Do You Believe Everything Is Going Downhill?

Question

Gas prices are at an all-time high, fast-food is expensive now, people are more rude and pushing, politeness and respect has gone out the window, etc., etc., etc.

My grandmother claims that every generation says the same thing about the younger generation. But is it different this time?

TheRealPepperPotts · Accepted Answer

Personally, no, I don't. There will be crises and wars and pandemics and natural disasters, just as there have always been. There will be battles for control and politics and scandals. If the current presidents seem shocking, a read through a few biographies of past presidents is sure to even the playing field a bit.

The main difference between now and all of the rest of history is that we are able to generate mass hysteria on a level never before dreamt of. We are so connected, and yet disconnected that it is far more easy to sow division and facilitate hatred than ever before. The danger lies not in what is happening, but in what we believe is happening. If a large population can be convinced that those who disagree are not only wrong, but dangerous, then they are easily controlled and manipulated. If trigger words are integrated into common use, in association with sets of beliefs and demographics of people, then over time, the ability to think can be short-circuited, simply by use of the trigger words.

For example:

God

Diversity

Environmentalism

Trump

Biden

Guns

Climate Change

Pro-life

Pro-choice

So, do I personally think everything is going downhill? No. Do I think many people are persuaded that catastrophe is imminent? Yes.

A good rule of thumb for breaking the cycle is to ask ourselves "Am I exhibiting kindness? Am I practicing compassion and demonstrating empathy? Am I pursuing the values of courage, wisdom, generosity, peace, understanding and patience?" I have personally never been convinced of anything through arrogance or obnoxious behavior. I've not had a sudden desire to rethink my views because someone called me a name and said I was [fill in the blank].

If we want to get back on track, the answer is not to destroy all with whom we disagree. It is to facilitate conversations and seek understanding, and perhaps, to admit that we don't know everything. That's the way I look at it.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

How does one compare inflation and high gas prices to you having to be drafted and then watching all your buddies get slaughtered in front of you? How about a dictator sending a large populations of his own people to a gas chamber? How about families being torn apart through slavery? How about a plague that killed thousands with no hope for a cure?

People do not realize that everything and every generation has a certain ebb and flow of good times, trying times, and bad times. You are obviously going to be far more aware of "how bad things are" now because you exist in this time period to experience them. A 15 year old can't relate to the struggles of a WW2 vet and what they went through as bad times because they weren't there, but they can complain that they can't get a hamburger for the same price they used to 2 years ago.

It is extremely rare that a new generation is going through something that a previous one has not. Covid meet Spanish Flu, Inflation and high gas prices meet the 70s, War/rudeness/racism/sexism/abelism/homophobia/crime meet practically every century on earth. This is often why people like your grandmother probably say, look at a history book, and you'll see, you're no more worse for ware than previous generations.

RingOfFire · Accepted Answer

Since I am probably in your grandmother's generation I can give a perspective on this. In some ways I agree with her, but in others not.

I'm sorry to say this but the problem is different this time. And it comes from the schools.

The last couple of generations, including yours are getting an indoctrination in the schools not an education. They are being taught what to think instead of how to think. That is not what education is supposed to be about. This is the result of an intentional assault on the educational system by people who hate America and want to bring it down.

Now those people, who got this propaganda education are of voting age and they are voting in an anti-American government who is running this country into the ground and doing the bidding of America's enemies.

So many people today are unable to see though this assault and are falling into the hands of evil. Their brains are filled with mush and propaganda making them hate their own country. And in the process, they are destroying it.

So yes, to your grandmother, each generation has its problems, but no, it is not that same this time. When I was your age there was a lot of disagreement in politics about what is best for the country. Everyone loved the country, but there were honest disagreements about how to make it even better.

But today, half of Americans HATE America. They don't want to make it better, they want to "fundamentally transform" it. You don't do that to a place you love. What it means is that they are trying to bring it down. This is different. This is a dangerous threat to the very existence of our country, maybe the greatest threat it ever faced since the Civil War.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/eUMuYCpXJ0A

Chazmatazz269 · Accepted Answer

Every generation does criticize both the ones that came before and the ones who follow, to some extent.
But the numbers are in and only idiots argue against facts. Crime is up. Marriage and childbirth rates are down. Suicide is up. Home ownership is down. The cost of living is up. And this is most interesting: life expectancy went DOWN in the US, for the first time since WW2. Most “experts” are blaming covid. However, we know with certainty that covid was blamed for thousands of unrelated deaths just so healthcare providers and communities could cash in on the “relief” funds the feds were dishing out. Unless they’re about to do hundreds of thousands of investigative autopsies to clear that up, we can’t really know for sure. And obviously it will take a couple of years to indicate a trend or a fluke.
All that said, the last decade has been pretty miserable when compared to the last three before that. But the last century has been gangbusters compared to the last three before that! It’s all about perspective. Ell oh ell!
Part of the problem is obviously the deterioration of the skool systems and the rise in demand for instant gratification. Too few people really understand how good we have it, and almost none care.

rosemilk · Answer

oh yeah it's been going down for awhile now, even a few years before the pandemic but at a much slower pace that no one really noticed it that much.  this time it is completely out of hand.

Billlewis · Answer

Of course it is, but the key aspect of these last four years that so many people are missing is this -- every single bad event, unfavorable occurrence and cataclysmic coincidence was done intentionally, including the covehead pathogen.

Anonymous · Answer

some criticisms from the older generation are valid however everything went downhill since WW2 and some of the older generation are very much responsible for it

after all, they were the ones who started and allowed some of the bullshit to happen in the first time and enable it to trickle down into the monster it has become starting with the soft parenting, participation trophy awards and woke propaganda shoved down our minds generation after generation until we believe that lies are now the truth

then came the hippie era of "free love" followed by the sexual revolution with all it's issues of promiscuity, glorification of abortion, infidelity, breakdown of families and marriage further propagated with illegal immigration, higher taxes, lower wages

instead of being taught how to survive in this harsh economy, the youth are being taught gender fluidity so to turn women into men and men into women (both of whom are encouraged to be their most selfish versions so as to not give a shit about the breakdown of their communities)

the problems being caused are then blanketed over by an endless bombardment of entertainment whether it be music, movies, video games, social media, pornography etc. alongside drugs, alcohol, parties and hookups etc.

Gen Alpha is currently soaking up the BS by Gen Z who soaked up the BS from Gen Y who soaked up the BS from Gen X who soaked up the BS from the Boomers

so is everything going downhill? yeah, it's been going downhill much like a frog being slowly boiled alive in hot water and some people are still in denial of this or they still ignorantly perpetuated this downward spiral

Finchie40 · Answer

I do, my life started going downhill a year and a half ago, after I lost my Mom and oldest brother that passed away 3 months apart from each other , after that I lost my job due to layoff , that I thought I was going to retire from. I been actively seeking employment for the past 5 months and having no luck whatsoever , I feel like I am living in hell and haven’t really smiled in a long time , things just seem to be getting worse and worse for me , I am trying to stay positive , but it hasn't been easy , I been depressed and stressed out pretty much every day. I been so lost on what to do , but for whatever reason I am still on this earth struggling and praying for a miracle

Daniela1982 · Answer

It is definitely going to shit. Especially since the government does nothing about crime. But they sure let in a lot of criminals into the US - like ones from the prisons in Venezuela. They got people moving to escape crime and businesses closing for the same reason. There are shooting going on all the time as well as road rage or Karen Rage. But that's what happens when people turn from God and instead to greed, hate, lust, and everything in between. 😞

CupcakeTheDestroyer · Answer

Nope, your grandma’s right. Every older generation hates the new generation and how they don’t do things the same way. These days parents complain kids don’t go outside enough because of video games, before that it was because of TV, before that it was because of books.
Humans repeat patterns and don’t care for change when they see it, it’s the usual response. It’s not that everything is “going downhill” things are just changing and the value of the dollar isn’t going to increase until there’s (yet another) economic crash because of this late stage capitalism bullshit. Every old person who complains about “kids these days” just either struggle to understand them or simply envy how different they are now compared to when that old person was young.

teamvic · Answer

Well, remember prices although we're cheaper. They also got paid way less

I think people have always been rude, it just shows more because of social media

Now people are DEFINITELY way more sensitive and women be selling themselves online and there are some creepy ass men out there. Don't even get me started on the genders But there did use to be SLAVES

So I don't know I feel even generation has to deal with bullshit. So it's not really getting worse. I'd say it's just replacing one bad thing for another

But like I said, I think it's more noticeable because of social media being able to magnify every bad thing

Rafrenc · Answer

Times have changed and places have closed down prices have gone up but wages have gone up as well. Thanks to Technology has taken over And opportunities are out there it’s always a risk and a matter learning a system of how to really make more than avg salary 60$ k to 150$ k is little we just haven’t discovered or learned the way to make more$$$. There is some people that have earned more$$ these years and there’s some of that gave up some we’re ripped off or made wrong choices but if we learn from bad choices we can recover and do even better.. But at the end it might be more about believing in God because even rich people cry meaning there’s struggles either path you Go regardless of your financial situation

normalice · Answer

I think since the Citizens United Supreme Court ruling the media has received unmitigated monetary incentive to spread doom and gloom when Democrats are in charge, regardless of reality. By all metrics we are in a bit of a golden age actually. But you'd never know it by asking - everyone seems to think everyone else is on the brink of disaster while they, themselves, are doing just fine. And that's not going to stop, ever. Best option is to just turn it off.

Astarlessnightsky · Answer

Not everything but there is a lot of concerning events happening.
Right wing extremist gaining power, bringing racism, sexism, hateted to an all time high.
Basic human rights are taken away from queer people.
Wars are being fought.
Company greed destroying our planet as well as making life harder and less affordable for the poor and middle class people.
Global Warming threatening our existence.
And than you got people spreading lies and misinformation.

BadApple69 · Answer

Things are cyclic. When Biden was VP gas prices were higher. But you were not buying gas at that time so you probably don’t remember.
As for the rudeness of people… that’s a slippery slope…. The only way to make it better is to treat rudeness with kindness.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

It depends, some things are better, some things are worse, some are the same. But the majority of it is worse in regards to medical care, prices, wages, architecture, public space aesthetics, civil freedoms, certain laws, educational standards, common sense, literacy, and product quality.

ProbablyClueless · Answer

I do believe that.

I mean... it's pretty obvious to me that society OVERALL is in decline. We reached our "high water mark" back in 2011-2012.

Since that time, quality of life has gotten worse throughout the developed world, and I don't see any reason to believe that the problems will be resolved in our lifetimes.

JacobJordan · Answer

Not a belief just a fact. Your grandmother is correct that every generation thinks there has it worst but factually everything is getting worse. The average American can not afford basic necessities and politicians and biden are saying things are fine. Given my first hand experience helping people who can't afford diddly squat biden is full of shit

SotiCoto · Answer

Your grandmother is an idiot. The problems that currently plague society are because one generation (i. e. the baby boomers) have had majority control over how the entirety of civilisation is run... to the detriment of everyone younger than themselves.

grega239 · Answer

isn't it?

Prices are going up. Most of the west is politically unstable. The topic of civil war has come up in several european countries. Protests everywhere. Millions of illegals flooding into Europe.

Russia and ukraine are at war. As is israel.

Its getting pretty spicy

Siri137 · Answer

Your grandmother is wrong. It's different this time, because this time it's global (ex. the horrendous cost of living expenses, the unaffordability of real estate, the dysfunctional justice systems, the political corruption).

abc3643 · Answer

Nope. It's the same... for the most part. The incivility is what has gotten significantly worse beginning about 30-35 years ago starting with Lee Atwater and the 1988 Bush campaign.

ApplePie409 · Answer

The communists are giving it another go. They always lose, but they're slow learners.

exitseven · Answer

It is, different because of the indoctrination and how stupid everyone is. Social media and a failed public school system have really done a job on the next generation

onedarkcloud · Answer

It is different this time they [ THE DEMOCRATIC COMMUNIST PARTY OF AMERICA ] are trying to destroy our way of life.

patois · Answer

It depends on where you live... It's going to get a lot worse in some places. If you're smart you'd try not to be were the trouble is brewing.

Pohjolan · Answer

No.

The first commercial factory making food from air starts this year, we know that a functional fusion reactor is actually possible, quantum computers are now a thing, biological computers will be a thing, etc.

MacDaddyRico · Answer

All is going as planned by those who want a New World Order Conspiracies are very real, and closing your eyes and your mind to them only lets them succeed

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

You're grandma is right. Every generations says the same stuff.  Different eras and different woes and they all have their own unique challenges to deal with.

elaphe · Answer

One of the key things about the rude people is not to be rude in return. Rise above the pettiness so you start to turn the tide of inconsideration and don't become part of the problem.

JonCobretti · Answer

Thanks to Demented pumpkin seed Sleepy Joe for a 40 year high inflation

Anonymous · Answer

It was bad here but fuel prices and food prices are down and tax cuts coming next month. Electricity bills are still too high though.

TonyMetal___86 · Answer

It's always different because we are always heading to the worst!

DiegoO · Answer

I do. If a third world starts thing will get even worst.

msc545 · Answer

No, I am peddling very hard, so it must all be going uphill. Thanks for asking.

Anonymous · Answer

That's how the world has been for the past 150 years, things never get better, they only get worse

Kingofkings1992 · Answer

Yes, 100 percent. Our way of life is getting worse. Make no mistake about it

Anonymous · Answer

Yes if we don't get Trump in November that will be the end of everything America was.

HeartBreakDreamLand · Answer

Oh It Was For an Awful While

PreferNot2Say · Answer

We're damn near at the bottom of the hill.

AviatorTom · Answer

Well, it's hard to go uphill 🤔

Staximus · Answer

It's all going to shit, run for the hills

Anonymous · Answer

Yeah I think we are the final generation

butterly248 · Answer

Yes!

QuietRunner · Answer

yes it is

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