Here's the first of many (hopefully) pictures of the daffodils I planted in the backyard in November. It was a pain in the ass to dig through the halfway frozen dirt then, but if they all bloom and look gorgeous like this one, it'll be worth it.
Tuesday, March 23, 2004
Daffodils!
Here's the first of many (hopefully) pictures of the daffodils I planted in the backyard in November. It was a pain in the ass to dig through the halfway frozen dirt then, but if they all bloom and look gorgeous like this one, it'll be worth it.
Monday, March 8, 2004
Just like in the real world...
The same people who are rude, obnoxious and run around thinking the world owes them something bring that same attitude to the internet communities they visit.
I don't know why I'd expect people to conduct themselves differently online than they do in person.
There are three forums I visit regularly. I'm on staff at two of them, so I'm forced to deal with these people and their idiotic posts and demands. The one board where I'm not staff isn't bad; there are a few morons who try to impose their will/views on others, but for the most part, the general membership keeps them in line. That forum is populated mostly with adults; people with jobs and families and responsibilities.
The other two communities draw from a much younger base. There are a fair enough number of adults and responsible types at both, but inevitably, you run across the people who think that just because they've been there for 2 months, they're entitled to some sort of privileges as a result. "I should be a moderator or an admin because I've been here for 4 months." "I should have a custom title because I want one!"
In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal, really. But these are the people who grow up thinking that the universe revolves around them, that the clerk at Jack in the Box should give them a free meal because it took too long.
I'm not sure when it was that I realized that entitlement is a bad thing. No one owes you anything. It's not up to the rest of the world to make you happy. I don't need to pay you X-number of dollars because you have 12 kids and are too lazy to work. I don't owe you a title, a special rank or anything just because you want it. I don't have to cut you a deal at the store because you didn't bring enough money to cover sales tax.
I've had very few things handed to me. I haven't had a terrible life by any stretch, but it's not like I'm born of royalty. I guess the only thing that was really given to me were grants to help pay for college. I lucked into some jobs in school, and after, but wouldn't have been offered those jobs if I hadn't honed my skills and been qualified in the first place. I guess old age has made me bitter and jaded, but oddly, this isn't one of those bitter posts. It's just the realization that fewer and fewer people take responsibility for their actions. That hard work and accountability aren't important values any more. I'm the last person to preach family values (I fucking hate that term anyway), but when did we become a country filled full of lazy people looking for handouts?
I don't know why I'd expect people to conduct themselves differently online than they do in person.
There are three forums I visit regularly. I'm on staff at two of them, so I'm forced to deal with these people and their idiotic posts and demands. The one board where I'm not staff isn't bad; there are a few morons who try to impose their will/views on others, but for the most part, the general membership keeps them in line. That forum is populated mostly with adults; people with jobs and families and responsibilities.
The other two communities draw from a much younger base. There are a fair enough number of adults and responsible types at both, but inevitably, you run across the people who think that just because they've been there for 2 months, they're entitled to some sort of privileges as a result. "I should be a moderator or an admin because I've been here for 4 months." "I should have a custom title because I want one!"
In the grand scheme of things, it's no big deal, really. But these are the people who grow up thinking that the universe revolves around them, that the clerk at Jack in the Box should give them a free meal because it took too long.
I'm not sure when it was that I realized that entitlement is a bad thing. No one owes you anything. It's not up to the rest of the world to make you happy. I don't need to pay you X-number of dollars because you have 12 kids and are too lazy to work. I don't owe you a title, a special rank or anything just because you want it. I don't have to cut you a deal at the store because you didn't bring enough money to cover sales tax.
I've had very few things handed to me. I haven't had a terrible life by any stretch, but it's not like I'm born of royalty. I guess the only thing that was really given to me were grants to help pay for college. I lucked into some jobs in school, and after, but wouldn't have been offered those jobs if I hadn't honed my skills and been qualified in the first place. I guess old age has made me bitter and jaded, but oddly, this isn't one of those bitter posts. It's just the realization that fewer and fewer people take responsibility for their actions. That hard work and accountability aren't important values any more. I'm the last person to preach family values (I fucking hate that term anyway), but when did we become a country filled full of lazy people looking for handouts?
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