By Douglas V. Gibbs
Author,
Speaker,
Instructor,
Radio HostThings the older generation appreciates, but the youngsters don't...
With an explanation as to why the oldsters are right.
This article is a response to a list by a college student who loves hockey and wants to be a political writer when they grow up.
Note: The list I have below came from author Payton Turner's "40 Things All Baby Boomers Think Are Cool", of which the article states that each of these things were mistakes, calling them "mundane mistakes that plague every generation after the baby boomers."
The article then wraps up with, "So, children of the boom, let's take a look at exactly where your generation went wrong and why those choices don't hold up in modern day."
Silly children. They don't realize what they scoff at. Often, the author shows a lack of critical thinking that would be capable of understanding what she is scoffing at if she was willing to think deeper than she has been trained to by academia.
1. Cursive. Really? Cursive was a mistake and is hurting all future generations? In truth, abandoning cursive is going to hurt all future generations. Payton, your decision that cursive was a mistake has nothing to do with anything except that now that everyone are using keyboards, and they all know how to print when it is necessary to write something, cursive is something that isn't seen as necessary. Unfortunately, the younger generation has been taught this by the schools, who, as we know, hardly have the best interests of the students at heart. Their main push has been a political agenda designed to move us away from individualism, and independent thought. Payton calls cursive an "outdated waste of time." The thing is, learning to write in cursive has proven to improve brain development in the areas of thinking, language and working memory. You know, the stuff that helps us be individuals with an ability to independently think. You know, rather than being just a mindless automaton in a socialist system of alleged equity. As for sources regarding the benefits of learning to write in cursive (handwriting, as we liked to call it), the lefties need to look no further than the New York Times, and Psychology Today. Cursive is not only not a mistake, your generation would be better off if you were willing to learn it. I see the unwillingness to add cursive to one's list of writing tools as being laziness, myself.
2. Fine China. Why have China plates that, according to Payton Turner, never get used, and nobody notices until they are broken? Nobody uses? My mom broke out the China at least twice per year, for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and sometimes for Easter. Payton's aversion to nice things like fine China probably comes from the anti-possession mantra that has been taught to her generation by her communist teachers. Nice possessions are okay to have, Payton, and it is okay to use them, too. Having nice things does not make anyone the enemy, or a member of the bourgeoisie, as you may have been taught. Personally, in my house we also use our nice plates when the less expensive plates aren't enough to accommodate all of the guests we have. Then, the nice stuff goes to the adults, and the Corelle goes to the kids.
3. 24-Hour News Networks. Growing up in California, we always had plenty of channels. 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 28, 52, and 56. Ten stations (that I remember), and there was always something good to watch. When we went to Arkansas (where much of my family was) for vacation they had four channels. CBS, NBC, ABC, and PBS. As a kid sometimes there wasn't much to watch, but we didn't care, we'd rather be outside playing. Now, we have hundreds of channels, and most of it is garbage. The kids don't care, not because they are playing outside, but because they are playing video games or are glued to their devices. As for the news, when I was a kid you only got the evening news. There were no 24-hour news networks. No sense in flooding the airwaves with news during the day when everyone was at work. Something I've noticed was when I was young I could care less about the news. But, as one gets older, the news of the world, especially political news, becomes more important to you than when you are younger. Now that the older generation is home much of the day (retired), and there are a lot more of them than there was when I was a kid, 24-Hour News Networks make sense. Those hungry for news are home throughout the day. Having such networks enables the folks who want to know what's going on more opportunity to do such. Youngsters have other things that interest them, and they don't realize the importance of the news at that age. Payton's dislike of 24-Hours News Networks is not because they are a waste of time, but simply because Payton is not old enough, yet, to recognize the importance of such things. Once Payton begins to mature a little, and perhaps if the author begins to notice the incredibly important duty of being a citizen, the opinion regarding news networks may change. It's funny, because most of the folks I work with now as a constitutionalist say that they never really cared about the news, history, and politics until recently in their life ... and most of those folks are older than I. Payton calls the news networks heavy on fluff and scares, and then pictures Fox News. Is there a little leftwing influence there, Payton? I would say "likely," especially since you are still neck-deep in Marxist-run academia as a student.
4. Diamonds. Hmm, another "nice possessions is bad" decision? Payton and John Lennon would have made wonderful communist bunk-mates. Here's what Payton wrote: "Diamonds are supposed to be a girl's best friend when, in reality, they're overpriced rocks bought with the blood of modern-day slaves in Africa. You can typically get cubic zirconia, which is cheaper and comes in more colors." Economics, my dear. Cubic Zirconia is cheaper because it is not as valuable and can be produced to flood the market, if they so desired. Supply and demand. Diamonds are more valuable due to their scarcity. Again, Supply and Demand. Some folks who don't have a communist, anti-possession, twinge in their brain like nice, valuable things. Some people don't like such nice things, or can't afford it. And that's fine. My wife is not really into diamonds. Her thing has always been opals. As for the "blood of modern-day slaves in Africa" comment; so you would rather those people have no job? Should their starvation under socialist masters be worse because self-righteous, arrogant socialists like yourself don't approve of their working conditions? Sure, I would hope they could get better work with a less difficult environment, but the only hope for that would be a free market capitalist economy. As long as African countries continue to embrace Islam or socialistic economic principles, the bad labor conditions will continue. So, how about you point your modern-day slaves comment at the leftists in your life. It's their ideology that has people struggling in misery. Free-market capitalism, historically, has lifted more people out of poverty than any other economic system.
5. Patterned Wallpaper. I may have to admit that I may be closer to agreement with Payton on this one than any of the other things on this list. I am not a fan of wallpaper, myself. My grandmother was a huge fan of wallpaper. My mom used it in the dining room and it actually worked really well in there, so I can't complain, either. Personally, if I use wallpaper, it's to line the shelves of my kitchen cabinets. That all said, if there is a market for wallpaper, it will remain a reality. That's how a free market works, Payton. Dislike wallpaper all you want, but if people want to buy it, it'll remain on the store shelves.
6. Unpaid Internships. Yet another choice by Payton that proves she doesn't understand the nuances of a free market system or people in a different position than she is. As an employer it is just not good business to take a shot on unknown talent. It's too risky to invest money in a new employee who has no track record, but if nobody is willing to give experience in the industry for pay the only way to get it is to offer oneself voluntarily to prove one's worth in the industry. Unfortunately, my wife felt the same way about unpaid internships as Payton does, so after she obtained her bachelors degree in psychology she rejected the internships and looked only for work that pays. Now, she works in retail, and if she wants to have another shot in psychology, she will need a master's degree. Had she have been willing to do some unpaid internship time, she'd be making more today than she is. So be it. It may not seem fair, but it is the way the system works. It has to work that way. I, myself, have labored long and hard in my own craft for a half dozen years with few financial rewards, but it looks like I am finally starting to turn some heads. It takes time, sometimes, to earn one's position, and sometimes, that coffer has to be empty for a while to reach that level of success. It's a risk one must make if you want to rise higher than everyone else, sometimes. Often, in a free market, the higher the risk, the greater the reward. Working for free may seem like a risk at first, but if you prove yourself, in the long run it can go a long way.
7. Crocs. Not a fan, myself. Payton rails against these "boating enthusiast" shoes because while they may be easy to slip on and off, and they may be comfortable, "they don't look good." Sometimes, looks don't matter. The older you get, the less how something looks like matters. When I was younger I only wore Levi's 501 button-fly jeans because they were the only jeans I believed looked good. Now that I am older, I don't care what my jeans look like, as long as they are comfortable. Same thing with crocs. The older generation likes them because they are comfortable, and we don't have the vanity that people like Payton has so it really doesn't matter if the shoe is attractive, or not. That said, if crocs have outlived their use, the free market will respond, and they will disappear. My prediction, however, is as Payton's generation gets older, and comfort over style takes command of their brains, crocs will make an incredible comeback. In other words, Payton, I am predicting that someday you too may be a fan of crocs.
8. Blaming Millennials. Payton is reacting, not listening. It's partly because the younger generation isn't listening to history. Us older folks don't blame millennials, we are simply in disagreement because the immaturity of the millennials have them acting in a very stupid manner. And, that's okay. Each generation goes through it because each generation is pretty dumb while they are young. In most cases, time fixes the problem. But, about the time a generation finally pulls their heads out of their butts, the next group of youngsters come along acting even more ridiculous than their predecessors. My generation followed the hippies. The hippies ticked off the greatest generation and some of the boomers, and my generation ticked off both the boomers and the hippies with our heavy metal and punk rock attitudes. Now the snot-nosed kids are complaining at my generation as if we are being oppressive, or something. No, Payton, it's just that thirty or forty years ago, I was you, and I want you to not make the same self-absorbed mistakes we made. But, in your rebellion, you tell us to stop blaming you, or disagreeing with you, and then you make the same mistakes we made because you refuse to listen. It's a recurring thing. Each generation does it. Quit whining about it, and grow up, already.
9. Home Shopping Channels. I personally don't use home shopping channels, and my list of online purchases is probably pretty short compared to the list of online purchases by my younger counterparts. It's a matter of taste. But, just because you don't see the value of something, it doesn't mean it should not exist. As long as there are folks who are willing to shell out their dough on home shopping channels, they will thrive. Choice is a good thing, even if some of the choices are ones you would not choose. Liberty is about choice. A free market is about choice. And, thank God for those choices I may not be fond of. It makes the lines associated with my choice a little bit shorter. Personally, I don't prefer home shopping channels, or online buying. I like to handle, squeeze, and physically observe my items before I purchase them.
10. High-Waisted Jeans. Payton says they are ugly. Unflattering. Yeah, youngster, they may be both ugly and unflattering, but comfort is sometimes the key. The older generation is all about practicality. Well, there's that, and the fact that we prefer our pants not to hang halfway down the crack of our butt. It's a difference of opinion in style. And, guess what, Payton? The next generation won't agree with your style choices, either. I am personally hoping that corduroys get back into style.
11. Writing Checks. There was a time, Payton, when we didn't have credit cards, debit cards, or the willingness to carry a load of cash. When I was young, we didn't have plastic in our wallets like today. And, if you needed to make a purchase for more than the amount of cash you cared to carry, you wrote a check. I still write half a dozen checks per year, but, yeah, as technology changes, check writing will likely eventually diminish even more. I don't know about vanishing, though. I have someone out of state I sometimes need to send money to. I am not going to give her my credit card number, and I am not going to mail her cash. So, I mail her a check. Despite your thinking that checks are a mistake, for me, sometimes, they are a necessity. And, Payton, someday your credit cards and debit cards may seem like a thing of the past too, thanks to technology. Is that a good thing? I don't know, we'll find out, I suppose. One thing is for sure, the next generation will probably poke fun at you for trying to hang on to your old technology, too, but you'll continue to use the cards because that is what you'll be comfortable with ... and you may not fully trust the next thing on the horizon just like some of us are not always comfortable with trusting much of the new technology that you are comfortable with today.
12. Landlines. I kept my landline because of my numerous radio interviews. The landlines are clearer, with no signal interruption. The radio shows I am often a guest on appreciate the clarity of a landline. The other thing that is nice about landlines is that the batteries don't go dead, and when the electricity goes out they still work. In an emergency, cell phones are not the best thing to have after the lights go out, and the battery goes dead. Landlines may also serve as lifelines, if a big enough of an emergency hits.
13. Fossil Fuels. For this one, Payton goes into sarcasm mode. "Oh yeah, researching and implementing green, sustainable energy is such a waste. Why not just irreparably destroy the ozone while we fight wars over oil? Plus, wind energy gives birds cancer, so of course, we can't do that." The one-dimensional thinking of Payton is amazing, and is screaming for ridicule. First of all, the problem the older generation has with sustainable energy is not because of what it is, but how it is being implemented. Rather than allowing the free market to innovate as it has throughout our history, government is using mandates to force it on us. History shows that government mandating things ultimately quells innovation, diminishes quality, and in the end kills the likelihood that the public will embrace it with open arms. Besides, currently, green-sustainable energy has proven to be a big fat failure, so far. We don't have the ability to store energy in batteries without using massive environment-killing methods to create the batteries in the first place. Renewable energy is also inconsistent, unreliable, and in places where they have tried to push it hard, like California, has resulted in increased energy costs and rolling brown-outs. Additionally, science is showing us that fossil fuels don't come from fossils as originally thought. The energy source is abiotic and renewable. As for pollution, the free market in America has made the United States more environmentally friendly than other countries. China is the worst polluter. Nobody, by the way, said that wind energy causes birds to have cancer. I am not sure where Payton got that one. What wind power does do, however, is chop birds up into little bitty pieces. Windmills have become the largest killer of Bald Eagles, for example, than all other killers combined. Payton's Ozone Layer comment is particularly funny, since science has proven that the hole in the ozone layer is a natural phenomenon. You know, like climate change. And if she thinks the wars in the Middle East are only about oil, she is more ignorant than I thought. There are major geo-political influences going on, too. But, Payton wouldn't know that. Remember, she also hates 24-hour news channels.
14. The Mall. Remember, Payton began this whole thing accusing the list of being things that were mistakes that the boomers love. First of all, the last time I checked, the primary roving gangs at the malls are not fifty or older. It's the young crowd who spends the most time at the mall. That said, when we were younger, malls weren't a mistake, they were a necessity. Remember, Payton, back then we didn't have the internet and online shopping. Yes, today malls are likely heading in the same direction as drive-in theaters, but not because they were a mistake, but because technology has now given us other options that most people consider as being more convenient.
15. Khaki Capri Pants. Not a mistake, a style that had its day at one time. Someday your styles which you love so much will be frowned upon by the next younger generation. Hopefully, that means in the future people will start wearing their pants above their butt again, rather than down around their knees.
16. Denim Everything. Again, Payton is knocking fashion that was popular in our day, but not now. I was not all denim all the time, I was mainly Levi's 501s, and stylish button down shirts with a narrow sock tie, myself, but denim everything, for some folks, was not a mistake, it's just a part of the journey. Again, as I have stated before, Payton, your style choices will likely be unpopular with the younger generations when you are gray as well. Be warned when they accuse your fashion choices of somehow being a "mistake."
17. Jell-O Everything. Wait. What? Everything goes with Jello. My favorite was the red Jello with the chunks of pears in it.
18. Encyclopedias. I weep for Payton, and her generation. Reading is very important, and doing so in books that, back then, could largely be trusted, rather than modern wonders like Google who have decided to censor out what they don't like, was a good thing. While Payton claims encyclopedias are something gladly replaced by internet information highways, my response is that now that everything is on the internet, it's easier for the book burners to eliminate what they don't want you to know. All they have to do is censor it, or use an algorithm that doesn't allow you to see the information. At least my encyclopedia didn't change because some Marxist didn't like what was in it.
19. Socks and Sandals. Again, just a fashion choice. Not a mistake, just a different preference than you would choose. You know, I am beginning to believe that Payton is an age-bigot.
20. Phone Books. When I was a kid we couldn't ask our smart-phone for the phone number of a local business. We couldn't look up the address online, either. And, when I was little and I wanted to sit at the big table for dinner, a phone book had to be placed under my bottom so that my chin could reach above the rim of my plate. Phone books were important, and for some still are. Foolish for Payton to call them a mistake, for without them, the free market would have been visited much less than it was.
21. Shag Carpet. Ah, comfortable to lay on when your family can't afford enough seats for the kids in the living room. Payton, you may think shag carpet is ugly, and perhaps based on today's standards, it may be, but in my house growing up without all the technology you are arrogantly attached to, shag carpet was much better than laying on tile, wood, or whatever hard surface you prefer in today's spoiled world of more than enough seats in the room.
22. Visors. You know, Payton, when you say something "looks really dumb," it's just your opinion, right? Opinions vary, and that is okay. We always believe our opinions are the only right answer, and that's okay, but to admonish others for having an opinion different from yours, especially when you are too young to see beyond the tip of your nose, is quite immature of you. That all said, as with most of your gut-wrenching opinions in this top 40 of things you think were a mistake by the older generation, there was a reason. As with many of the things on your list, for us older folks it's all about function over vanity, something Payton and her younger generation seem to have trouble understanding. Visors were nice when you still wanted the wind blowing through your hair, or in my wife's case, you wanted the visor over the eyes to shield them from the sun, but had so much hair a visor was much more comfortable than shoving fists full of hair into a hat.
23. Fuzzy Toilet Seat Covers. Was never a fan when I was younger, but it was nice to visit my aunt and sit on comfortable seating rather than a hard seat while doing one's business on the throne. That said, at home I tend to prefer a cushy seat on the throne because I like to read in that room. With a house full of grandkids, it's the only place in the house I seem to get enough peace to read a book.
24. Records. Surprisingly, our baby-boomer hating author of the list didn't turn her nose up at records. Vinyl records are better than tapes and discs. Easier to work with, less easy to damage, and there is something about listening to your favorite music with the pops as the needle travels the grooves when you just want to lay back and listen.
25. Not-so-skinny-jeans. I was a long-distance runner, when I was a youngster. Comfortable jeans were difficult for me to find because of the girth of my thighs and calves. The looser the better, was my attitude. Tight jeans hugging one's crotch and restricting movement was just not comfortable. Even worse are the skinny-jeans thing. You might as well wear spandex. They are especially bothersome on bodies who should probably be wearing looser garments for the sake of the rest of us.
26. Ironing. This one confused me. Payton called ironing a waste of time, yet her generation is so vain about everything. Then writes, "take it to the cleaners, let them handle it." This is not the first time on this list the author of the list suggested sending things out for professional handling. Is Payton independently wealthy? And how lazy do you have to be to prefer to wear wrinkled clothes or send them out to the cleaners for only the ironing part? Don't get me wrong, my nice button down shirts I wear with my suits go to the cleaners not only for their cleaning and ironing touch, but because I figure the shirts will remaining nicer for longer if I do so, which in the long run will actually save me a few dimes. But, my other shirts get washed, dried, and ironed, by me (or my wife, depending). Payton's complaints about the older generation's willingness to iron their clothes just makes no sense. Is she lazy?
27. Bar Soap. Really? Gel soap over bar soap? Bar soap is more efficient, more thorough (especially with a good washcloth), and in the long run much less expensive. So, in addition to being lazy and uncaring about saving any money, Payton must smell a little funny, too. Sorry, a squirt of some liquid soap just doesn't do it for me.
28. Meatloaf. One of my favorite meals as a kid. Meatloaf with some fried potatoes and some okra. How could anyone not like meatloaf? My only regret is I can't make it as good as my mom did.
29. Patterned vests. Payton is talking about the sweater vests, with no sleeves that went over a button down shirt with a sock tie filling in the v-neck section of the vest. You know, the preppy look that was big in the late seventies and early eighties. I loved the look, and wore sweater vests a lot. Looked sharp, added to the tie nicely, and kept the torso a little warmer than normal in the colder weather. When one added a pattern to the vest, it just added to the sharpness of the look. I don't understand Payton's dislike at all. Since she won't iron anything, I figure she'd like a patterned vest also because it's perfect to wear over a shirt that, well, is wrinkled and you didn't get a chance to iron.
30. Cop Dramas. I am not into the CSIs and the NCISs, either. But, I did enjoy Miami Vice, the original SWAT, the original Magnum P.I., and of course, Adam 12. I suppose Hill Street Blues wasn't too bad, either, but I didn't get into that show as much as the others I listed. My wife loves the cop dramas Payton listed as those she loathes, though. Hey, whatever floats your boat. If cop dramas were that bad, they wouldn't get the ratings, so at the moment, Payton, the American viewing public disagrees with you.
31. Alex Jones. For some, he's a nut-job, for others, he's not. Folks who tend to lean towards Alex Jones are loathed by Payton's generation for bigger reasons than she was willing to list. Admit it, Payton, you and your younger generation hate independent thought, individualism, the free market, and the value system that the older generation still embraces. That's why you don't like Alex Jones. It's not about whether you agree with him all of the time, some of the time, every once in a while, or never, it's about the fact that people like him dares to challenge the reality the socialists have pounded into your skull in the Marxist-dominated education system. I am figuring you hate Trump, too. As well as the U.S. Constitution, the ten commandments, church-goers, people who dare have an opinion that differs from you regarding any social issue, and of course people who don't wear masks during this time of the scamdemic. You must really hate me, then.
32. Mrs. Dash. Don't use it often, but sometimes a nice way to mix things up. I've noticed in this age of extremes, the younger folks love to drench their food in spices and seasonings. A nice light dash of Mrs. Dash, or something similar, to me is a nice change from the extreme world who seems to be very happy with always over doing everything.
33. Complaining About Political Correctness. Let me give you Payton's full quote so that you can understand her level of ignorance and immaturity on this. "Oh no! We have to treat people who are different from us with the basic respect that every human deserves! What kind of millennial liberal garbage is this? It's not that political correctness isn't obnoxious, it's that what you consider politically correct is way out of whack." Political correctness is an extreme, warped and twisted version of the Golden Rule. Why? Not because of what it is as much as what it represents. It's the difference between individuality and collectivism. Payton has been trained by the socialist collectivists of her educational career (which likely includes a good firm brainwashing by the Marxists in academia) to believe that freedom must have a firm hand behind it to make sure you don't misbehave or don't misspeak. The thing is, that's not liberty. That's group-think, and group-think is what political correctness is all about. Of course we should be reasonable when it comes to our treatment of those around us. But, in a free society, people are allowed to disagree with each other. People are allowed to have their own thoughts and opinions. And those opinions are not hate, or disrespect, because there is always more to the story than what you see on the surface. Everyone's journey has been different. Freedom of speech, for example, does not mean, "free speech as long as you agree with everyone else." That's not liberty. That's tyranny. So, while I understand your basic premise, Payton, the truth is you are simply throwing in with the tyrants when you make statements like you did about political correctness.
34. Linoleum Flooring. You don't like carpet. You don't like linoleum. All that's left is tile or wood. While tile and wood is nice, sometimes linoleum works (especially when the pocketbook is thin). Again, Payton is coming across as if she is independently wealthy. Sometimes, for the cost, cheap shag carpet or linoleum is all one can afford. And, to be honest, there is some linoleum out there that is not too bad. I've even seen linoleum that can fool the average person into believing it is wood or tile, for a teeny tiny price in comparison. I am starting to wonder if Payton thinks she is better than folks who are not as financially well off as she is, because she has listed on her list of things she hates an awful lot of things that the less-wealthy folks kind of need. You know, like wallpaper, landlines, fossil-fuel vehicles, ironing, bar soap, shag carpet, and yes, linoleum flooring.
35. Conspiracy Theories. Payton, your immaturity and ignorance is getting louder and louder with each item on your list. Interestingly, you don't name any conspiracy theories, you just claim they come from Alex Jones and Fox News. In other words, conservative politics is all conspiracy theories to you. Ever spend time watching guys like Tucker Carlson or Sean Hannity? Ever spend time listening to Rush Limbaugh? I am a historian, and while some conspiracy theories are pretty wacky-doodle, most of what CNN and MSNBC and the alphabet channels claim to be conspiracy theories are actually just political disagreements, but since they can't argue the point, they slap the "conspiracy theory" label on the claim to get people like you to reject it without even looking into it. Why would you? It's a conspiracy theory. Name a conspiracy theory, and then we can talk. By the way, in my many years of life, do you know what I have learned? Often, yesterday's conspiracy theory is tomorrow's headline.
36. AVON. Like most of the stuff on your list, you miss the point. Avon was more than buying cosmetics. Just like Tupperware parties, Avon was about getting together, having some fun with the neighbors, and buying a product you can't get at the store. It was a way of reaching into the market that could not be otherwise reached into before the advent of the internet. Are things like Avon now outdated? I don't know. Maybe. But, getting together with a group of neighbors, friends and family having fun while trying on different cosmetics you may or may not normally be able to afford? I don't think that kind of fun for some people will ever go out of style.
37. Gendered Everything. Again, so that the reader gets Payton's full opinion, here's what she wrote. "Unpopular opinion time! Colors don't have genders. Girls and boys can do whatever they want or play with whatever they want as long as they're safe, and it makes them happy. Gendering is sexist, and it's time to move past the '50s. At the very least, we need to pick new gendered colors. No one likes those sickeningly sweet pinks and blues." Payton, you are right, and you are wrong. Yes, colors don't have genders, in the end someone will choose what they want. The pinks and blues have always been what one considers for girls and for boys, and we liked it that way. The thing is, the problem is not what you see on the surface. There is a deeper, diabolical scheme underway that you will reject (thanks to your Marxist training and belief that anything that disagrees with what you have been programmed to believe is a conspiracy theory) that is designed to undermine the idea of individuality as well as God's Creation (which includes the two sexes). A genderless society where everyone lives in a label-less utopia sounds nice on the surface, but in reality it's a one-way ticket to tyranny. My recommendation? Read 1984 by George Orwell.
38. Golf. Payton calls golf "boring," with "stupid outfits," and my favorite part: "hurts your back, and is really only played to show off your status". Really? She wraps it up with, "Golf is barely fun to play, much less watch. We're not sure how this industry stays afloat." There are two kinds of people in the world, those who hate golf, and those who play golf. Most people, once they try it, fall in love with the sport. Most people who hate it either never gave it a chance because it seemed to hard when they tried, or they've never even tried to play it. Golf, in my opinion, is the greatest sport ever created. It is challenging, allows one to compete with others, one's self, and against the course, and you can play with a drink in your hand, and even a cigarette hanging from your lips if that is what you prefer. It is very difficult, taking more skill than most other sports, I believe, yet is simple enough that even those with minimal skill can play well enough to have fun (though likely never to the point of competing with the pros). For those who truly enjoy the game, it is a lot of fun to watch, as well. Aside from the entertainment value, one can watch the pros and perhaps add certain things one has seen to one's own game. The part about hurting one's back is wrong, by the way. I have back issues, and playing golf eases the pain in my back. Most folks with back issues twist their back to ease the pressure they feel. Why not do so and have fun at the same time? I can't walk a course, anymore. My back issues have made me a permanent cart user, but even in my times of diminished physical health, golf remains a game I can play, and enjoy. Other sports are likely off the table, now. In the end, I think Payton doesn't like golf for the same reason she dislikes most of the things on this list ... because she doesn't understand it.
39. Too many throw pillows. For an old guy like me with back issues, having a throw pillow to toss behind my back as I sit on a couch is a nice thing. Some folks like lots of throw pillows because they think it looks nice, some don't. Do what you want. Payton? Does your Marxist twinge make you want to pass laws limiting how many throw pillows someone is allowed to have?
40. Giving Retail Workers a Hard Time. Payton, my wife works in retail, and according to her, the rudest customers come from your generation, not the boomers. You are right, people overdo it with their complaints, sometimes, but on the same token some complaints deserve a hearing. Where your generation is a problem is in the fast food industry. The food takes longer now, and the order is usually wrong. And guess what? It's usually youngsters like you behind the counter. I don't remember it being that bad when I was younger. Back then, fast food was fast, and accurate. But, maybe I am asking too much from people who aren't even willing to do the extra work to iron their clothes in the first place.
41. Transition Lenses. For some people these lenses are not a fashion choice, they are a necessity due to their unique eye conditions, as well as other factors that may play into the ballgame.
According to her byline, Payton Turner, the author of the 41 item long list of 40 things that boomers like but are a mistake is a student who someday wants to be a political journalist. Payton, based on what I read, you won't stand out. You are just another Marxist cutout who doesn't have an original thought in your head. But, thanks, your list was enlightening, to say the least, about your generation of arrogant, lazy, unwilling to iron their clothes, snobby, hateful, disrespectful buddies. I weep for America. Fortunately, your whole generation is not like you. Thank God for those few who may, if we are fortunate, in the end outdo the Marxists you represent.
-- Political Pistachio Conservative News and Commentary
