Quote: (06-03-2014 07:36 PM)The Lizard of Oz Wrote:
This kind of sentimentalizing of the past entirely misses the point -- it particularly misses the point of why some of his grandfather's possessions have the charm that they have. It's precisely because they are the product of a life lived without fear and timidity that these objects, over years of humble and practical use and enjoyment, acquire the aura that can draw someone in a few generations later. The same can happen to the things of today -- to the dude's iphone or laptop or whatever new device he will have that is not invented yet -- if he is willing to live alongside them in the same way as his grandfather lived alongside his own.
In what way is he an ingrate?
Just because someone is turning away from the worship of modern technology does not mean that they are ungrateful.
Also, modern technology has little value beyond its ability to connect one person to 100,000's of other people on a level that has never existed before now.
Even then, those connections are not real.
There are studies that have been performed on Facebook usage. It has shown that over time people become dissatisfied with it due to a decreasing dopamine release from repeated use. This is a sign that using Facebook and the internet does not create truly satisfying experiences and are a poor way to experience life.
I can understand its value, but the "fake" world of the internet is nothing to appreciate because it does lead to deep and memorable human experience. It is quite literally staring at a computer screen and clicking away.
Also, he did not miss the point. Did you miss the part where he bought a motorcycle?
Buying the motorcycle and riding it by the countryside was his
first attempt at creating a satisfying life similar to that of his grandfathers. Hopefully it was the first of many.
I will admit he missed the point about giving when he sold his motorcycle to his mom, but at the same time he has now become more aware.
Awareness is the first step to change. Even though he has not fully absorbed the values that his grandfathers lived by, at least he is now aware of what they were rather than living on in complete ignorance of his own culture and values.
Quote: (06-03-2014 08:08 PM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:
Anyway, I assume Hipsters are lonely because they don't know how to genuinely-connect with one another, since they are socially-awkward; desperately-uncomfortable with interpersonal contact; and they fear the possibility of not being liked by other people. This is where ironic distance comes in: safer to have the plausible-deniability of ironic affectation than to risk rejection for a genuine liking for something.
See the wall they're deliberately-building up between each other which makes their fear come true? People can't like them, because they don't know who they really are. If they didn't create a false narcissistic construct to relate to others to begin with, they might actually connect, and then all the False Nostalgia wouldn't be needed and instantly-disappear.
I expect the next generation to not show this desire - I think they'll be out there genuinely-experiencing life and creating real memories.
I would say that what you have said is correct, but there is more nuance to it.
As far as it goes in urban society in Southwest and West-coast U.S., it is a culture-less and godless society with a complete lack of community for the millennials.
Hipsterism is a movement away from this.
I am not a hipster, but I am exposed to them on a regular basis and am friends with a few of them.
Hipsters are moving away from a lack of culture by supporting local art and music.
Hipsters are moving away from a lack of community by supporting local farmers and businesses rather than kowtowing to corporations.
Hipsters are moving away corporations as their current god because they are realizing that the only thing that they can get out of worshiping large corporations are material things and that all the corporations want from them is money. Personally, I believe that a return to Christianity is the answer to this, but it remains to be seen if millennials will return to some form of organized religion.
I do think that you are on-point when it comes to social awkwardness. A lot of the awkwardness comes out of technology largely replacing normal human communication among the millennials. This has prevented a significant amount of them from becoming socially normal.
A lot of the hipsters have found the solution to this as acting in an arrogant way. Using arrogance as a cloak to disguise social awkwardness is the path of least resistance and I can understand why most choose that over admitting that they have a real problem that they need to consciously work on to resolve.