT COMPLEX!

I feel a rant coming on.

[Jenne]

AMERICA: FUCK YEAH, WE ARE THE ENTITLEMENT COMPLEX!

I feel a rant coming on.

Blow hard, blow well, when those chunks fly, Heir Doktor.  I await the stream!

[Jenne]

I do remember my mom and dad talking about the younger generations wanting their houses before they earned the $ to pay for them, and the cell phones and cars before they were paid off...but guess who bought their kids their 1st cars and gave my brothers cell phones before they were 16?

Uh huh.

[Doktor Howl]

I do remember my mom and dad talking about the younger generations wanting their houses before they earned the $ to pay for them, and the cell phones and cars before they were paid off...but guess who bought their kids their 1st cars and gave my brothers cell phones before they were 16?

Uh huh.

Cell phones, I can see.  They actually serve a purpose.  The cable will be cut before my kids' phones are, as it DOESN'T serve a need.

[Jenne]

I do remember my mom and dad talking about the younger generations wanting their houses before they earned the $ to pay for them, and the cell phones and cars before they were paid off...but guess who bought their kids their 1st cars and gave my brothers cell phones before they were 16?

Uh huh.

Cell phones, I can see.  They actually serve a purpose.  The cable will be cut before my kids' phones are, as it DOESN'T serve a need.

Nah, they didn't need them--my mom didn't work, she was available a large part of the time if they needed her.   It was laziness on my parents' part, and it was a way of checking out of their own responsibility in keeping up my brothers'.

[Doktor Howl]

I do remember my mom and dad talking about the younger generations wanting their houses before they earned the $ to pay for them, and the cell phones and cars before they were paid off...but guess who bought their kids their 1st cars and gave my brothers cell phones before they were 16?

Uh huh.

Cell phones, I can see.  They actually serve a purpose.  The cable will be cut before my kids' phones are, as it DOESN'T serve a need.

Nah, they didn't need them--my mom didn't work, she was available a large part of the time if they needed her.   It was laziness on my parents' part, and it was a way of checking out of their own responsibility in keeping up my brothers'.

The kids have the phones because I need them to have phones, due to:

1.  Everything here is too far to walk (4-9 miles in 117F temperatures is too far), and they don't have licenses yet.  So I can either revolve my life around their social schedule, or I can go get them when they call.

2.  I work weird hours.  I need to be able to contact them.  I don't, often, but the capability is a must for me.