Rants and raves of an old soul in a new age.

[handyman42]

For Pete's sake. I never told anyone to "not post on my thread" I gave them a choice of keep it positive and on topic or not to post. Dennis posted a link that was off topic from the start, and the opposite of what I originally posted. Then when people combated him on it he was short with them in his answer saying "You be sure to let me know what threads I can post my opinion on." to said person. If Dennis wants to post a story of his grandpa, or contribute to the thread in some other on topic manner (and not irritate the majority of the other participants) than that's great and wonderful. I haven't asked you to "keep it positive and on topic or not post" because you've offered valid arguments (that by the way aren't exactly the same as mine) and you haven't been a smart-Alic to other participants.

I see what the world is and I see how can't change the lot of it but we can change what's around each one of us. We can choose whether we allow bad things to happen. Now given we can't stop everything, but for example if you know without a doubt a man is beating his wife or freezing his children and you do nothing... Then I'd say that's a crime in and of itself. I know we'll never have a perfect world. That's for God to sort out later. But we can have a better one then we're allowing at the present time.

I will not even touch the topic of racial discrimination, not on this thread nor any other. It's not for me to discuss. Nor will I discuss homosexuality or politics. I hear enough of that at work.

I am not saying that anyone doesn't have the right to post on my thread. If they have valid, wholesome discussion to add then why should I stop the collaboration of minds? I'm saying when a person posts things off topic and irritating, why would anyone let them continue on any thread. For example, let's say there's a thread about using compost in your garden. Then I go and post "You should never use anything other than store bought, chemical filled fertilizer that you have to have a license to buy and that's harmful to the environment and yourself. Not to mention if your neighbor get's caught with one grain of it on his land from the spreader you're using to apply it to your own land then he should be put under the jail and forgot about." For one that's off topic, they weren't talking about chemical fertilizers they were discussing compost. Secondly, it's aggressive. And lastly, it's harmful to the overall morale of the thread. Especially when someone clearly states that I'm off topic and gives me the opportunity to leave in peace and read somewhere else and I come back with "Well you be sure to let me know what threads I can to post my opinions on thanks

" <--- That's insulting!! If the thread starter sat back and thought to him/herself "Oh I think I'll watch and see how far this will go" they would be acting irresponsibly.

It's not "mean-spirited". It's called keeping up with the thread YOU started and therefore YOU should monitor to keep things on topic and to prevent bullying and insults. That is all I'm trying to do. Just trying to keep the peace.

So if you are still reading this thread Dennis I would love to hear what you have to say about good ol' small town values and the areas you think the world could improve and heck I'd love to hear a story about your grandpa. I just can't allow off topic discussion and vague insult to drag this thread down.

Thank y'all for the input.

 

[handyman42]

Totally agree with this statement. I believe we have to roll with the changes sometimes and embrace it. But absolutely agree that people should be more connected to the natural world.

I'm 25 years old and grew up with a mother that has always brought mcdonalds and other fast foods home because of her busy work schedule. She never had time to cook dinner, let alone raise our own food. Everything is so fast paced today. It's kind of sad really. My mom's life revolves around her job. I can barely talk to her. I'm very, very fortunate to be able to stay home with my two little ones. I previously worked full time and have an education, but I chose to quit my career for the time being and cut back on cable and all other non essentials to be able to stay home with them. This is were I started realizing a few things. As I had a slower paced lifestyle compared to my previous workplace, which was extremely fast paced and stressful. I had time to think and started making some lifestyle changes. I have a complete heirloom/GMO free garden. Just started my flock of chickens for eggs and meat. I also started canning my food. This makes us feel accomplished and proud of our hard work. I think most people don't think twice about where their food comes from. Most major food industries practice very inhumane care of animals. I hate mass productions of animals. Who knows what condition that chicken was in that you've picked up at the grocery store. Everyone around me takes things for granted. Most are only interested in entertainment tv and following celebrities that they idolize and probably would never meet. It's a big waste to the human mind. We are an innovative species and to waste your life on that, just baffles me. I see it all the time with my generation. I've had people tell me they thought a mule was a cow. Or thought they could pet a wild bear as if were a cute puppy dog. Most Americans have lost touch with the natural world. They can't identify animals or the dangers. They don't know how food is produced. We've become so dependent on big corporations. I guess I'm just ranting at this point. I could go on and on. Obviously these are my opinions and I am very open minded to others. These are just my observations and I want to change how my family and I live. And we're happier and healthier. I very much enjoy teaching my kids on how to garden and raise animals. They especially love the baby animals

. I want to teach them valuable information and how to be independent. But also roll with the changing times. We are happily living in today's world but practice some "old fashion" values that were used back when. We're incorporating both very well. It's very difficult to find someone my age who thinks the same. I'm sure they're out there. I do see homesteading and urban farming becoming more popular today. And that makes me very happy!

This post is the very essence of why I started this thread. I'm not saying we should revolt and live like the Amish (no offense to the Amish.) I drive a car, carry a cell phone and am a maintenance worker at en electronics company, but I raise chickens for meat/eggs, grow a garden, we're going to homeschool our children, my wife is a stay at home mom, and we live a slow paced lifestyle (except for my work and that's forced). I'm 21 and as Avlana said it's hard to find people my age as enthused and excited about living the lifestyle I that we do.The old phrase of "you couldn't swing a stick without hitting one" well in this case you couldn't swing a stick without hitting a young person with their eyes glued to a cellphone munching on a big mac not even thinking about their future and how they're going to provide for themselves or their families.

Thank you very much for posting Avlana. I greatly appreciate it!!

 

[Chic CAN]

I love old stories that the family passes down. They can be funny and heartwarming.

 

[mom'sfolly]

I think there can be a lot done better in this world. I grew up in a small town Alaskan town where hunting, fishing and doing on your own was normal. Many people gardened, but many did not. Pretty much everyone hunted, fished and gathered. We didn't have TV for more than 6-8 hours a day, had to only dial five numbers to get a line and knew just about everyone. We also had a strong belief in minding our own business, as was typical of the time. This meant most people knew who beat their wife, drank too much, couldn't pay their bills, had a liking for little girls, who grew pot under grow lights, got pregnant by someone other than their spouse etc. It also meant you didn't interfere or say anything. This is the real picture behind the pretty mask of Mayberry.

People are the same as they have always been. Socrates complained that the youth of his day were lazy, disrespectful of their elders, indulgent, disrespectful of teachers and parents, etc. Even food production was awful...read The Jungle. What is different today is that we see the violence, the anger and the awfulness that happen far from us, and often in isolation on an ever expanding world forum that includes TV, social media, radio and newspapers. Everything is instant, and everything is right in front of us. Fifty years ago, we would not have learned about 3 women who spent 10+ years in captivity in Cleveland, about Casey Anthony or Jon-Benet Ramsey, or about Phil Robertson. These would have been too far away and too inconsequential to bother the nation.

But, we can all build skills that make our lives better, and to make the lives of others better. This doesn't mean we have to retreat to a "simpler" time. In fact, I think we can do better than they did. We can make the choices that an affluent society affords us: to avoid GMOs or slave labour produced good, to promote good in our communities, to help others, to fight against discrimination, and to teach our children to do the same. But I do think that living ethically means different things for different people.

 

[Peaches Lee]

Yet on the other hand I can see where in the early years women in general let it go to their heads and all sorts of problems have stemmed from it.

I am just curious and wondered if you could elaborate on this sentence. I'm not interested in a complete discussion so I'll avoid the suggestion of starting another thread, I was just hoping you could touch on this though. Thank you.

 

[handyman42]

I am just curious and wondered if you could elaborate on this sentence. I'm not interested in a complete discussion so I'll avoid the suggestion of starting another thread, I was just hoping you could touch on this though. Thank you.

I am a believer that God made men and women for specific tasks and that because of the thought SOME women have of "I can do anything a man can do" COMBINED with the lazy mans thought of "If she wants to wear the pants and I don't have to then why not" we've lost the true intended roles of men and women.

I should've thrown in that men played a big part in those same problems I guess. I apologize if you thought I was against womens rights because I'm very much for a lot of them. I just believe America has lost the roles of men and women in this grueling "Battle of the sexes" game people want to play. No gender is better then the other. Men and Women both have their strengths and weaknesses in life and I think it's best to help each other in weakness and support each other in strength. Instead of say "Well I can do that better" or "Well she wanted to do it so I just didn't want to fight with her about it."

Agian I apologize if I offended anyone with this comment. That was not my intent.

 

[handyman42]

I think there can be a lot done better in this world. I grew up in a small town Alaskan town where hunting, fishing and doing on your own was normal. Many people gardened, but many did not. Pretty much everyone hunted, fished and gathered. We didn't have TV for more than 6-8 hours a day, had to only dial five numbers to get a line and knew just about everyone. We also had a strong belief in minding our own business, as was typical of the time. This meant most people knew who beat their wife, drank too much, couldn't pay their bills, had a liking for little girls, who grew pot under grow lights, got pregnant by someone other than their spouse etc. It also meant you didn't interfere or say anything. This is the real picture behind the pretty mask of Mayberry.

People are the same as they have always been. Socrates complained that the youth of his day were lazy, disrespectful of their elders, indulgent, disrespectful of teachers and parents, etc. Even food production was awful...read The Jungle. What is different today is that we see the violence, the anger and the awfulness that happen far from us, and often in isolation on an ever expanding world forum that includes TV, social media, radio and newspapers. Everything is instant, and everything is right in front of us. Fifty years ago, we would not have learned about 3 women who spent 10+ years in captivity in Cleveland, about Casey Anthony or Jon-Benet Ramsey, or about Phil Robertson. These would have been too far away and too inconsequential to bother the nation.

But, we can all build skills that make our lives better, and to make the lives of others better. This doesn't mean we have to retreat to a "simpler" time. In fact, I think we can do better than they did. We can make the choices that an affluent society affords us: to avoid GMOs or slave labour produced good, to promote good in our communities, to help others, to fight against discrimination, and to teach our children to do the same. But I do think that living ethically means different things for different people.

I agree a lot with what you've mentioned here. I have a problem with the minding your own business thing. I think if someone is in a bad situation like spousal abuse, child abuse or molestation, or poverty we as civilized people should try to help them. If not by getting them out of the situation (which is more often then not hard to do) by at least making it more bearable somehow. I'm young and don't know a whole lot about the world but I do know it's cruel and evil... I also know it's that way because good people do nothing to stop it. I'm not saying go out like Batman and fight crime in the streets, I'm saying be more like Jesus who fought crime only with love and a compassionate heart. That's all I'm going for.

In a world of 7 billion people, why should anybody be alone?

 

[Chic CAN]

Quote: I agree. I would not have ignored it, nor my kin, nor family friends. My uncle Buck (not related by blood but closeness of friendship back a few generations)once looked at me after talking about the abusive husband their daughter had. (No she is not longer with him) and said. "Honey if a man even tries to treat you that way, you just tell your Uncle buck. He ain't gonna get away with it and that's unacceptable." He was born in the 30's. NO one should ignore the evil of others, it breeds more evil. Many abusive men were once victims themselves, and there are abusive mothers and women. We should encourage each other in love and understanding before judgement to better humanity. It is a long and enduring struggle.

Yes people are the same and it has gotten worse in places and times in history, and also better. We make he difference by what we put up with and condone publicly sets a standard to promote or reject certain types of behavior.

But the old ways we refer to are not accepting ill behavior.. but a sense of worth through the work, knowledge, and skills of our hands. The sense of accomplishment, and keeping the skills alive in society because of it. Where people still have propriety, and are polite to each other.. and yes that standard is fading. Society has become rude and inappropriate more often than not. I can make a difference in my home, and those teenagers that may mentor under me, that the more we encourage each other, be an example, can start a chain effect, and pray it spreads back into society.

 

[Michael Apple]

There was a concerted effort for government seizure of farms after World War 2. High interest loans were handed out to farmers who were struggling. Those who could not pay their debts had their farms auctioned off or seized by the feds. That, along with GATT, NAFTA, and other horrid global trade agreements betrayed the agricultural innovators of America. Only large, corporate industry could compete in such a trade environment. Government sold out the American people then as they continue to do; sacrificing our liberty on the altar of globalism, and maintaining corporate socialism. Thank God for the demand for organic products and organic farming. That has created a market in America that international trade cartels haven't corrupted yet. Just an observation.

 

[Chic CAN]

Agreed