As a member of the Gen X community (or maybe Gen X+1, being that I am 16 and a senior in HS), I have found that modern day "pop culture" has lost many of the conservative values that young people used to have. Now, this is no epiphany to me that America has been suffering from the slow degradation of its morals, values, and principles. Also, I don't necessarily use "conservative values" in the sense of abstinence from sex, drugs, etc. I use that term in the sense that young people today don't feel the need to serve one's country in the numbers that they used to. Culture evolves slowly, and though my parent's generation got the "liberalizing" ball rolling in the 60s and 70s with rants against war and our government, it seems that that ball has snowballed. I still, however, hold onto the hope of a disciplined youth by those brave few that volunteer for the military and distinguish themselves by bearing a burden that others would never carry themselves. Myself, I wish to go to college on some academic scholarship, and if I feel the same way as I do now, I will probably enter one branch of the Armed Forces as an officer. The reason why I don't want to go through ROTC or an academy is that I don't want to be obligated to duty if my motives change in 4 years.

The subject that I wish to address in this thread is that of the media, more specifically pop culture, portraying our government as nothing but an amalgamation of liars, propagandists, and distorters of the truth. I am not one to argue that our, or for that matter any, government is devoid of corruption, however, the magnitude with which this is projected totally distorts the truth. Also, in a time where many young people aren't reading or watching normal news channels (FOX, MSNBC, etc.) and are increasingly deriving their sole source of information from "The Daily Show with John Stewart" and other sitcoms, one cannot help but be concerned with the direction of our country. Furthermore, when individuals like Michael Moore (the fat, worthless, bastard that he is) propagate anti-american sentiment around the globe by showing their films in anti-american venues like the Cannes Film Festival in the heart of  spineless France.

And now it happens again with the release of "American Idiot", an album by a rock/punk group called Green Day. In a country where seditious speech was once taken as a serious charge, it seems like the cool thing to do is jump on the treasonous band-wagon with the rest of these loser liberals. I guess it is the course of all nations to eventually collapse for one reason or another, yet, that does not mean that I wish to contribute to my beloved country's collapse or that I do not wish to postpone it until long after my death.

I simply feel that it is a cause of concern when liberals are running rampant and what would once have been considered treason is now considered popular and "hard-edge". Although there is always hope.

GRH - God's Right Hand : "Hold No Quarter. Feel No Remorse."

It is sad to look around at the large amout of worthless people in your age group.  That is 1 more reason I keep to myself most of the time.

Preachin to the choir on that one.  It's up to you to deprogram the shits cuz they won't listen to an old man like me!  Your one of the good ones.  You can walk proud for that!

It's hard to believe we're the same species that made it through the Depression and two world wars, isn't it?

But we are, of course.

So don't despair of your generation yet. Yours will face challenges undreamt of by those that came before - and with great challenges comes the chance for great victories.

Are you sure your 16 ?

epiphany , amalgamation and seditious are not words that I normally associate
with typical youthful vocabulary  .

If in fact you are 16 then I must praise you, and your use of the written word ..

i agree. being 19 i see alot of wealthy kids spoiled rotten. spare the rod and spoil they child. thats why im a fan of outsourcing. i say give the indians our jobs! sooner or later my generation will realise that they actually need to work to get ahead instead of bitching about how they had to settle on the 2002 car model instead of the 04

Quoted: Are you sure your 16 ? epiphany , amalgamation and seditious are not words that I normally associate with typical youthful vocabulary  . If in fact you are 16 then I must praise you, and your use of the written word ..

+ 40....maybe 50 even

Quoted: Are you sure your 16 ? epiphany , amalgamation and seditious are not words that I normally associate with typical youthful vocabulary  . If in fact you are 16 then I must praise you, and your use of the written word ..

Or home schooled.

Read Hard America, Soft America by Michael Barone.

I'm 23 and I agree wholeheartedly.  I work loss prevention at a local hotel and shut down underage parties all the time.  It's a shame when the complainant in the room next to them says to me "People your age are a lost cause!"  

Im 20, and completly agree with everything said. It is scary how today's youth acts, they will be tomorrows leaders, if there are no changes made our country is in serious trouble. I live in a welthy area and it is not uncommon for the kids to drive nicer cars then the teachers, hell I knew a girl who was upset about getting a new bmw 3-series convertable she was mad because it wasnt a mercedes. If this is how the todays youth is raised, what will they have to look forward to? Most of them have had everything they have ever wanted handed to them, they have never worked for anything. There values are a joke, there work ethic is well...missing...along with there respect for not only their elders but other people in general. Thats just the kids that I went to school with that didnt end up in the hospital for alcahol abuse, or for anerexia sp?, or get sent off to millitary school. Its sad to see that these people will someday lead our great country. I had a buddy that went off to serve in the marine corps and guys were telling him not to go, and trying to talk him out of it. I only wish I could have served with him.

I`m a senior in HS, as well.  I wouldn`t label many of  my peers as intelligent.  Many of those that are make up for it in pure, unadulterated ignorance.  The few that have opinions on important subjects got their opinions from MTV, or some crap like that.  I find it disturbing that these people are the future of this nation.

Quoted: As a member of the Gen X community (or maybe Gen X+1, being that I am 16 and a senior in HS), I have found that modern day "pop culture" has lost many of the conservative values that young people used to have. Now, this is no epiphany to me that America has been suffering from the slow degradation of its morals, values, and principles. Also, I don't necessarily use "conservative values" in the sense of abstinence from sex, drugs, etc. I use that term in the sense that young people today don't feel the need to serve one's country in the numbers that they used to. Culture evolves slowly, and though my parent's generation got the "liberalizing" ball rolling in the 60s and 70s with rants against war and our government, it seems that that ball has snowballed. I still, however, hold onto the hope of a disciplined youth by those brave few that volunteer for the military and distinguish themselves by bearing a burden that others would never carry themselves. Myself, I wish to go to college on some academic scholarship, and if I feel the same way as I do now, I will probably enter one branch of the Armed Forces as an officer. The reason why I don't want to go through ROTC or an academy is that I don't want to be obligated to duty if my motives change in 4 years. The subject that I wish to address in this thread is that of the media, more specifically pop culture, portraying our government as nothing but an amalgamation of liars, propagandists, and distorters of the truth. I am not one to argue that our, or for that matter any, government is devoid of corruption, however, the magnitude with which this is projected totally distorts the truth. Also, in a time where many young people aren't reading or watching normal news channels (FOX, MSNBC, etc.) and are increasingly deriving their sole source of information from "The Daily Show with John Stewart" and other sitcoms, one cannot help but be concerned with the direction of our country. Furthermore, when individuals like Michael Moore (the fat, worthless, bastard that he is) propagate anti-american sentiment around the globe by showing their films in anti-american venues like the Cannes Film Festival in the heart of  spineless France. And now it happens again with the release of "American Idiot", an album by a rock/punk group called Green Day. In a country where seditious speech was once taken as a serious charge, it seems like the cool thing to do is jump on the treasonous band-wagon with the rest of these loser liberals. I guess it is the course of all nations to eventually collapse for one reason or another, yet, that does not mean that I wish to contribute to my beloved country's collapse or that I do not wish to postpone it until long after my death. I simply feel that it is a cause of concern when liberals are running rampant and what would once have been considered treason is now considered popular and "hard-edge". Although there is always hope. GRH - God's Right Hand : "Hold No Quarter. Feel No Remorse."

1) Green Day is made up of Brits, IIRC...

2) 2 years with ROTC...

Your first 2 years are 'open' unless you are scholarship (at least with the Air Force)... You incurr your obligation upon starting your Junior Year.

Umm, joining the military is all about commitment, so either you want to or you don't. It's funny to me that you complain about kids not wanting to join the military but you don't want to join the military. If you're that smart, you can qualify for the NCS (National Call to Service) program. It's a fifteen month active obligation, plus training. Then you have 2 years active reserve and 4 years inactive for an eight year total obligation, which everyone has. I only took NCS because it guaranteed me a Corpsman slot with the FMF. I would've preferred the standard 5 years but there was no FMF guarantee.

I recently read a study that said that a child's values are set at age 7, which means that their values are the values held by their parents at age 7. So my values were set in 1950, while most of the people my age have 1970s values. Still, most kids are incredibly gullible, but only by those who they consider to be worthy of their attraction. Michael Moore has carefully crafted his image to cater to young adults. So have others.

No offense, but if you're like this IRL you won't be swaying many kids to your side.

Quoted: The subject that I wish to address in this thread is that of the media, more specifically pop culture, portraying our government as nothing but an amalgamation of liars, propagandists, and distorters of the truth. I am not one to argue that our, or for that matter any, government is devoid of corruption, however, the magnitude with which this is projected totally distorts the truth.

I hate to be the one to break it to you, but this is actually correct.  Our government is utterly corrupt and incompetent.  Every administration not only creates new lies, deceipts and willingly encroaches on our freedoms, but does nothing to reverse or even expose the misdeeds of prior administrations.

If you think the magnitude is incorrect, just wait 15 years, start a business, get audited by the IRS, travel extensively and interact with the .gov more, then you'll realize the truth.

Quoted: Quoted: The subject that I wish to address in this thread is that of the media, more specifically pop culture, portraying our government as nothing but an amalgamation of liars, propagandists, and distorters of the truth. I am not one to argue that our, or for that matter any, government is devoid of corruption, however, the magnitude with which this is projected totally distorts the truth. I hate to be the one to break it to you, but this is actually correct.  Our government is utterly corrupt and incompetent.  Every administration not only creates new lies, deceipts and willingly encroaches on our freedoms, but does nothing to reverse or even expose the misdeeds of prior administrations. If you think the magnitude is incorrect, just wait 15 years, start a business, get audited by the IRS, travel extensively and interact with the .gov more, then you'll realize the truth.

+1

I've been talking with a guy who moved his business to Taiwan from the U.S.  There are many more challenges here, but dealing with government-created overhead doesn't take 40% of his time, and the government doesn't subsequently eat 50%+ of his income.

18-23 year olds are kicking ass in Iraq and Afghanistan, so not all is lost.

Quoted: As a member of the Gen X community (or maybe Gen X+1, being that I am 16 and a senior in HS), I have found that modern day "pop culture" has lost many of the conservative values that young people used to have. Now, this is no epiphany to me that America has been suffering from the slow degradation of its morals, values, and principles. Also, I don't necessarily use "conservative values" in the sense of abstinence from sex, drugs, etc. I use that term in the sense that young people today don't feel the need to serve one's country in the numbers that they used to. Culture evolves slowly, and though my parent's generation got the "liberalizing" ball rolling in the 60s and 70s with rants against war and our government, it seems that that ball has snowballed. I still, however, hold onto the hope of a disciplined youth by those brave few that volunteer for the military and distinguish themselves by bearing a burden that others would never carry themselves. Myself, I wish to go to college on some academic scholarship, and if I feel the same way as I do now, I will probably enter one branch of the Armed Forces as an officer. The reason why I don't want to go through ROTC or an academy is that I don't want to be obligated to duty if my motives change in 4 years. The subject that I wish to address in this thread is that of the media, more specifically pop culture, portraying our government as nothing but an amalgamation of liars, propagandists, and distorters of the truth. I am not one to argue that our, or for that matter any, government is devoid of corruption, however, the magnitude with which this is projected totally distorts the truth. Also, in a time where many young people aren't reading or watching normal news channels (FOX, MSNBC, etc.) and are increasingly deriving their sole source of information from "The Daily Show with John Stewart" and other sitcoms, one cannot help but be concerned with the direction of our country. Furthermore, when individuals like Michael Moore (the fat, worthless, bastard that he is) propagate anti-american sentiment around the globe by showing their films in anti-american venues like the Cannes Film Festival in the heart of  spineless France. And now it happens again with the release of "American Idiot", an album by a rock/punk group called Green Day. In a country where seditious speech was once taken as a serious charge, it seems like the cool thing to do is jump on the treasonous band-wagon with the rest of these loser liberals. I guess it is the course of all nations to eventually collapse for one reason or another, yet, that does not mean that I wish to contribute to my beloved country's collapse or that I do not wish to postpone it until long after my death. I simply feel that it is a cause of concern when liberals are running rampant and what would once have been considered treason is now considered popular and "hard-edge". Although there is always hope. GRH - God's Right Hand : "Hold No Quarter. Feel No Remorse."

 The more things change, the more they stay the same.  Every young generation is similarly charged.  Many older people simply forget the sheer amount of idiocy they saw in their youth, and end up believing that it's a sole product of today.  Hardly...  

Frankly dude, you need to have an attitude shift about your concept of service and patriotism.  The 1st ammendment is not a fair weather friend.  You have the right to complain about bungholes who criticize the country, but the government does not have the right to make them shut up.  You MUST endure the bad, to reap the benefits of the good.  By labeling them seditious, your implication is clear.   As far as service goes, if you want to, do it.  If you don't want to, don't.  America is not a military state, nor should society be set up like a military school.  "It's GRH's turn on firewatch tonight!"  When debating this topic, it always amazes me to see the change in ones position when the concept of service is redefined outside of how the proponent sees it.  If it's good for America (outside of war, which by the way has not been declared) for the young to be conscripted for military service, because American needs them.  Why not conscript for other tasks in the national interest.  How about giving 2 years of your life to maintain the interstate highway system?  Most who believe in conscription, desire it because they believe it will 'make men out of boys', and not because the government needs a task accomplished.

PS:  If you think that liberals are running amok today, you'd have had a stroke in the '70s.

Quite frankly I haven't gotten quite that worried yet. Why you ask?

Well, for one, I haven't noticed a single leader emerge from the age group. No one that I would consider to have the qualities or attributes of a leader.

Now I don't know many of them, and perhaps this will change as they grow older, but a lot of their attitude will change as well. So it's a crap shoot as to how this is going to turn out.

If things stay the same and there truely ARE no leaders in the group, I'm really not that worried. They will continue to count on the older generation to lead them. Suits me just fine, as I'm one of the older generation. When the older generation is dead, what then?

They can fall back on the generation behind them to lead them. So long as Gen-X or the Baby boomers have been able to teach that younger one HOW to lead.

So basically, we're only TRUELY screwed when Gen-Y (or whatever name we end up calling them) start teaching their children to follow as well. Then when Gen-X dies there will BE no leaders for them to follow. That's when SHTF.

Green Day's first album - Dookie - was pretty popular back when I was a college freshman.  Hate to hear that they have turned into total pantywastes.

Message to 87gn:

About your comment on my eagerness to enter the service. I want to be in the military as of now, however, I'm not going to jeopardize my lifes career by entering immediatly after highschool and not getting a college education. So, either you didn't carefully read my original post or you don't think a college education is important and that educated officers are not needed in America's military?

I specifically stated that I will join the military immediatly after I obtain a 4 year college degree if my motives are congruent with the motives I hold today. This is more than most of the country are willing to contribute.

On the argument that the first two years of ROTC are "open"... the way I understand it, after having read the ROTC site, although the first two years are "open" you are still being supported with college tuition by the army and you are still property of the government. The next two years are advanced MOS and Officer training. However, it is definitely a possibility that I misunderstadn the way ROTC works. 4 years is a long duration to leave myself subordinate to some absolute authority. Don't worry about my degree of resolution to serve my country.

GRH - God's Right Hand : "Hold No Quarter. Feel No Remorse."

You're technically not a Gen Xer; you're a Millenial (not sure about the spelling). Either way you're still a throw-back and will be the backbone of this country for another 50 years.