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Post by rageaholic on Nov 17, 2011 11:02:41 GMT -5
What I am talking about is Charles Sykes, 50 rules you won't learn in school. I guess there is a hint of truth to some of these, but he comes across as such an asshole. www.parentbooksummaries.com/the-real-world/Here are a few examples. "1. Life is not fair. Get used to it." I hate this expression. Life isn't fair so we should just give up trying to make it better? That's how it always comes across to me. It's such a defeatist statement and is even more infuriating when used to discourage those trying to improve things. "2. The real world won’t care as much as your school does about your self-esteem. It’ll expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself." I hate the phrase "real world", especially in this context. Again, this sounds like a jerkass justification. Just because people in the "real world" may be uncompassionate jerks doesn't mean we should be. Self esteem is important, otherwise there will be no motivation to do anything. This just sounds like a justification to put others down for being less successful or fortunate. "4. You are not entitled… I despise the word "entitled" or "entitlement". I think we deserve to have a sense of entitlement. We are entitled to a better life, and better things. It's only bad when we think we are entitled at the cost of others. But everytime I hear people complaining about "entitlement", they want to screw the poor out of things. And some of these are just mean spirited. "5. No matter what your daddy says, you are not a princess… 7. If you think our teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss. He won’t have tenre, so he’ll tend to be a bit edgier. When you screw up, he’s not going to ask you how you FEEL about it. 9. Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn’t. 11. After you graduate, you won’t be competing against rivals who were raised to be wimps on the playground. 12. Humiliation is a part of life. Deal with it. 22. You are not a victim. So stop whining." "Wimps on the playground" who says that? Occasionally, he'll have a good point. "30. Zero tolerance = zero common sense." I completely agree with him here, but those good points are a rariety in a sea of assholery. His entire philosophy can be summed up in 3 words "Deal with it". No compassion, no sympathy, just "deal with it". I hate these kind of people. They think they are "brutally honest", but they are really just assholes who want an excuse to pick on those they see as inferior. At least that's what I get from his "rules". |
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Post by lexikon on Nov 17, 2011 11:13:23 GMT -5
Apparently he wrote chapters on these rules, so there's probably more to it than wwhat's on the surface. Still, comes off as pretty douchey.
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Post by Bezron on Nov 17, 2011 11:15:52 GMT -5
His entire philosophy can be summed up in 3 words "Deal with it". No compassion, no sympathy, just "deal with it". I hate these kind of people. They think they are "brutally honest", but they are really just assholes who want an excuse to pick on those they see as inferior. At least that's what I get from his "rules". It's less "Deal with it" and more "Learn to roll with the punches". And he has a point on many of his little "rules". Bear in mind, though, this is nothing new, and every fresh crop of kids entering the workforce has these issues. Did you know that companies now have seminars for management on how to deal with "millenials"? |
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Post by Aqualung on Nov 17, 2011 12:00:08 GMT -5
I don't know anybody who actually believes that. :/
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Post by erictheblue on Nov 17, 2011 12:30:31 GMT -5
"1. Life is not fair. Get used to it." I hate this expression. Life isn't fair so we should just give up trying to make it better? That's how it always comes across to me. It's such a defeatist statement and is even more infuriating when used to discourage those trying to improve things. I don't see it as defeatist. Life ISN'T fair. Complaining about it does nothing. Either deal with it or take steps to fix it. There are very few things people are entitled to. You are NOT entitled to a better life. You are NOT entitled to better things. No one will hand them to you. If you want them, take steps to get them. Basics, yes, are an entitlement. "Better" things are not. What is wrong with that? I wish more people knew that! Again, very true. True. Some people are victims. Telling those who are victims that they are not is just wrong. |
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Post by N. De Plume on Nov 17, 2011 12:40:50 GMT -5
"1. Life is not fair. Get used to it." I hate this expression. Life isn't fair so we should just give up trying to make it better? That's how it always comes across to me. It's such a defeatist statement and is even more infuriating when used to discourage those trying to improve things. But he didn’t say, “Get used to it, or try to improve it.” he said “Get used to it.” |
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Post by brendanrizzo on Nov 17, 2011 13:02:15 GMT -5
As a member of this "millenial" generation myself I find it a bit insulting that previous generations think that we have an entitlement complex. So you're gonna tell me that those who were born before the eighties were all righteous hard-working conservative non-complainers who did what they were told? Such blatant lies. Considering that I actually interact with these millenials on equal footing I can tell you that I have not met a single one who thinks that the world should bend over backwards just for them and that they deserve riches and comfort without working a day in their lives. If I had an entitlement complex, do you think I'd be trying to get a job? Sorry for the rant, but these accusations, which are as ubiquitous as they are untrue, just annoy me. "1. Life is not fair. Get used to it." There are only two types of people who say "life is not fair". The first are parents. They have an excuse, since usually they say this when dealing with children who have no sense of perspective. (But this is a pre-adult thing. To say that only the millenial generation acts like that, and that those same parents never expressed such sentiments in their times, is total slander and nostalgia, for reasons which I have already said.) The second group are conservatives, who say that to other adults in an attempt to say, "So the rich are allowed to screw over everyone else. Life ain't fair; stop complaining." (And by "complaining", they mean "pointing out injustices and abuses of power".) This is what you call a "thought-terminating cliché" and thus, illegitimate. "4. You are not entitled… And I have already said that we don't think we are. "5. No matter what your daddy says, you are not a princess… Well, this one is completely true. Paris Hilton, Britney Spears, and their contemporaneous Valley Girls would never have turned out so obnoxious had they not been spoiled rotten. But note one thing which Mr. Sykes here overlooked. These dumb blondes are all from rich families. It sure aren't liberals who are fostering an entitlement complex... 9. Your school may have done away with winners and losers. Life hasn’t. I don't know what planet this guy's from, but since when did schools get rid of winners and losers? I've attended school for the past twelve years, and last time I checked there were still competitions and awards (for either sports or academic achievement) which were given to the best of the student body only. 11. After you graduate, you won’t be competing against rivals who were raised to be wimps on the playground. What does this even mean? 22. You are not a victim. So stop whining." Tell that to the gays. And the rape victims. And the non-Christians who live in the Bible Belt. And the poor. And the baby you just stole candy from. And the... |
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Post by itachirumon on Nov 17, 2011 13:36:10 GMT -5
I REALLY fucking hate this expression. For a different reason - it's usually used right after, or as, someone's screwing you over royally. When you reply "well that's not fair" "yeah, life's not fair." The next words out of my mouth are usually "Well yes! But you can't use that as an excuse! If you recognize something's not fair, it doesn't mean you just get to handwave that by saying "life's not fair" - that's just excusing your jackassery. That's just sayign - yeah, I realize this is fucked up, I'm doing it anyway and you have no power to stop me." It's like... you recognize it, so why go along with it? Why "be that person" who goes along with it. All it does is make people despise you.
It's one of the single most infuriating comments ever.
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Post by gyeonghwa on Nov 17, 2011 13:46:12 GMT -5
True enough that life isn't fair but we don't have to "get used to it". I hear this all to often from privileged crowds who don't want their privilege challanged in any way.
Black people can't readily get jobs as easily as white people:
Good solution: Dismantle the systems of inequality that allows it.
Idiot: Life is not fair. Get used to it.
Women are paid less than some men at lower perfessional levels:
Good solution: Dismantle sexism in the workforce and allow paid equality
Idiot: Life is not fair. Get used to it.
And so on.
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Post by syaoranvee on Nov 17, 2011 13:46:17 GMT -5
Odd, I don't see the biggest lie we tell our children on here, "You can be what you want to be when you grow up if you just try hard enough."
Otherwise, love the list.
I think in the sense of "victim" he mean't not having something you want or think you are entitled to just from looking at the rest of the list or something similar.
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Post by Dragon Zachski on Nov 17, 2011 13:51:50 GMT -5
"Life's not fair", I find, is used to justify various cruel things that people in authority do.
My mental response is usually "Sure, life's not fair, but that doesn't mean YOU have to make it less fair."
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Post by mechtaur on Nov 17, 2011 17:01:10 GMT -5
Granted, "Life isn't fair" has its time and place, like when someone gets mad over someone else getting the last item at the store. But when some jack ass says it after doing something extremely douchenozzle-ish, like after pushing people out of an orderly line for something, that is when they deserve a punch to the teeth.
I'll get to the other things on the list later.
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Post by ltfred on Nov 17, 2011 17:10:14 GMT -5
"4. You are not entitled… This is one of the more hilariously Orwelian phrases of conservative lore. Entitlement is something rich people ask for poor people: I'm entitled as a noble because of my good birth, give me 10% of your money. It is not something poor people ask of the government. Rich people claim to be entitled, poor people claim to be owed. |
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Post by Wykked Wytch on Nov 17, 2011 17:40:39 GMT -5
Sounds pretty similar to the more offensive undertones (or implications) of the It Gets Better Campaign... "If you're being bullied for being LGBT, and you want to commit suicide, it's your fault for not sticking it out." Oops did I say that out loud  |
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Post by Thejebusfire on Nov 17, 2011 17:49:41 GMT -5
Her name is Rachel Dawes and she was played by Katie Holmes.
Is this "real world" of yours so hard that you can't even spend ten seconds on IMBD to look this shit up?
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