It was just a matter of time. In fact, I was expecting it as I wrote. In reality, it didn't take very long for the morons to roost over the Generation layZee story.
An astute reader picked it up and put a thread of the same name on a forum called Aantares. In short order, the self-righteous Boomers came out of the mist to wave their Righteous Indignation flags.
The forum Admin, who had obviously read the post, went so far as to agree with the fact (definition:a thing done; the quality of being actual; something that has actual existence; an actual occurrence) that Boomers were responsible for the highest divorce rates in history.
I was kind enough to include this same link in the original post, so that readers questioning the voracity of this phrase could take a paltry second to quelch any disbelief themselves.
But really, isn't it just easier to look at the three sentences that other, ahem, Readers, have taken the time to post, and just comment on that? Certainly, Aantares poster Raksha prefers this method.
It starts just how I imagined it would when I originally wrote the Generation layZee piece:
"As a Baby Boomer mom, I can't even begin to tell you how outraged I am!!!"
Everyone, please note that Raksha is in a froth, as evidenced by her triple exclamation marks. Her insight into parenting, and how she herself is an icon of the institution, is presented as, well, as fact:
"Parenting was one of the very few things I DIDN'T fail at, dammit!!! I'm still not sure WHY I didn't fail, but I'm not about to let the purveyors of conventional wisdom tell me I failed when I didn't!"
Raksha, you silly twit. I am hardly a "purveyor of conventional wisdom." All four of the people who read this blog with any regularity are splitting their sides laughing right now.
"I believe one reason I didn't fail was BECAUSE I tried to be a friend to my kids whenever possible. Of course, you can't do that when they're very small, but I dislike authorities and authoritarianism and was never comfortable in that role."
Hmmm...sounds just a tish like you're actually validating the things I said in the original post, where I claimed that Boomers preferred to eschew parenting and take the more passive role of being their children's little buddies. Really, it's a tremendous model. As we can see from generational evidence, it's working out really well.
In fact, the generation who had grown friends in lieu of parents are now charged with producing functioning, contributing members of society themselves. Been in a coffee shop lately? A mall? A restaurant? Have you tried to enjoy a great meal while a toddler screams his head off a nearby table while the parents feign situational deafness? Have you tried to order at a counter and been nearly knocked over by a free-range small child?
"I think this statement is total and complete b.s. and furthermore I feel personally insulted by it."
Well, Raksha, if it feels good, do it. Wait...didn't I say that in the original piece?
Raksha, you know why you should be "completely outraged" and "personally insulted?" Because I wrote that piece just for you, precious. You are so unique and special that I decided to write an entire blog post about your specific style of parenting and how your children are subsequently performing in the world.
Since I obviously fell short in making you feel good about yourself, I am forced to apologize. I'm sorry if I hurt your feelings. I can only imagine the tremendous ripple effect this has produced in your life...loss of appetite, sleep deprivation, unable to perform simple tasks. My word, this blog should come with some sort of disclaimer akin to those in drug commercials!
But the thing is, sweetie, you never read the damn post. You're just an ignorant breeder who took one line out of a 984-word piece and drew a wealth of assumptions. Had you actually bothered to read the article before spewing your ignorant (definition: destitute of knowledge or education; lacking knowledge or comprehension of the thing specified; resulting from or showing lack of knowledge or intelligence; unaware; uninformed) opinion, you would have seen that the post painted the broadest strokes of generational traits.
After all, people spend entire professional careers trying to identify and catalogue generational characteristics. I feel confident in asserting that I came nowhere close in a blog post.
But you're unique and special, Raksha. You can apparantly not only debunk the theory from the twenty words that you read, you can do it all because you're living proof! Your children are no doubt miracles. And it is precisely because you are so special that I am devoting an entire blog post to you.
But it's not like you'll actually read it.
4/30/2007
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12 comments:
::smirk::
Perhaps I should be more verbose. That was snarky of me :)
I've been reading another blog lately where what was happening was the opposite: someone was writing about an experience (and a terrible one at that) that she had and it was taken by several reader that it was a general statement on the larger process, rather than a specific experience that she wanted to share to make people aware that Bad Things Do Happen Even At What Should Be the Happiest of Times. Unfortunately, most of that experience is now deleted from the quality of attacks taken on her, when it could have been a really great way for people to ask the right questions when needed.
Here you've made general statements and they've been personalized.
What both of these situations boil down to, is that people should its not all about YOU (YOU being the person reading the thing). Read the statements that say "This is my story; I don't speak for you" and "This is painted with the broadest of strokes."
Self-centred much?
(and before I get berated about that - I'm an only child who lives with an only child. I know all about self-centredness :))
I'm an only child who lives with an only child. I know all about self-centredness :)
Classic.
It's true about the self-centered element. Although the post may appear otherwise, I don't feel attacked by this woman's comments. If she had actually read the post in question, I may have felt differently.
But I'm astounded by her resounding rebuttal to something she has not read. This really takes stupidity to a new level.
Evening Haterz,
Nigel is curious, why aren't you chronicling an award winning blogger like the Swab? Nigel can admit when Nigel is grating on people but this is ridiculous. Nigel needs press and it doesn't matter how Nigel gets it.
Does Nigel need to start another blog in order to get the much needed attention Nigel craves?
To answer your hater question, Nigel did watch an episode of Seinfeld tonight. In this episode Nigel encountered a character named Jimmy. Nigel was impressed with Jimmy's ability to refer to himself in the third person. Then Nigel saw an interview with Ricky Henderson where he addressed himself as Ricka or Henderson every chance he got. Then Garth Brooks was interviewed and he kept referring to himself as Garth.
Nigel thought this would be a solid way to keep the Swaby name out there for Google purposes. Think about it Haterz, Nigel loves himself as you know so why not get maximum love out of every post?
Swaby OUT!
I absolutely love your insight. Thanks for being a breath of fresh air in this polluted world.
Yeah, and I don't share well either :>
My point is, read, THINK, maybe do some research to get rid of the ignorance, and then make your judgment (and be prepared to back it up the same way you demand the original writer back it up).
Boomer here. I have to agree, based on my personal observation, that boomers are the worst parents in this century, although I have to point a finger at the greatest generation for telling them they were so damn special. Well, as a rule, anyway. My parents's weren't so forthcoming with the "special" as with the "work, dammit, work." If you haven't read The Fourth Turning by William Strauss, do so. It will give you hope that it will all turn around.
Only a Boomer would say "I can't even begin to tell you how outraged I am." It's so classic. Boomers suck, and I am one, so I can say that. But you can too, because it's true.
@Nigel loves Nigel...you're on a roll! Maybe if you start *all* the blogs, you can progress from being an 'award-winning' blogger to King of All Blogs!
@Star...thank you. Welcome to the snark.
@Schnapps...For some reason, I was blind to the ultimate irony that you first pointed out about 'self-centered much.' The original post was a condemnation of what I like to call Generation layZee.
Yeah, I'm pretty dense this week, but that did make me giggle.
The 'read, think, research' admonition is spot on. Obviously, we're not going to agree on everything. But some of the folks in my 'inner circle' are people who hold vastly different viewpoints from me...but they are able to support their beliefs with facts and logic. I tell you, it makes all the difference in the world.
Hi Rebecca...So the GG folks did start that unique and special stuff. Man, the domino effect that's had!
lol @ your second paragraph...it's all too funny :)
@Schnapps, I'm an only child too (if you don't count step and half siblings)!
Methinks that "Raksha" doth protest too much. Who wants to bet me that her "perfect" children aren't so "perfect?" She probably bases that opinion on how much money they make. Not on unimportant qualities like honesty, intelligence, basic physical fitness, monogamy, courage and the like. I mean, we all know that people like Britney, Paris, Dog Chapman and "Dubya" are the winners of this world. Right? As long as I make more money than you do, I win. Right? Heh. Make that five regular readers. I've felt so alone in my lack of tolerance for the intolerable decline of society. A reckoning is imminent.
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