The World Gets Dumber
It could have been worse. The power managed to stay on, but when the internet signal was lost from about 7pm last night until this morning, I had to resort to alternate means of keeping myself entertained.
Normally, I like to unwind on Sunday night to YouTube, as I write an end-of-the-week entry. With the internet signal having disappeared, I had to resort to watching a movie on a dedicated Blu-Ray player. Yes, I still own one of those. I’d rather use one of those than use my PS4 or PS5 and add to the wear and tear of those consoles.
I wrote a couple of entries last night (which I’ve since posted) as I watched the time-honored classic and tragically accurate peer into the future, Idiocracy. I’d said this before, though I don’t know if I’ve actually written it, but Mike Judge is an absolute genius. Watch the movie if you haven’t already. I know that Judge’s portrayal of the world in 2505 is potentially overdone and maybe somewhat dramatic to some, but I think that this is exactly where the world is headed. Just in the 20 years since this movie came out, the world has already gotten dumber and as far as I’m concerned, it’s not going to get any better.
Earlier this morning, I found myself again watching YouTube as I do, specifically random videos about how teachers today are quitting their jobs at alarming rates, how children today can’t read, and how children struggle to maintain even a minimum level of focus and attention during the typical school day. Children have limited vocabulary and communication skills. They are lazy. They are entitled. They display poor penmanship, which is likely because children tend to do much of their “writing” on keyboards and touchpads. I get that, but still, what’s the point of writing by hand if you or no one else can read what you wrote?
I remember when I was in school, I would always be complimented on my handwriting within the first week of the new school year getting under way, sometimes even on the second day. I always anticipated the compliment because I know that my penmanship back then (and even today) was excellent, not only in general, but also for a left-handed boy. Maybe at a young age, the bar was set pretty high, but back then, this wasn’t anything that I thought was special or unusual. I wrote the way that I wrote, not because I wanted to be complimented for it, but because that’s just how I wrote. Writing neatly came to me naturally.
I always took pride in doing good work and writing neatly was merely one way that my work ethic showed. Where’s that e-mail at work? Where’s the e-mail at work where the powers that be want to give me “kudos” for writing so neatly? I’m not waiting or counting on it because I don’t need that kind of pat on the back. Don’t give me kudos for doing my job. The Visionary writes neatly. That’s just part of who he is. What else does he do well? What do you care? Just don’t send the office kudos e-mails about stuff that I normally do because I don’t need that kind of attention or compliment. If I do something impressive or something that goes considerably above and beyond, then fine, send your kudos e-mails. If I show up on-time, write my reports well, or do anything else that I consider to a typical part of my workday, don’t give me kudos. I don’t need it.
In general, doing a good job was something that was always in my head. Do your best. Simple enough.
I try. Even as an adult, I never lost sight of that. Been doing my best all my life.
At any rate, the world is getting dumber. As I get older, this is likely going to get worse.
It’s a shame that the world had to change like this, but here we are.
On a positive note, I’m glad that the internet signal came back.
On the other hand, the world still sucks though.
You take the good with the bad, I guess.