The decline of my generation.

[Immortal Goat]

I fear for my future. Not because of anything that is wrong with me, but with the rest of the teenagers out there. In school today, I had the displeasure of being paired up with two "preppie" girls who will remain nameless, not to protect the innocent, but because I don't care enough about them to know them that well.

Well, anyway, they were talking about some kind of purses or something and they were saying how they weren't THAT expensive. I got inquisitive and asked about the prices, and one of the geniouses said "Well, the small ones are only $190.00."

After regaining semi-consciousness, I asked why the hell thye needed a $190 purse. The fucking purpose of a purse is to carry money, but if you spen $190 on it, you have no money to put in it. And don't get me on how much they thought a decently priced shirt or pair of shoes is. Lets just say that it is about three times as much as is neccesary.

Why is this a problem? I'll tell you. They are obsessed with the idea that money can buy happiness, but I can tell you right now that at least one of these girls will be an unmarried mother of three that gets unemployment checks every month and an alcohos problem.

Listen kids, one of you is going to have to be the president someday. It is mandatory that one of you become president, and I do not want to have an even more stupid leader than we have right now. It isn't what you are wearing, but what you are thinking.

[CaptainBubba]

Today at school I saw this kid with down syndrome in the hall and I was like, "WTF!!!". What is with that? I don't want some retard being the president! >:

[Immortal Goat]

Bubba, as I love your sense of humor, I found hidden meaning in your message. No, we do not want a retarded person as president, so therefor, we should NOT elect any of the people that act the way my schoolmates do.

[ScruU2wice]

there are several reasons why we think that our generation are going to torment in the pitts of hell. but thats probably what they said in every other generation.
Whatever they choose to do with there money is their choice and i know there are kids who don't spend a dime on anything. not to say 190 bux is an adequite price for a purse. I personally save my money as much as possible, only spend when i have to, and cry myself to sleep that night with guilt.
Our president isn't the brightest, but thats the countries fault for voting that way. hopefully, our generation will be wise enough to do otherwise.

ps. if purses and clothes disturb you, you don't wanna know how much girls spend on make up :x

[El Blanco]

So, you fellas are just figuring out teenagers are morons?

There is a sharp learning curve coming, guys.

[Perndog]

I agree with El Blanco. Kids have always been dumb. It just comes into sharp relief when you start growing up faster than some of your peers. And a lot of adults have always been dumb, too. Just be happy you're one of the smart ones.

[Jeanette X]

Gah! It's girls like these who make the rest of us look bad! :pac

$25.00 is the absolute maximum I would spend on a purse. And I would use it until it fucking fell apart. And it had better be a good goddamn purse with lots of useful pockets to put stuff in to be worth $25.00.

Fuck, how do they get that kind of money? Do their parents pay for it all or are they high class call girls?

[AChimp]

Their parents pay for it, of course. You wouldn't expect people like that to have jobs, would you? :P

[Jeanette X]

Their parents pay for it, of course. You wouldn't expect people like that to have jobs, would you? :P
Nah. Not even a high class hooker would pay that much for clothing.

[Big Papa Goat]

I fear for my future. Not because of anything that is wrong with me, but with the rest of the teenagers out there.
I just like how he immediatley qualified that by saying that there is nothing wrong with him.
And like El Blanco said, I doubt teenage stupidity is a new trend, and I doubt it is rampant enough to justify fear for the future in and of itself.

[Big McLargehuge]

I've known that everybody my age is stupid since i was in 8th grade.

[El Blanco]

Its just that teenagers have more ways to express their stupidity now. And society is a lot more accepting of it. Wouldn't want to stunt the little darlins' creativity and self esteem, now would we?

[GAsux]

Screw all you insensitive selfish pricks. You people are all the same. "Oh I would NEVER spend that much on a purse..." Blah blah blah. It's all about you isn't it?

What about the Cambodian children who earned 27 cents a day for making that $190 purse? What becomes of them when people stop buying $190 purses? Sure $190 may SEEM like a lot, but you're not just buying a colorful and handy accessory, you're helping a poor Asian child stave off malnutrition just one more day.

Be selfish if you want. But I for one am glad that someone is rewarding the hard working children of the Pacific Rim.

[Immortal Goat]

:lol :lol :lol @ GAsux

[Vibecrewangel]

Ah the power of the designer label.

Sadly.... $190.00 ain' that bad depending on the designer.

Louis Vuitton purses are about $750 for their mid range. Though I won't defend the price, I will defend the quality. Gucci, Prada and the rest don't even come close to the quality in a LV bag.

[Immortal Goat]

How much was your purse, Vibe?

[soundtest]

So according to this logic, people can just as easily judge your intelligence and predict your future by your purchases? One could just as easily think you are 'stupid' for spending $50 on a videogame or an action figure or a comic book... or $20 for a tshirt with some wacky take on brand recognition ....or whatever it is that you are into.

Why do you care?

[whoreable]

That reminds me of my dad telling me about a tv special were women were spending 20000 on really high heel shoes, but they dont fit them well so they pay another 10k or so to fix their feet for the shoes.

ok so it has nothing to do with it. but it is pretty nuts, am I right guys?

[Immortal Goat]

Soundtest, the purpose of this thread is that what people buy does NOT reflect who they are. THAT is my point. All these people that buy that crap are posers. What they buy doesn't reflect who they are, because they are NOBODY. They have no sense of self worth, because they have no sense of self. They are one large mass controlled by the idea of "popularity".

What is popularity, though? What is "Cool"? these are all abstract concepts created by a society that demands conformity and limited thought. It is a means of control. $700.00 for a purse is ridiculous. It has a very limitied functionality, and you can get the same effect from a much cheaper product. A purse is a purse. It is a cloth bag with a handel. Sunglasses are sunglasses.

Your example of videogames and comic books is not relevant because not all games and comics are the same. You get an unlimited source of entertainment for 50 dollars, whereas, compared to the purses, a limited function for 700 dollars.

[Vibecrewangel]

Depends on which one I am carrying.....

My favorite is my $0.99 one I found at a bead shop that has an awsome Geisha pattern on it. Yes 99 cents.....go figure.

I also own 2 from Louis Vuitton both over $500.00 each with matching wallets over $300.00 each (I didn't pay for them. Nor would I. Gifts from a very good friend of mine who is an LV junkie...his wife has 7 or 8, some over $1400.00 plus matching wallets....total junkie)
To be honest I HATE carrying these. They make me nervous......

I own a few from 9 West, Kate Spade, Guess and Kenneth Cole all are between $20.00 and $80.00. I usually buy mine from places like Marshalls, Ross and E-bay as I get them for about 1/2 price.

[Vibecrewangel]

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3433252622&category=3006

$2599.00 on e-bay

[Immortal Goat]

That is sad. I hope no-one buys it. I hope Louis Vuitton goes out of business. >: >: >:

[Vibecrewangel]

I doubt they will. They are the last real status symbol designer.

When other companies like Gucci and Prada lowered their price and their quality, Louis Vuitton did the opposite. They completely dropped their low end ($200-300) bags and raised the price on their existing lines to near $1000.00 each.
They wanted to remain a status symbol....Not have every little trendoid who had a few hundred to blow carrying their items.
In a way I respect the company for this move. For them it isn't about trend or about nabbing the easy few hundred per item. It is about keeping their name synonymous with status and high end style. They believe in quality versus quantity in their product and their customers.


Not that I could ever afford them....and not like they are really "me"
Like I said.....my favorite is my kitchy geisha bag. So much more my personality.

[soundtest]

Soundtest, the purpose of this thread is that what people buy does NOT reflect who they are. THAT is my point.

I fear for my future. Not because of anything that is wrong with me, but with the rest of the teenagers out there.

Actually your point seems to be more about jerking yourself off. There is a hope for the future Immortal Goat! Kids like you! There you go, sport. It's what you were waiting for, wasn't it?

All these people that buy that crap are posers. What they buy doesn't reflect who they are, because they are NOBODY. They have no sense of self worth, because they have no sense of self. They are one large mass controlled by the idea of "popularity".

Explain to me how this 'poser' umbrella of yours covers those who carry LV handbags, but not those wearing band tshirts or expensive goth accessories. How about those deliberately trying to dress as anti-scene as possible? Are these not also attempts to obtain, gain, or maintain social status, albeit within a different subculture?

And being a SOMEBODY sounds pretty important.

$700.00 for a purse is ridiculous.

To you, yes. To me? I wouldn't even pay $7 for a purse. But it's obviously worth that to someone, so what's your point? They are sheep?

GOOD ONE

[Immortal Goat]

Those people who dress as anti-scene as possible just to say they are not "mainstream" and that they gotta be "heard" are just as bad. And no, I am not the hope for my future, because society is designed to keep the people like me down for as long as possible. Society looks down on free thought. That is the way it is. If you think outside the box, then you are an outcast. Once you see the things making the shaddows on the cave wall, you cannot go back, but no one else wants to join you.

[soundtest]

Interesting. How is society keeping you down, exactly?

[kahljorn]

Yea, I'd rather spend my 100's of dollars on power tools and a 6,000 dollar big screen plasma television, a corvette, and a nice computer to post messages on this message board.

[El Blanco]

power tools serve a purpose as does a computer. Paying more usually means a significant increase in quality. What is the difference between a $5 purse and $190 purse? Don't they both carry your stuff?

And who here started defending blowing 6k on a TV?

[Immortal Goat]

How is society keeping me down? Simple. I am what you would call a "nerd", "geek", "dork", or any other name you can think of. It is mostly not those people who make the big time, is it? It is the muscle-headed jocks that give people like me swirlies that get the recognition in the sports industry, or the self absorbed preps that get the recognition in the fashion, entertainment, or just about every other industry you can think of. I, however, will NOT end up to be in charge of much more than a family, God willing. I will attempt to change my position in today's heirarchy, but I will NOT sacrifice myself for what other people think is the "best" way to live.

[Perndog]

What are you complaining about? You bitch that people unlike you are the ones who are successful, then you say, "God willing", you will NOT end up to be in charge of much more than a family, which means you would rather be mediocre as an adult.

If you just misstated yourself and you *do* want to be successful, let me name a couple of famous or successful geeks: Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, along with half of the important people at half the software companies that exist today. And if you don't want to be called a nerd or a dork, it's more productive to change the faults that draw those labels instead of whining.

EDIT: I just read your previous post. Such self-righteous nonsense. Look at the two names I listed up there. Nerds of the highest degree. But innovators. Free thinkers. Bullshit, society looks down on free thought. Society looks down on mindless drones who fit in to the lower levels of the social pyramid and then try to think for themselves. Be a leader instead of a drone, don't listen to what your peers tell you, and above all else quit telling yourself and everyone else that you've got it bad. If you don't want to be a geek, don't be a geek. If you want to be accepted by everyone and not looked down on, just blend in don't tell everyone you think for yourself. But if you want to rise above where you think you are, just don't listen to them and do things your own way anyway.

[Immortal Goat]

I meant "God Willing" I will have a family.

And also, I could never make it in one of those software companies, because I SUCK at math, science, and anything else that is required for computer technology.

[Zhukov]

What kind of nerd are you, God willing?

[soundtest]

How old are you Immortal Goat? Let me let you in on a little secret: those big, cool jocks will get bald and fat in a few years, and all that drinking and lack of studying doesn't help either.

[Immortal Goat]

I'm 17.

How old are YOU, soundtest?

[Perndog]

I resent that. I drink and don't study, and I'm doing perfectly well. ;)

[Vibecrewangel]

What is the difference between a $5 purse and $190 purse? Don't they both carry your stuff?

Have you ever bought a cheap backpack?
How about Payless shoes?
Or clothes from Target?
They just don't hold up like their higher price better quality counterparts.

Now, I would never pay $190.00 for a super trendy 1 season only purse. However, a classic piece will last you a lifetime....that I may consider.

[Helm]

700 bucks for an accessory is overboard anyway you see it. You basically pay for the brand name, not for ever-lasting guaranteed functionality. I have a school bag which I bought 6 years ago for like, 30 bucks and which I still daily use. It's carried books, tools, guitar pedals, dismembered parts I was particularily fond off for countless miles and it's still holding up pretty well besides a small mending of one of the cords. I don't even have a second bag.

So why are you giving Immortal Goat a hard time, soundtest? He IS stating the obvious, but that's hardly a good enough reason, I think.

[VinceZeb]

Man. This whine fest is pretty damn sad. What the hell ever happened to "being yourself"?

[punkgrrrlie10]

If you make enough money to buy it and it makes you happy....who cares? While I may think it's stupid, that's my opinion and has nothing to do with them.

[Jeanette X]

Man. This whine fest is pretty damn sad. What the hell ever happened to "being yourself"?

Vince is actually making sense for once. This thread is fucking stupid.

[Big Papa Goat]

Goats comments about accesory bashing were just stating the obvious, but it was his bullshit about soceity keeping him down, that made me ashamed to be called a goat.
But really, Perndog and Soundtest basically summed it up.

[soundtest]

So why are you giving Immortal Goat a hard time, soundtest? He IS stating the obvious, but that's hardly a good enough reason, I think.

I didn't think I was giving anybody a hard time. My 'fat bald jock' post was a 'hey dude it's gonna be ok' reply despite the fact that his ' :wah THE WORLD IS AGAINST ME :wah ' post was weak at best. But I'll give reasons anyway.

I fear for my future. Not because of anything that is wrong with me, but with the rest of the teenagers out there.

This is pretty arrogant.

It is arrogant AND the point he was trying to make was completely obvious.

It's nobody's business what others spend their money on, and you can't judge someone's ability to 'be president' on something like that. Personally, I would never buy anything with a brand name. I think it's ridiculous. But I'm not gonna assume somebody is an idiot because they pay $700 for a handbag. It's their own choice what they want to spend their money on, and practicality has nothing to do with it.

[Helm]

No there are things one can deduct from another man's buying habits. And I don't see it as being wrong to talk about that. I see it as distinctively wrong however that you'd rather not judge a person's habit at say, buying purses for 700 bucks in the spirit that what each man does is his own buisness.

I think that actual choice as you say has very little to do with the way most westerners overspend. It's more of a socially programmed reaction to go out and buy stuff whenever you feel down and most people don't give it a second thought. And what I just said was obvious too but you don't seem to take it into account.

[soundtest]

Everyone is socially programmed in one way or another. When I see a woman with an LV handbag, the first thing that pops into my mind is "stuck up bitch". Is she? I don't know. Is she stupid because of this purchase? What about someone in a BMW? They could certainly drive a Honda and save a lot of money. That would seem a lot smarter to me. But does this make them less intelligent? Does it make them a rich snob? Maybe, maybe not.

Now what about someone who sees an LV handbag and thinks "Wow! What fashion sense!"? Are they stupid for thinking that? Is their programmed reaction less valid than mine? How can generalizations from subjective opinions be objective? One can argue that their opinion is not subjective because the media or some other force is influencing all their decisions. Do similar forces, although maybe less 'mainstream', not influence mine? I think everyone is influenced with their purchases to some extent.

Sure, you can deduct a great deal of information from someone's attire regarding their buying habits, but to jump forward with firm assumptions about the individual's itelligence from that alone? I wouldn't (once I get past my initial socially programmed response, of course).

[Helm]

Yes I see what you're saying. I'm not saying that you should go on the initial impression but it should be worthy of mention. If you were to completely disregard past empyrical knowledge and statistic fact (like to make an extreme example how adults that go and buy britney spears records are most likely very base) then you're stuck in the strange position of having to rely on no knowledge at all. Are you prepared to treat every human being you meet as if it's the first time? Obviously there's exceptions and you're right to be hesitant towards generisation. I'm talking about the middle ground.

[soundtest]

Middle ground is kinda what I was getting at. All I'm saying is that I think it is dangerous to make huge generalizations based on pre-conceived notions. Immortal Goat basically concluded that anyone spending that much on a handbag is an idiot. I'm sure some people that do probably are, but then by default is everyone who shops at Target intelligent, or at least, slightly more? Jumping to a conclusion like that is rash and to underestimate someone's intelligence based on that alone is careless. Maybe buying that LV handbag would create a good impression during a job interview? In that case the bag paid for itself. Then would it be a stupid purchase? Obviously I don't like the fact that the world works like that sometimes, but my hating someone for spending a lot of money on a brand name isn't going to change that.

[whoreable]

If an adult can afford and really wants to spend 700 on a purse who am I to question, sure I personally think it is stupid , but I also spend lots of money on electronics and computers that others might find stupid.

But I dont think that was the point of the thread. I thought it was more about kids. I think there is something wrong with kids not working a day in their lives yet gettin their parents to buy them expensive clothing and brand new cars and cell phones. Most kids like this that want everything handed to them and arent going too be good for society.

but the way this thread has turned maybe thats not what it was about.

[kellychaos]

Fuck, how do they get that kind of money? Do their parents pay for it all or are they high class call girls?

Suburban prostitution is the new craze. They roam the local malls doling out the BJs. Not only is it economical, it's convienient. They can do their business and buy a $190.00 purse and it's all within walking distance. :)

[Vibecrewangel]

700 bucks for an accessory is overboard anyway you see it

I so agree......and I own one......
Like I said, I'll defend the quality but not the price.

[kellychaos]

I refuse to buy my dog a sweater no matter how good the quality is! >:

[El Blanco]

Don't dogs come with fur? Or are the manufacturers selling them incomplete and making you buy sweaters as an upgrade?



Have you ever bought a cheap backpack?
How about Payless shoes?
Or clothes from Target?
They just don't hold up like their higher price better quality counterparts.


Actually, I find all that high priced designer crap is too fragile to handle my everyday life. I like the moderate priced stuff because its usually double stiched.

And there is nothing wrong with payless shoes.

[Vibecrewangel]

Don't dogs come with fur?

Not those new fangled trendy dogs. They have to buy their fur. And the selection just to suit their personality.....
A nightmare I tell you.


Actually, I find all that high priced designer crap is too fragile to handle my everyday life

That's because a lot of the companies (Gucci, Prada, Fendi....) have gone to the "trend" side of the line. Their quality has become crap because they are not catering to high end clientele any longer. They are catering to people who want what they see in magazines and could care less about the quality.
If I want to to buy anything "trendy" I usally get it from a cheap source. It's trend...it will be out of style by the end of the season.
I see no reason to spend a lot of money on stuff like that.



And there is nothing wrong with payless shoes.

Depends....
Sandals I buy from Payless. I am really hard on them and unless I pay a hell of a lot, I go through them just as fast.

Trendy shoes.....hell yeah. Done by the end of the season. Toss them out or they fall apart who cares.

[Immortal Goat]

But I dont think that was the point of the thread. I thought it was more about kids. I think there is something wrong with kids not working a day in their lives yet gettin their parents to buy them expensive clothing and brand new cars and cell phones. Most kids like this that want everything handed to them and arent going too be good for society.

Why is it that only a few people have grasped what I was getting at in the first place. It isn't that ALL people that buy that stuff are stupid, it is the people that think that they can go through life being having all this shit and that it will make them happy, whether they learn a damn thing about being human along the way or not.

I do spend money on video games, movies, and the like. But I also do not think that those things will make me a better person. One's posessions do not make who they are. It is what is inside that counts. If, however, people are like my schoolmates, who get Mommy and Daddy to but their purses, shoes, cell phones, and buy them out of legal trouble for getting drunk at a school football game, then me have a serious fucking problem.

[Vibecrewangel]

One's posessions do not make who they are. It is what is inside that counts.

No, but they are for the most part an expression of who they are. And teenagers rarely have a clue about who they are.

[AChimp]

I wouldn't be caught dead shopping at Payless Shoes. Only poor people shop there. :chatter

[Vibecrewangel]

If, however, people are like my schoolmates, who get Mommy and Daddy to but their purses, shoes, cell phones, and buy them out of legal trouble for getting drunk at a school football game, then me have a serious fucking problem.


Then be mad at the individuals. Don't assume that all people that buy or own certain things are "nobody" or that they are doing it because they think it will make them happy or better people.

Besides, they are teenagers. They are trying to figure out who they are. I tend to find fashion one of the best ways to watch that search.

[kellychaos]

I'm throwing paint on the next dog sweater I see. :protest >:

[kahljorn]

the 200 dollar Purse helps get you laid faster, be more fashionable and have the cutest purse to go with the dress I got last Sunday. Obviously the purpose is purposeful for them. You can make excuses for the shit you daily waste your money on, but can't excuse when someone else purchases something stupid?

If the "decline" is anything, it's a bunch of pretentious hypocrites procuring the role as a virtous defender of cynicism and hatred of needless objects, as if objectifying anti-objectivity. Fuck you, and fuck your fucking stupid unconcerning nature of placebo spirituality.
I fucking waste money on drugs and alcohol all the time all the time, even on books. You ever bought a CD? BLAM WHAT A WASTE. Powertools have a purpose? WHat, to build the towel rack in your bathroom for DECORATIVE towels? To build your shiny 200k house? Why not use a rock? It will work just as well, and it's free. A rock will hammer in a nail just like a hammer will! THEY WILL BOTH HAMMER.
Like I said, fuck your virtous demeaner, you should be talking shit on yourself, and anybody who thinks they live some life of Bliss without the need of foreign objects to pronounce some kind of love, as if you do not idolize meager components.

[FS]

This thread is a hoot.

[kellychaos]

I'm going to give up all my worldly possesions and become a mountain hermit ... only I'm going to be wearin' some of the most rock styly fabo mountain hermit clothes.

[kahljorn]

i grow weed on my cabin roof, and use potato electricity to access the internet.

[kellychaos]

That's a lot of taters.

[kahljorn]

I live near a chemical waste dump :/

[El Blanco]

the 200 dollar Purse helps get you laid faster,

Since when do women need to buy expoensive shit to get laid? Honestly, even ugly chicks can go find a guy if they want.

[Immortal Goat]

And the ones that AREN'T ugly just need to ask any guy they want. They would be more than happy to comply. Us men are funny that way.