Gas Shortage ?
- Thread starter Geezer II
- Start date
What do you talk about when you meet someone new? Everything pisses someone off nowadays and then the labeling starts. So how do you reverse this split society? How do you sit at a table that is split into all these pieces and enjoy a meal? How do you even get to the point of sharing a meal? People can't just disagree on one subject and move along anymore. They have to label you and cancel you out. Every side has turned to this and this is exactly why we have turned into this. The days of "hey, don't act like the neighbor kid" are gone. Now they don't even get to play together because of something the parent did. Or some sticker on their car.
I immediately bring up what a dumbass Biden and all the dems are, no need wasting my time with a stupid liberal, weed them out of life as fast as possible.
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I've had a theory for a while that it's related to the great social experiment. The melting pot. Nobody is melting anymore. Countries like Japan, Korea, Russia have a strong national identity and sense of partnership because they have thousands of years of history and they all look the same. They are all countrymen. There is nothing else they can be. In America, we are a massive collection of immigrants. And for a while, that worked because everyone shared the same vision. A country full of freedom and opportunity. However, our greatest weakness was the potential for division. Once we lose a shared common vision for the nation we have nothing left to bind us together. Politicians and social interest groups realized this and have pitted everyone against each other. Women against men, Democrats against Republicans, straights and gays against each other, blacks against whites, everyone against Christians and the list goes on. There is division at every turn. We've even created more genders to introduce more division. White conservative evangelical males seem to bear the brunt of this in most narratives. As a result, I think people have shied away from social exposure. If someone feels persecuted at every turn and they don't know who is who, then odds are they aren't going to put themselves out there to meet new people. It's easier and safer to keep to themselves and talk with the few trusted people they know. They often default to social media groups for social interaction. It's a place full of likeminded individuals where they can share a common interest and feel a part of something. Take TOO for instance. The sense of community within everyone is not dead. It is simply hidden and changed from the neighborhood to online groups of similar individuals. And in today's world that isn't even safe anymore because of cancel culture. Groups targeting groups and trying to destroy their real life livelihoods over a simple matter of opinion. We've lost the fabric of society due to perceived division cast upon us by higher powers.
I lived in Ohio for 15 years. I'm naturally an extrovert and never met a stranger. Like you I noticed the same thing in the communities I lived in. I eventually gave up and just stayed with my TOO brothers, met them, gained family. The day-to-day social interaction with others was at the office. Now with the WFH situation, many people have even abandoned that.
I lived in Ohio for 15 years. I'm naturally an extrovert and never met a stranger. Like you I noticed the same thing in the communities I lived in. I eventually gave up and just stayed with my TOO brothers, met them, gained family. The day-to-day social interaction with others was at the office. Now with the WFH situation, many people have even abandoned that.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
Ha! Guess that makes me an introvert. I live 1300’ back in the woods, work from home, don’t go to bars, try to stay out of town, remain low key, not visible, can’t see my neighbors, have no interest in The Eagles Club, only participation in social media is on TOO. I’m looking forward to the day I can ditch my cell phone and computer and live a simpler humble life. Alaska sounds about right for me.
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Ha. Don't move to the south then because you'll get to know everyone whether you like it or not.
. Even people you have zero connection to like the cashier at Walmart or other parents at the park. You'll be at the grocery store and the cashier will be talking to the person in front of you like they're lifelong friends. I initially struggled and had to keep telling myself not to get pissed off and that I need to slow down. Then when its your turn they're talking to you like they've known you forever. People still waive at each other when driving down our road. I know both of my neighbors and there are three house across the road in sight. Know them too. Twice I've put out their garbage cans while they were on vacation. Two of them have teen daughters that have babysit our boys. I know my mailman, FedEx, UPS, and prime guy by their first name. When I first moved here I needed to go pick up a mower but didn't have a trailer, I posted it on our area Facebook group of about 30 houses and three people offered theirs. Never even met them before. This isn't a small town. Roughly 45k in the general area. But it sure feels like it.This is so damn true and my wife to a T. She's coming around though. .
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Alaska is for you. You can share a wall with someone for decades and never know their name. No community at all. All about themselves and screw everyone else. I can't live like that. I like eating off other people's grills. Teaching kids how to shoot. Sharing campfires. These things mean more to me than this crumbling world we live it. (Posted after my lawyer appointment for my neighbors
. Not all people are good natured.)
Buckmaster
Senior Member
That’s a pretty funny video Joe. I can see that as I’ve done work and dealt with people in almost all 50 States. It’s a southern thing. My company used to have their southern boys handle sales here in the N/NE. They figured out it didn’t work to well so they hired me.
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Either that or they said fuck those assholes and the numbers dropped. "Why aren't these people friendly? How am I supposed to sell shit to a bunch of assholes."
Another issue with "sales" is everything moves slower in the south, vs the more aggressive and stressful numbers game of sales tactics up north. If a sales guy here can't take you out on his bass boat to do a little fishing in hopes to end the day with a handshake deal, he ain't got shit for ya.My wife is doing the books and HR stuff for a herbicide company with a presence in every state down here. The sales director in the local office is always on the road. He's been doing nothing but turkey hunting with clients the entire spring. They have multiple leases in every state and he's been bouncing around taking people turkey hunting.
Buckmaster
Senior Member
My boss does the same. He owns a 5000 acre high fence deer/elk ranch, a 65’ deep sea fishing boat, a bunch of condos, and a private jet. All solid tax right offs for client entertainment. This is AL I work for. So far, I’ve spent a week at the game ranch. I’m trying to get my Pops down there for one last hunt.
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You guys live in a different world than I do. I know seemingly everyone in our little town by their first name, and a lot of them know me. It’s Mayberry. I love it.
I once worked all over the dang country and had to interact with folks from other locales all the time. I came to the conclusion if I was in an area north of l-70 or east of Zanseville Ohio, there was no point in relating to people the same as I naturally do. You say, “hi” to some folks and they feel under attack. If you mistakenly say, “how ya doing”, some folks just don’t know it’s simply a greeting and will be offended that you’re apparently putting your nose in their business.
Having said all that , I wouldn’t pee on my nearest neighbor if he was on fire. Does meth cause spontaneous combustion?
I once worked all over the dang country and had to interact with folks from other locales all the time. I came to the conclusion if I was in an area north of l-70 or east of Zanseville Ohio, there was no point in relating to people the same as I naturally do. You say, “hi” to some folks and they feel under attack. If you mistakenly say, “how ya doing”, some folks just don’t know it’s simply a greeting and will be offended that you’re apparently putting your nose in their business.
Having said all that , I wouldn’t pee on my nearest neighbor if he was on fire. Does meth cause spontaneous combustion?
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Absolutely. There are good communities everywhere. The further you get away from major metro areas the better it gets IMO. Do you think you would know the same amount of people in town if you didn't run a pizza joint?
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No. I knew a lot of folks via the bait shop but seriously doubt if I would have become acquainted with so many over the same period of time. Hard to say as over the same time period we have become acquainted with a lot of people through our kids school and sports events. This is a unique town, at least to me. These people were born here, live here and die here. The town I grew up was different in that it was a “boom town” with several huge factories that drew folks from all over the country starting in the late 60s. Most of the kids I grew up with moved away eventually, I think. It seems to me that the majority of the kids that grow up here may stray for a while but eventually come back Just as their parents did, and likely their grandparents. Many of the residents here drive a long, long way to work. It would make far more sense to move closer, they just don’t. And then again, there are a lot of people that seemingly never leave the township.
Short answer would have been NO. I doubt very much I would know as many folks as I do if we had never set up shop here in our little town. Would Floyd the barber have known everyone in Mayberry if he didn’t cut their hair?
Any houses for sale, Brock? I think Dan found his retirement community. He might need 3 houses adjoining so he can bring his neighbors.
Big_Holla
Senior Member
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And missing a Biden and a no drilling bumper sticker….The first WTf was putting a hitch caddy on a Tesla.
Oh wait, the gas cans must be covering them up….
