October 19, 2011
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Rantober: Assumptions 101
As time goes on, I realize more and more that great-sounding ideas usually are based on really ignorant assumptions. I now feel properly prepared to run for President at 35. A smattering of ideas for you:
"Don't worry there troubled person, it gets better!"
"Why will it get better, wise Internet person?"
"Because of Chronos, the God of Time! He flies through the air improving people's lives as they grow in his world! Sure, things suck at first! But then Mighty Chronos heals everything and totally disregards the Second Law of Thermodynamics! Hail Chronos!""What those protesters really should be doing is getting a job and going to school!"
"What if going to school and working no longer work, wise employed person?"
"They should do it even more! Go to school longer! Look for a job more! How can you determine our system is broken until you've truly tried everything and are starving to death? Quitter!"And with a Xanga twist to it, two great ideas that still never work:
"What Xanga really needs to do is kick all these trolls off the site! I'll tell them who's trouble on here!"
"How will we do that, wise Internet person?"
"Why, we'll just let the community vote! What could be more trustworthy than a large mob of individuals given power over each other? I'm sure it won't turn into the random persecution of unpopular people with different thoughts than us and large-scale grudge settling!""Why doesn't anyone comment on my site anymore? I write really good stuff!"
"Who is this again, wise Internet person?"
"It's I, that person who writes a lot of entries that no one can understand unless you are living my life. I, who never comments on anyone else's page! How dare you all forget about me and not give me all the privileges of the community I don't participate in!"
Comments (12)
you would be a good 35th president, wise internet person.
This is awesome.
LOL!
Hahaha.
Haha, I love this.
OME i absolutely hate when i'm asked why i don't have a job yet. it's like my relatives think there are plenty available and i'm just not trying hard enough, when it is because no one is hiring right now. Not just in my field which i did five and a half years of schooling for, but even retail! i have two more weeks to find something before i risk losing my apartment *grrr*
See there is a wise blogger on Xanga. Now go forth and replicate, subdue Xanga, and have dominion over the unwise....Okay that doesn't fly either does it?...Meh, just be content with the fact you are one wise Xangan.
Hehe, it appears that October is the month that is best-suited for improvising on. "Anytober," anyone? I wonder if this would work at all for months like April or May.
As relates to your actual post, I think part of the problem is that "great-sounding ideas" by necessity are based off on broad generalizations or idealizations. It's what people want to hear when they are looking for the proverbial breath of fresh air. When the general populace is feeling hopeless as they look at the myriad problems we have created for ourselves in this country, they want to hear "well, if we did THIS it would all get better!" And the THIS is really just some sort of interpretation of the ideal state of what the situation would look like. It's the endgame, rather than the actual steps necessary to get there.
And the problem with proposing an idea that will tackle all the steps that must be taken is that it no longer sounds great - it sounds long and complicated and difficult. And it would be. Most of the problems that our country faces today have been 20 or 30 years in the making - so many factors and issues and patterns weaving together more and more each year until finally we open our eyes and look at the tapestry that we're weaving. And if we're to undo something that we don't like we can't just cleanly slice the tapestry in half. We must unravel the threads piece by piece. And that takes effort, yes, and difficulty. But more than anything it takes time. Any solution that proposes that things will get better overnight, or even in 3 or 5 years, is no real solution at all.
I would absolutely vote for you.
Rantober is better than all of my ramblations.
this Internet Person sure is wise
@NikBv - Everyone is wise on the Internet, obv. :p
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