New Rule: The United States of Dumb-merica

[Doomsday Dallas]

[Lakers Legend#32]

And Trump is the perfect president for Dumb Murica.

[Doomsday Dallas]

And Trump is the perfect president for Dumb Murica.

PROGRESSIVELY getting worse right?

I've had a few liberals argue differently... that the country is getting better & better.

We peaked in the 80's... been downhill ever since 9/11.

There's been very little reason to hold any optimism about the future of this country since Bush.

On an individual basis... sure... life can always get better.... but for society... steadily in decline and will never get any better.

[j3lademaster]

PROGRESSIVELY getting worse right?

I've had a few liberals argue differently... that the country is getting better & better.

We peaked in the 80's... been downhill ever since 9/11.

There's been very little reason to hold any optimism about the future of this country since Bush.

On an individual basis... sure... life can always get better.... but for society... steadily in decline and will never get any better.

I'd say we peaked in the 60's/70's if we're going by average standard of living. We had a much stronger market in the 80's which allowed the billionaires to really start pulling away, but it definitely didn't improve for the average person, in fact housing in terms of median home price vs median income has never been higher. Obviously the 80's are a godsend compared to now, even when I was in college in the late 00's, broke students can afford rent... nowadays? No shot.

[SouBeachTalents]

I'd say we peaked in the 60's/70's if we're going by average standard of living. We had a much stronger market in the 80's which allowed the billionaires to really start pulling away, but it definitely didn't improve for the average person, in fact housing in terms of median home price vs median income has never been higher. Obviously the 80's are a godsend compared to now, even when I was in college in the late 00's, broke students can afford rent... nowadays? No shot.

The 70's was the last time workers earnings keep up with productivity, after that, it all started to go to the top 1%, but I felt like overall the economy and country was in good shape through the 80's & esp 90's, when we were no longer involved in the Cold War. After 9/11 though, I felt like the country never recovered. And post pandemic, housing costs have become astronomical.

[Doomsday Dallas]

I'd say we peaked in the 60's/70's if we're going by average standard of living. We had a much stronger market in the 80's which allowed the billionaires to really start pulling away, but it definitely didn't improve for the average person, in fact housing in terms of median home price vs median income has never been higher. Obviously the 80's are a godsend compared to now, even when I was in college in the late 00's, broke students can afford rent... nowadays? No shot.

One could argue the 60's were a complete nightmare.... those were wild times. Kennedy, King, Vietnam.... In terms of Patriotism, the 40's & 50's were the peak... we fell off in the 60's... but then established equal opportunity.

Patriotism and equal opportunity were about as good as it gets in the 80s... 90's weren't horrible, but Gen X was starting to get a little out of control.

When people say MAGA... and then the question is asked: when was America ever great?.... I point to the 80s. Make America Great Again like the 80's.... but that's just a fantasy and can never happen.

[highwhey]

fcking insane




1970...coincides when the gold standard was abandoned. interesting how the gold standard was proclaimed to be some sort of bottleneck for our economy but abandoning it only managed to create an irreversible wealth gap that continues to grow exponentially.

[Bill Gates]

I like Mahar but this one is not his best take. Interviewing some randos is completely anecdotal. And they probably Interviewed 1000 people to get some comedic answers like Leno did.

Also a high school diploma has never meant anything other than to get into college. We've always known you can be a dumb ass and graduate high school. White collar companies only look at college degrees. They never ask to see a high school diploma.

[Bill Gates]

In relation to standard of living:




The United States standard of living has been steadily improving and our GDP per capita has been steadily increasing, yes when adjusted for inflation. More people have more money (yes adjusted for inflation). People were poor as shit in the 60s and 70s, the hippy days.

Any of you who think the 60s or 70s were peak? if you were transported to that time right now you would be so bored out of your mind that you would wonder how anyone lived this way, and then you'd want to slit your throat.

Also thanks to the internet, we are a more intelligent. We wouldn't even be able to have this discussion in the 60s or 70s. The internet made all the dumb people visible, we can see people like Doomsday who think there is a correlation between super hero movies and real life, and it makes us all feel like the world is retarded. But those retarded people have always been around, they've just been hidden until now.

[ArbitraryWater]

One could argue the 60's were a complete nightmare.... those were wild times. Kennedy, King, Vietnam.... In terms of Patriotism, the 40's & 50's were the peak... we fell off in the 60's... but then established equal opportunity.

Patriotism and equal opportunity were about as good as it gets in the 80s... 90's weren't horrible, but Gen X was starting to get a little out of control.

When people say MAGA... and then the question is asked: when was America ever great?.... I point to the 80s. Make America Great Again like the 80's.... but that's just a fantasy and can never happen.

Sexual liberation/degeneracy started in the 60s too.

[ArbitraryWater]

People love to point to blanket laws/policies to show life improvement, but on a living standard and cultural level the decline has been so wild and intentional.

[Doomsday Dallas]

So which is it Bill Gates? Idiocracy or we are becoming better? Can't have it both ways.

And do you ever look at the pros & CONS of the internet? Because I think a lot of people would agree that society & humanity were much better off without it.

Part of the reason why the 80's were so awesome is because there was no internet... I'd argue to say that in 2025 our social skills have gone to complete $hit... Or atleast that's what I see in this post Covid19 era.

You were once forced to leave the cave, go outside, and meet people... and better yet, your parents probably forced you to go outside and play or ride your bike without supervision at age 7.

Our sense of "community" is long gone... and that is 100% thanks to the internet.

[Doomsday Dallas]

Also thanks to the internet, we are a more intelligent.

This is not "progress".... this is killing the human spirit.

Any of you who think the 60s or 70s were peak? if you were transported to that time right now you would be so bored out of your mind that you would wonder how anyone lived this way, and then you'd want to slit your throat.

Oh no... how would we ever live without XBox & Facebook?

Kill me now.

Humanity was so much better off without the internet... and not everybody was materialistic as they are today. Much better times.

The 80's kinda of gave birth to materialism... But it wasn't everybody's top priority like it is today....

You didn't have to keep up with Joneses (in the 50's 60's and 70's) like you do today... Everybody was the Jones. There was balance. The same balance you liberals supposedly crave for today.

[SouBeachTalents]

I feel like the internet was honestly a huge positive until social media blew up, it didn't consume people's entire lives, but there was still enough to provide entertainment in addition to tv & video games.

Let's be real, there's still a ton of positives about the internet, genuinely anything you need can be received within a day, you can advance your career or education with the click of a button, you can also look up or research literally anything you want within the blink of an eye. Personally, the internet has given me the flexibility to work remotely which is an absolutely life changing godsend. So the insinuation the internet is this colossal net negative is just false. Imo it's really the social media aspect that's entirely toxic.

You're also clearly incapable of seeing past your ridiculous level of nostalgic bias for the 80's, materialism & excess were arguably the most defining features of that decade.

[Doomsday Dallas]

You're also clearly incapable of seeing past your ridiculous level of nostalgic bias for the 80's, materialism & excess were arguably the most defining features of that decade.

Yea I'd say it started in the 80s... Keeping up with the Joneses started around the 80s... which isn't necessarily a bad thing... but it gradually got more & more extreme. If the 80's were excess, what were the decades to follow?

One could argue the 50s were the best decade as far as the middle-class is concerned... but you still had segregation, and low standard of living, no personality, no equal opportunity.

I feel like the internet was honestly a huge positive until social media blew up, it didn't consume people's entire lives, but there was still enough to provide entertainment in addition to tv & video games.

I think Covid19 is where it started to have a serious negative impact on society. Many people now work remote jobs, work at home, very little social interaction... It's relaxing to be a recluse for a little awhile, but long term it really starts to f*ck with your social skills... Society is starting to figure this out the hard way.

Also... do highschool kids have parties anymore? I honestly don't think they do. I mean, I guess that is a good thing but f*ck... where is the human spirit in that?