Monday, July 02, 2007

Apple is Creating a Generation of iTards


I received an email from my pal Nathan Dean the other day. It included some biting commentary about our dispassionate, distracted and disconnected citizenry--especially young people--in America today. Dean's spot-on rant was focused on Apple, Inc., and it included this photo of the victorious young man who was first in line to buy the company's revolutionary new iPhone. "Not a young man that is so passionate about his fellow youngsters fighting an illegitimate war, or a corrupt executive branch," Dean railed, "but the face of the majority of our youth and much of our country."

We have become the iTard nation. A subculture of bazillions of disciples of their guru and chief Tard Steve Jobs, who've become fallen-down drunk on the "i" kool-aid. iMac, iPod and iPhone is their religion. A whole generation of iTards who seem to care more for the state of technology than they do the state of America's domestic and international health. They'll wait on line for days to buy this newest of i-gadgetry, but just ask them why we're in Iraq. Or who Bush's cabinet is comprised of. Or who the 2008 presidential candidates are. Or what the burning issues of the day are. Their political apathy and indifference can be mind-numbing. Victory for them is not bringing our 150,000 soldiers home from war without any further casualties. No, for these iTards victory is scoring two of these frighteningly efficient toys that can do just about everything but wipe your iAss.

This year we are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the fabled Summer of Love. Yet in 1967, students and society in general were rabidly curious about, and passionate for, national and world affairs while their 2007 contemporaries are essentially comatose. What a sorry state we live in today. No wonder the Busheviks have been able to trample on the constitution with reckless abandon. The nation has been too busy making Steve Jobs rich to notice.


On another subject......we could use your help at The Adrienne Shelly Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated in my wife's honor to help carry out her spirit and passion, with the goal of assisting women filmmakers. As you may know, Adrienne was brutally killed in NYC on November 1, 2006. Through the Foundation, her commitment to filmmaking lives on. We've finalized a scholarship with NYU's Tisch School of the Arts/Kanbar Institute of Film; and grants with Columbia University, American Film Institute, NY Women in Film and Television, the Independent Feature Project, and the Nantucket Film Festival. Other initiatives will follow. Please visit our website to learn more about our mission and to make a donation. Every little contribution helps preserve Adrienne's legacy, and to help create something positive out of this horrible tragedy. Thank you.

Adrienne's film "Waitress" opened in theatres May 2nd to incredible rave reviews from the NY Times, LA Times, USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Time, People, Entertainment Weekly, Ebert & Roeper ("Two Thumbs Up"), Leonard Maltin and more. Since then, it's been playing to packed audiences across America. It's a truly wonderful film that you're sure to love. A link to the trailer is below. Enjoy.

http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox_searchlight/waitress/trailer/

56 comments:

John Callender said...

Andy, your iEnvy is showing. :-)

Seriously, though, I'm not sure I see the connection between Apple's particular flavor of consumerism and citizen apathy. Among the admittedly small sampling of technology users I know, I think liberal political values and outrage over the ongoing debacle in Iraq has a higher incidence among the Apple folk than among the Microsofties.

I'm inclined to interpret this as a case where someone who happens to be outraged at one group (Bush followers) as well as at another group (Apple fans) decides to lump them both together for convenience' sake, rather than because there's any real connection between the two targets.

Which is fine; you're welcome to spout off about anyone you like and in whatever manner you like. It's one of the great things about living in America. But it's not very persuasive for people who don't start off agreeing with you.

Anonymous said...

I wouldn't be too hard on Mr. Jobs and his company, since this phenomenon has been apparent in our society for quite some time, and the iPhone is just the latest occurrence. It's clearly a sign of our ever-burgeoning consumerist society, where what you are isn't defined by what you do (either as a vocation or an avocation), what you say, or what you think, but by what you consume. In a society where the acquisition of trendy, fashionable material goods is paramount, anything dealing with abstracts is relegated to a position of lesser importance.

In the past, we've seen many occurrences similar to the iPhone hoopla with Cabbage Patch dolls, Windows '95, Playstations 1 and 2, the XBox, and the iterations of "Tickle Me Elmo" to name just a few. Unfortunately, we'll probably continue to see many more such triumphs of consumerism and materialism over quality of life and ideas, not to mention over our political future.

Anonymous said...

I find my company provided cell phone and my personal cell phone a distraction. I'm sick of people constantly talking on their cells and worse yet are the people that have Black Berrys. Try and hold a conversation with a "Crack Berry" user and all they do is constantly muck with their phone, checking emails and messing with the internet.

The newest from Apple only means more iTards.

Good on yah Andy.

Anonymous said...

Linking idiots who stand in line to be a first-to-own a technical gadget to today's political disconnect of our youth is totally random. You could be making the same statement about the idiots who stand in line to see your wife's or any Hollywood actor's movies.

The detachment from America's political process has as much to do with Democrats as it does with Republicans. Independent people are disenfranchised because neither party is representative of their value system.

Both are liars. Both are corrupt. Both want to take power from the individual. Both parties want to use you like a pawn.

If you are tired of today's political system, stop voting for Democrats and Republicans. Research third party candidates and give your vote to the best candidate. If nobody is worth your vote, don't give it to anyone - abstain from the presidential election or write someone in. If every American actually did this, Republicans and Democrats could not take advantage of us.

Anonymous said...

One word explains it. Draft!

Anonymous said...

Hey Andy. Thank you for this post. And let me apologize (though I know I don't have to) for at least three of the people here who opened their mouths before they thought logically about their retorts. But then this is the world we live in...a bunch of morons who haven't the capacity to think for themselves so they spout ignorance and stupidity instead of just admitting the truth of the world we live in today. I agree with a lot of what you said here and am intelligent enough to realize you were NOT linking the two targets together...you were simply making a point. Yes, technology has done wonderful things for us over the course of the past 20 years. But in many ways, it has turned many people into complacent, lazy, irresponsible idiots who should really get a life. Whether people want to admit it or not, much of the current generation is too concerned with the latest game system, the newest phone or the computer with the largest memory capacity and highest Internet connection speed to care about things that actually matter...and I was intelligent enough to figure out THAT was your point. My sincerest apologies on behalf of the last person here who spoke about your wife's movies. The world is full of the wrong kinds of people - as Ellen DeGeneres so eloquently says - and so often they rear their ugly heads in unwanted directions. Your wife's legacy will live on through all of the beautiful work she did. I am sorry that her life was cut tragically short due to a violent crime and as for others who read here...either get some damn manners or keep your filthy mouths shut. Not a suggestion! Thanks Andy for always being right on the mark!

Anonymous said...

Dead on!!!

Julia Salleres said...

So true. Thanks Nathan!!!

Anonymous said...

As someone who respects Nathan up close and you from afar, I do think you are both drawing a fairly facile link between apathy and technology. My husband and I are rabid technophiles and we marched against the war (with a lot of tech-head pals). We are early-adopters and we went door-to-door in Columbia County to unseat a long standing Republican congressman (and won!).

I agree that culture is increasingly "dispassionate, distracted and disconnected" and that our attachment to technology and entertainment has the ability to distance us from each other, BUT our activist brothers and sisters in an earlier generation were junkies and drunks and sex addicts (so reports my much-older sister). Moreover, according to Gallup, more than half of America hadn't heard the word Watergate in 1974. And that included a massive sample of college students. Each tribe has its issues.

I cautiously assert that an overwhleming majority of the people who stood in line for an iPhone are oppossed to the war and vote. I would further posit that they are more likely to have taken action - made a donation, campaigned, protested - than the average sample of Americans.

Yes, we have some very profound issues to deal with in our culture. Yes, the seduction and isolation of technology is among them. But the happy geeks carrying cute black bags... these are not the bad guys.

Anonymous said...

I think the point ostroys making here is not simply that everyone who was on line to buy an I-phone is an apathetic moron. or that none of them ever protested or campaigned for anyone. rather, hes merely saying that this particular kid in the picture, unlike the young man who stood before the Chinese tank in Tiannenman Sqaure, is symbolic of the general apathy that inflicts our young people today. Are you really going to compare the 60's children to those of today? Young people today are materialistic technophiles who care more about what's happening with Paris Hilton and Anna Nicole Smith than with war, politics, the economy and civil rights. I'm sorry you took ostroys piece so personally as if he was speaking to you. but you cannot deny that today's young people just don't seem to give a shit about anything or anyone but themselves.

Marc McDonald said...

I thought I'd comment on another troubling aspect of the iPhone phenomenon. That is, although the iPhone is hailed by many as a sign of America's technology prowess, the truth is quite different. The fact is, the key cutting-edge enabling components that make the iPhone possible are made in Japan.
Most Americans understand that our nation's manufacturing base has been hollowed out. Millions of manufacturing jobs have migrated to lower-income nations, such as China.
But the iPhone case is even more troubling than most Americans realize. After all, Japan is no cheap labor nation. In fact, the Japanese on average earn 30 percent higher wages than American workers these days.
So U.S. companies that outsource to Japan are not doing so to save on labor costs...they're doing it for an even more troubling reason---the fact is, they've lost the technology race entirely.
America has less and less a presence in high-tech manufacturing. But we're losing high-tech manufacturing jobs not to low-wage Third World nations, but rather instead to high-wage nations in Europe and Japan.

Anonymous said...

So voting while black & having it thrown out by election officials is included in this so-called apathy? I hope so, & also voting for something that then gets overturned by the courts, like auto insurance rates being limited in CA in the 1990s, might contribute to the illusion of apathy. How do you force your representatives to do the job they were elected to do, like Nancy Pelosi with impeachment not being a priority? It's your generation doing this, man, not mine-"trust no one over 30", remember?

Anonymous said...

Perhaps we could get more people interested in the things that are destroying our country if we borrowed a bit of the i-craze's selling mojo. We could start spelling Iraq as iRaq, immigration as iMmigration, and Iran as iRan. If the tactic just caught John Q's eye for a second here and there, he'd probably learn enough to join the swelling movement for iMpeachment.

Anonymous said...

Nothing stings so much as the inconvenient truth touched upon in this entry. It has nothing whatsoever to do with envy as some suggest. It has everything to do with the creation of a "Have" and "Have not" strata to society. Along with each strata, we see divisions of what is made vital to an entire new generation. Who cares about a war or that whatsyamacallit- oh ya The Constitution- As long as I have my Tunes. I am a child of the 1960's. Tune in, Turn on, and Drop out. Now, it has mutated into Plug in, Tune Out, and Forget About.
In the 60's wrongs needed to be set right. Same is true now, but we're ranch raised young people for sheer stupidity (better cannon fodder, you see) and a self absorbed materialism that outstrips all other values, including the American Freedom that made the latest high-tech toys possible in the first place. I've protested to stop two unjust wars. In the first one, we were all young, and we didn't wanna go. For the second round of protests 40 years on, all of us are older, and so much wiser. But none of the young people we're trying to keep out of another meat grinder bother to show up, because they want not one IPhone, but two. One for themselves, and another to put on E-Bay to pay for the first.

Let me ask these mis-spent youths a simple question. How many I-whatevers are there in Iraq and or Iran right now, and how many will there be next year, with YOU or a friend of yours attached to it?

Anonymous said...

You should be ashamed of yourself. Your message is the equivalent of the proverbial killing of the messenger. Steve Jobs makes incredible technological products and he's to blame for the apathy of American youth and other societal problems because people are a little overenthusiastic about buying those products? Where in the world is your logic in making this connection?

And how ironic that in your message about your late wife, you cite a link to the trailer of her wonderful film on, of all things, Steve Jobs' Apple website.

Anonymous said...

Why is it only the job of the young to protest? I'm so sick of boomers telling me how we're slackers. These self-involved a-holes dominate everything and then complain that 20 and 30 somethings aren't doing their duty. I'm sorry, it's the boomer controlled congress and media that should have stopped this. The collective institutions we have in place should have done ntheir jobs. BTW, on February 15 2003 the laregst international protest in history was staged and the media and gov't ignored it. I don't church leaders standing up, either. Our institutions have failed us. Might as well play with my iphone while civilization devolves if no one is going to stand up and fight when it counts. And who created these unblinking consumers anyway? It's unfair to blame the targets of unrelenting advertising and marketing for the behavior that companies spend billions to encourage. Our institutions, the church, the government, the media, have failed us. AMK

Anonymous said...

Protests have been neutralized as an effective tactic, this should be obvious after 2003 & especially after the "designated free speech zones" that tend to be 5 blocks away-all they do is get your face on film so you can be put on a no-fly list & the gov can personally harrass you "for national security purposes". Meeting in noisy places, where att spy rooms can't cache your texts/calls/emails, that at least is a start. Getting elected to a county supervisor, to the city council, sitting on the local garbage board & others is at least 1 additional way. The sitting judges are not very interested in upholding the laws, else where are the arrest warrants for those who've broken them? If ever I'm subpoened I think I'll ignore like Condi, it is a precedent, after all.

Anonymous said...

This argument stretches things a bit.

I stood in line for the iPhone. Three hours. It was a fun way to spend an afternoon with my wife, child, and a bunch of strangers. Everyone got to know each other. And everyone walked out with a new toy together, then went home. It was an enjoyable distraction from the crud that you describe. I dislike this war, this administration, and all the rest. I do things about it - actively. But I enjoy having fun, and to me this was fun.

In 1967 the people listened to music and got stoned. Maybe electronic gadgets are today's LSD. Who knows.

And don't forget - Al Gore, who I also hope gets into the running, is on the Board of Apple. Assuming his pay as director is related to profits (and/or that he owns Apple stock), every iPhone is helping to fund his contribution to his campaign.

Anonymous said...

Hmm… political apathy vs. technological fanaticism… if only we could mix those two together…

I think it's the politicians who need to get with the times. They have a unique opportunity here with millions of people contributing to user-generated content, and the most we are seeing is politicians on Myspace. Where are the voting machines that let us vote from home? Why do we need to vote every four years, instead of voting every time a politician does something stupid, like on the stock-market, which seems to work?

I think it's politicians which are the Tards (what a stupid word) and join the 21st century. Us youngsters are already there.

(yet another) steeeve said...

I'm going to sound like an old fart here, something I hate. But if you want to change things, you need to learn your history. Otherwise, you'll just cause its repeat.

Apple has been one of the greatest forces for democracization throughout its existence. Their mission has always been to deliver technology to the individual. It has spent most of its existence fighting against competitors focused on the more lucrative business of supplying technology to large organizations, primary corporations.

Apple invented the personal computer. The web was invented by a user of Steve Job's other computer company, Next (today's Apple is of course a merger of the two).

If the Windows box you're using doesn't require an IT department to support it, it's because MS had to compete with Apple.

Now if what most want to do with this technology is watch YouTube and surf myspace... well, that's not what YOU'RE doing with this technology. All a technology company can do is enable.

But it's in Apple's core culture to empower individuals not institutions. There are lots of forces who want to bury that fact. I suspect you don't want to be one of them.

Anonymous said...

Just because someone does not share your world view does not license you to come out and insult a whole generation.

They don't care. Live with it. Or die.

Anonymous said...

There are those out there who couldn't tell an I-Phone from an Iran.

There are those who would think this a good thing, at least until they meet one at the store trying to buy one of those I-rocks they keep hearing about....

Anonymous said...

Hey man, like it's the Summer of Love, so why are you harshing the mellow with all those bad vibes? You go cut sugar cane in Cuba - it'll be good for you I'm sure.

Anonymous said...

You're right! Let's all put down our iPods and stage a coup to overthrow our evil overlords!

Get real. If you want to live in a place where everyone has no choice on products to buy, go found a communist nation.

Anonymous said...

I'm a friend of Andy's. I don't always agree with everything he writes, nor do you have to. But please people, can you stop making comments and references about his deceased wife while trying to make your points? Its very disrespectful and insensitive. She has nothing to do with any of this, and besides, hasn't the guy been through enough? Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Wow. Sure looks like the "disaffected" youth has temporarily awakened from their i-comas long enough to get all defensive here. Truth hurts I suppose.

Johnny T said...

I think it goes way beyond the iPhone, etc. Look at the attention Paris Hiltons gets! She's loaded and does nothing to benefit society with her money and time. And The Hills/OC/MTV crap that's put on tv for kids to watch! That stuff will make your brain fall out. I think people should read all they can - the media always has right or left wing bias no matter what, so read everything and get involved. We need all the young talent in this country focused on green enegry, solving oil and everything else. I don't give a crap if Nicole Ritchie ate last night or not.

Anonymous said...

Is it crazy to say that you will be writing your blog via iphone within the next 2 years?

Anonymous said...

Baby Boomers are the most destructive generation to ever run America. I challenge anyone to identify a generation more destructive to the growth of America than Baby Boomers.

Anonymous said...

I agree with Steve who points out the democratizing effect of Apple's products over the last couple decades. As someone who has ONLY worked on Macs for a living for 17 years, and as someone who is pretty far left on the political spectrum, I take issue with this comparison. Gadgets are gadgets, but Apple overall has accomplished so much more than making the latest hot toy.

Unknown said...

Oh please. I'm going to virtually punch the next person who uses the iPhone hype to draw attention to themselves. Seriously, enough already.

I waited in line for 15 hours to get an iPhone. Do I regret waiting even though they didn't even sell out? Hell no. I met lots of cool people, had some good conversations, read a sizable chunk of a book, and spend a beautiful day outside in the sun.

Barry Schwartz said...

Like Tom said above: Draft.

If there is one thing invariant, documented going back at least to the ancient Greeks, it is elders complaining about the quality of the day's youth. Apparently the elders never learn, perhaps because they were in all cases such crappy youth.

Anonymous said...

Two quick notes.

1. Do we see the irony of this post about loathing many Apple products, then seeing a link to a movie trailer on Apples site? Made me think twice about what I just read.

2. Secondly, while the point is made that younger folks have been almost desensitized to many things and care mostly about the newest game systems and such, we have to look at who is targeting these youngsters. It is the same students of 1967 who have now become the capitalists in this new world. The same generation that cared so much about politics and world affairs (including hippie Steve Jobs) now cares about money and found ways to make it. The blame for the world as we have it now goes back to those same people. No others.

Anonymous said...

I hope venting your spleen with a facile and meretricious attack on "materialism" (a not-so-subtle swipe at old "corporate greed" saw) and longing for the good old days you never knew in the 60s ("fabled" summer of love? Puh-leeze) made you feel better. But maybe you should think a bit harder before opening up with both barrels on people who are just excited about a tech toy.

On the one hand, I'm amazed by your ignorance. Apple, Steve Jobs and its board (including as noted above Al Gore) are notorious lefties. Apple recently announced all sorts of "greening" initiatives. And Jobs (a drug-initiated graduate of the "Fabled" 60s) is widely assumed to be a Hillary-Booster. So these are the very people you support to "regain the White House and Congress." Where do you think Hillary is getting her money? It ain't from grass-roots donations; it's from iPeople like Jobs.

On the other hand, I'm nauseated by your pedestrian re-hash of the same old "woe is us, materialism is taking over America" cant. Perhaps you're overlooking the fact that consumerism is one of the things that keeps America (and the world) afloat; do you think iPhones (or books or music or cars or other things people want but don't necessarily "need") would be created from thin air unless there was a demand for them? If you don't want one, don't buy one. But why are you dissing a bunch of mostly self-professed nerds? A lot of them (myself excepted) are busy coding software that you might be interested in.

I can sympathize with those who are weary of the iHype. Jobs' Reality Distortion Field has been working overtime the last few weeks.

But please, think a bit harder before you go for the low-hanging rhetorical fruit. I sense from your writing you're capable of something better, even if I happen to think your worldview is hopelessly misguided.

Anonymous said...

I think you'll find that Apple - and specifically Steve Jobs, manages to stir passion.

Just because something is very important it doesn't automatically incite passion - those two metric aren't necessarily related.

The way i see it the apathy of us youth is reflectant of the lack of passion shown by politicians and media.

Just my $0.02 anyways... not that i care - i'm riddled with a bad case of apathy...

Anonymous said...

Uh, you're aware that your hero Al Gore is a board member of Apple? No? Then shut up.

You've written an inflammatory, content-less post to attract hits. Sad.

Anonymous said...

whoo-boy. waaaaaaaay off the mark.

so i can't be liberal and write letters to my elected representatives on my macbook because that makes me too much of a zombified computer iTard? well, if loving macs and apple is wrong, i don't wanna be right!

andy, i'm an ol' skool kickin' it aging hippie leftist liberal. the paul-krassner-abbie-hoffman-mario-savio variety. i marched against gulf war I. i marched against this insane, needless war. i stand aghast at the neo-con nightmare of the crimes of this current, corrupt administration, and do what i can in both writing, e-mailing (yes, on a mac) and calling my elective representatives, as well as taking actions in my local neighborhood community association for what i can effect here. i volunteered and did *lots* of canvassing & phone banking for the kerry/edwards campaign, and will probably do the same for the democratic candidate of my choice this time around.

i also listen to progressive/political podcasts and replays on — guess what — my macbook itunes and ipod.

so does all this make me an iTard to you? if so, so be it. i've worked in the technology industry. i've worked with macs, windows, unix & linux. mac is what i like & prefer. but guess what, andy? we live in a capitalist western culture. we all might have leftist, socialist leanings, but the truth is the dominant paradigm here is several layers removed indirect goods & services for paper representing our gov't.'s debt to foreign nations, or what is commonly called consumerism. you can shout down the abyss of the beast, or learn that all these trinkets and items are nothing more than just tools to get the job done. the same hammer that breaks a window can build a house, and all that, be it a $5 hammer or a $600 hammer. rush limbaugh can use an apple mac, or al gore can sit on their board of directors. it's all in how it is used. subtlety, andy, subtlety.

what's more — you're all over getting the 'heat' built up on the subject of whether gore will run or not, but you neglect to mention his biggest held position of the last 5 years since the 2000 federal election debacle — that on the apple board of directors. so it's ok for al to be an iTard because he's progressively chic and won the oscar and everything, but the rest of us are just zombified iTard toadies? i don't think so, mr. andy. i don't think so.

BJ said...

How presumptive. Why must the young man, or any citizen, choose between an enthusiasm for technology and a passion for social commitment? That's a bogus dichotomy, it is.

And if the majority of people are dispassionate about the way things are being run, I think a little history lesson would show you that the majority has ALWAYS been more interested in the status quo than the status might-be.

Anonymous said...

I find it amusingly ironic that you bitch about the iGeneration and Steve Jobs, and yet you plug your wifes movie with a link to the apple website.

Anonymous said...

Kids today. Stay off my lawn.

Anonymous said...

10:50 am,
You are not supposed to mention his wife. I was the first to do it and got called a moron for it. I guess my opinions don't fall into the liberal agenda, so I must go away.

Anonymous said...

Blatant generalisms are not a sign of quality journalism. Of course, it is just a blog.

How about actually going out and asking people what they think about the world?

Chances are you would find quite a few who do care that we are in an illegal war, a few who do care about their fellow man. Why not write about those people?

Anonymous said...

Just because another person may not have similar views or non-appearance of what you think they should be or do, does not mean they don't care about the plight of the world.

I'm sure most of us have heard of the law of attraction. Well, there's also the law of allowance that states that control over others is regressive and control over ourselves is advancement. You must let others be who they are and you be who you are without judgement.

How great would it be if we were non-judgemental.

Anonymous said...

Just because another person may not have similar views or non-appearance of what you think they should be or do, does not mean they don't care about the plight of the world.

I'm sure most of us have heard of the law of attraction. Well, there's also the law of allowance that states that control over others is regressive and control over ourselves is advancement. You must let others be who they are and you be who you are without judgement.

How great would it be if we were non-judgemental.

Anonymous said...

12:11,
You must be a neocon. Don't you know that Democrats are in a war against the individual? It's not about the individual anymore, it takes a village. You have to do what is good for others, not what is good for the individual.

Anonymous said...

It is amazing how many of us simply can't remember that political apathy started long before technology gave us some good toys to play with. In the late 1970's, the political passion that was so evident 10 years earlier simply faded away. Protestors agitating for free speech at Sather Gate or protesting Viet Nam at Low Library were replaced by worrying about grad school or jobs. Parents didn't have to think about their boys being drafted. I am worried that my teenage kids are so disinterested in the polical process and consider their one or two friends who are involved as nerds or worse. How to get it back? I agree with the posters who think bringing back the draftwill change the focus -- not only of the kids but of the parents, too. A two year military or social service requirement for all kids when they turn 18 would give them perspective and help everyone grow up a bit. Don't blame someone having a passion for some techno toy. At least be glad that they have a passion for something....for the alternative is far worse.

Anonymous said...

It's interesting how we all like to label people. I'm just me...not a neocon, democrat or republican. It's so liberating to not have to worry about what I am on any particular day.

Matthew said...

I'm going to try not to repeat all the others who have validly pointed out how off the mark you are in making a related point. You make these inflammatory accusations of a youth that doesn't care, but this is the shit that has been rammed down my generations throat by...guess who...your generation.

The media has completely let America down, and nothing could better demonstrate that than the level of press coverage Paris Hilton and the iPhone have gotten on "news" networks over the last few weeks. I will be quick in pointing out, however, that those networks aren't run or controlled by my generation, but yours.

We were mollycoddled in our youth by our baby-boomer parents who bought into this hippie bullshit psychology and taught us we should always be happy, always feel good, and that nothing is supposed to be hard. Feeling sad this week? Antidepressants! Distracted in school (as if you're not supposed to be)? Ritalin! It was by an attempt to validate your own self-worth through your children that my generation has ended up so apathetic - because you couldn't ever let your children fail, even in ways that would ultimately be useful to their personal growth.

I can't say that entirely is an excuse because, as a student of philosophy, I think we are all morally required to challenge what we were raised to think and make sure it is actually what we should be thinking, but unfortunately, with a failing domestic economy and collapsing public education system, most people of my generation never got an education that would enable as much.

And what, I ask you, is supposed to give my generation any hope that they can affect change. After a sweep out of Congress and the Senate, have democrats done anything? In a word, no. What about all of the activism leading up to the 2004 election? Bush was re-elected. My generation has learned time and time again that no matter how hard those of us who care try, we will be stomped into place by the Establishment.

And the Establishment is not Apple. It's baby-boomers, it's the press, and its the ineffectual government we worked so hard to elect.

Youth apathy and the iPhone have nothing to do with each other.

To those bemoaning the mention of Andy's wife, I understand your revulsion, but he is the one who chose to put these two unrelated pieces of information in one post, and to link to the Apple website in the body of an anti-Apple rant. Insensitive of them, perhaps, but inevitable.

Anonymous said...

You say they do not know why we are in Iraq... Why? Who does? Do you?

Anonymous said...

Matthew,
I am one who posted the 'insensitive' mention of Andy's wife. I think your post was excellent.

Regarding the mention of Andy's wife. I thought about it and wasn't going to put it. I actually removed it, then added it back. Political correctness has far exceeded its value. If I have to be insensitive to speak the truth - I will.

When people are finally fed up with voting for Democrats and Republicans, we will be able to make real change in this country. You seem like a real independent thinker because most people that post on this site don't ever admit to reality when it doesn't fit the mission statement of this blog. You correctly point out that Democrats have done nothing after sweeping both parts of the Legislative Branch of government.

We may not agree on a lot of things, I'm not trying to say we do. I surely am not a "bush lover", but I don't believe the Democrats are the answer either. I believe the DNC and RNC are the problem with American politics.

These iTard posts from Ostroy are more of what to expect from Democrat flag wavers. They know their party has been in power and is doing nothing, so they need something else to complain about. Ostroy's idea is to blame the younger generation. Meanwhile, HIS generation is the worst to ever run America.

Anonymous said...

Better an itard than a democracy geek.

I'm not sure what you want young people to do: they march in the street carrying signs, nothing happens. They elect the "other" party, nothing happens. Etc., Etc.

Might as well get excited over a phone, especially since they won't be forced to go to war anyway.

And if they are young and can afford an iphone, things are going pretty well for them anyway, right?

Judge373 said...

I'm quite sure your parents called your generation retarded as well. It's normal, old man.

crazyarlo said...

This commentary is retarded. It's not like the entire country rushed to buy an iPhone...it was only a small fraction of the population. And, modern consumerist tastes were largely driven by the "me, mine, I want it all" generation of the 80's..the PARENTS of these kids.

Kid's don't do as you tell them. They do what you DO.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm. Conspicuous consumerism in this iPhone manifestation is what's wrong with the world and the fault of Apple, Inc. Never mind that this standing in line is generations old behaivor (all those idiots standing in line to be the first into Macy's or Gimbels on the day after Thanksgiving or the day after Christmas for the deals). No, it's just the kids these days (kids who are overwhelmingly more liberal than the general demographic).

And attack Apple Inc, at the same time (again a demographic more liberal than the general population and overwhelmingly more so than the Wintel camp). Along with its board member and lead iTard Al Gore.

I found it interesting to read the purpose of your blog is to "help Democrats regain the White House and Congress." Good luck with that. Seems to me with help like attacking so many of your party's core constituents, you're doing your best to ensure Giulani or McCain in '08.

gemillam said...

You have to be kidding, right? Steve Jobs is a Democrat who promotes liberal policies. He put Al Gore on his board. He donates to the party. Steve Jobs is on our side, dude.

He does good things, without trumpeting them. When Greenpeace started hassling Apple about its environmental policies, he came out with the "Greener Apple" statement where he basically made them look like fools. He showed where Apple lead most of the industry in environmental issues, and was already doing what other companies only promised. It was as if he followed the Kyoto agreements without signing, and another country criticized him for not signing, yet failed themselves to clean up their carbon emissions. Greenpeace tried to use Apple for its cause, and was made to look like hypocrites. You are doing the same thing.

Your post sounds like what every generation says about the previous one. Its the same complaints. Its a wonder you didn't complain about the music kids listen to today. (Them whipper-snappers!) Kids want to have FUN. They don't want to get overwhelmed with issues; they are just trying to figure out their lives at that stage. That is why older people tend to devote more time to issues and politics. They have their lives in order, young people generally don't. It has nothing to do with some influence Apple is having on anybody. Read what they said about kids in the '70's, about how it was a "lost generation." Apple wasn't selling iPods then. Quit repeating the past, and study it instead.

And don't pick on Apple and Jobs. They support the Democratic Party. Go check out who gave what to whom from the technology field sometime before you spout off in the future.

Unknown said...

I have no idea what you are talking about what does apple have to do with bush or iraq. If anything I think it is one company who's challenges this world. Apple is a huge company fighting for Global Change (Global Warming). As a matter of fact Al Gore is Board of the apple company. I don't see your point. Much less agree with it. I think your way off. Next time...