Generation X Life Support

I tend to get preachy. I know that this is a personality trait I have to work on.  I admit it.  So I’m really sorry if this post ends up being incoherent and laced with tons of flailing topics and rants.  I hope when I’m done, this post actually makes sense, because right now, my mind is just flooded with thoughts about how fucking stupid we as a country are becoming – self included. 

What am I talking about?  Well, a lot of things. 

I’ve been sitting here for the past year or so watching the country’s (if not the world’s) financial system collapse.  Therefore, my 401K and IRAs are collapsing, as well.  Remember, I’m supposed to retire on this stuff.  

Why is the economy collapsing?  Because banks gave loans to people even though they knew up front these people were subprime and did not qualify for these loans?  Because some corporations thought it would be great to loan themselves money to pay off debt with money they didn’t have to begin with (i.e., AIG)?  Because we as a people see nothing wrong with being in debt, living beyond our means and gladly go to work every day to dig ourselves out of the very holes we created? Because we have a C – president who only surrounds himself with D- cronies so he looks smarter than the people around him?  Hey, don’t laugh at that one.  We were the dopes who put him in office twice!

Now I sit here and watch the election coverage, and cannot believe that the same party that put us in this hole in the past 8 years is starting to gain ground because of an Alaskan bear hunting, soon to be GILF who wants the job of being vice president even though she admitted she has no idea what the responsibilities of the vice president are.  And did you hear Fox News declare Sarah Palin an experienced diplomat because as governor of Alaska, she’s just a Bering Strait away from Russia? 

My God.  We’re ALL doomed.

When did being smart become uncool?  When did exhibiting inteligence become “upity” or “ornery”?  Why does taking an intelligent approach to problem solving now make someone an “elitist” or an aspiring celebrity?

I can think of many reasons why things are such a mess, but the biggest reason i see why things are so fucked up is that no one wants to take responsibility for their actions.. Unless, of course, they are successful.  We absolve ourselves from any and all wrong doing and come up with hundreds of reasons to blame someone else or the system (self included). 

I think we just need to all start taking reponsibilty for ourselves, start living within our means, and start saving, because a bailout from Uncle Sam might happen for banks and other companies, but it’s not going to happen for us individually.  Oh, and stop saying “Well’ it’s in God’s hands now” after you fuck something up.  Calling upon God to rescue you from your own mistakes doesn’t make everything alright and doesn’t help those you hurt.  In fact, it gets worse because when you start to blame God for all the bad things, you lose faith in everything. 

Just take responsibilty for the mistake, learn from it, and move on (and this goes for me, too). 

I know I’m just scratching the surface of this topic so its times like these I really wish people would visit here and provide feedback (Hint, Hint).  Also, if you didn’t see the movie “Idiocracy”‘, go out and do so now.  it will be the most important movie you watch in your lifetime.  And yes, it’s funny!

 Ok, I’m done ranting.  Time to check my stocks….  OH! I’m up toda….  Oops.  Spoke too soon.