A nation of wimps?

Tod osier

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Sep 11, 2015
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Fairfield County, CT Sublette County, WY
Okie dokie!
I was born in 1950 and grew up in East Texas.
We lived through hurricanes, tornados, drouths, floods, 100°+ temps, +/-20° temps and the occasional hard freeze and snow.
Until the 2nd grade, the only A/C I had experienced was at the local "Duke & Ayers" department store and the Texas Theater.
I can remember my sister and me ice skating (no skates) on our farm pond (1 acre). We didn't break through.

Our dogs lived outside. We heated the house with LPG space heaters. They were burned during the day. They were turned off every night! Regardless of night time temps!
The heat of summer meant opening every window in the house, mosquitoes be damned! Spent many a summer night, wallowing in a pool of sweat until, out of desperation, you slipped onto that linoleum floor because it was MUCH cooler!
Maybe a box fan to stir the sultry air!

These days! Freezing temps and summertime highs above 90° and the news organizations go into orbit! 🤯
Don't go outdoors without proper clothing. Drink plenty water!
The NE is flooding.
The SW is in a drought!
Subzero temps in the Great Lakes area.

Have we become a nation of "wimps"?
If something unforseen happened, would you be able to provide warmth or compensate for the heat until power is restored?

Then again in the old days there was no internet to complain on.
 

tony

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Nov 13, 2015
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WV
Drank from garden hoses, played outside, got in trouble for not coming when the street lights came on. Owned BB guns, played with matches, carried pocket knives to school in belt pouches, read books, had friends of different races and they ate at our table and spent the night at our house and I did the same at their homes.
Phones had dials and were mounted to the wall, TV had a couple channels. and we only had one. Did have a few box fans though.
Got my first W-2 starting in the 6th grade.

Different times for sure.
 
Joined
Dec 31, 2021
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Montana
The only one that will save my ass is me. I like a safety factor of about three. Meanwhile I just keep feeding my stoves. If the power goes out I have lanterns. Just try to find someone to help you on sunday.
 

Jmort1754

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Aug 17, 2018
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Yes I agree, it was one of the reasons I got out of the service, we have become a nation of wimps and do nothings. The older harder generations of dying off at a pace that is greater than the pace that younger hard men can be raised.
 
Joined
Oct 17, 2019
Messages
343
Location
Wisconsin
We're wimps and it's a byproduct of our nation's success, which is a good thing. My grandma told me as a young man to get a desk job so I wouldn't break my back all day like others before me. Grateful for her advice no doubt, but remaining non-wimpy in an era of comfort has to be instilled in people.
 

manitou1

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Mar 29, 2017
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Wyoming
Well it is no doubt we have become a nation of soft men. It is also no doubt the news folks are all a bunch of liars trying to fire people up so they can make money or push their bought and paid for agenda.

So true on two fronts.

Hard times make tough men. Tough men make good times. Good times make soft men. Soft men make hard times. -hopf

Looks like hard times are coming next.
When we see "hunters" needing brakes to ease recoil, silencers so they don't hurt their ears, and posts discussing the most comfortable underwear... well...

I have also seen posts on "grooming" and scratchy base layers.

We are doomed.
 

manitou1

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Mar 29, 2017
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1,932
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Wyoming
Drank from garden hoses, played outside, got in trouble for not coming when the street lights came on. Owned BB guns, played with matches, carried pocket knives to school in belt pouches, read books, had friends of different races and they ate at our table and spent the night at our house and I did the same at their homes.
Phones had dials and were mounted to the wall, TV had a couple channels. and we only had one. Did have a few box fans though.
Got my first W-2 starting in the 6th grade.

Different times for sure.
I would wager there are a lot of 25 year olds who have never seen a W2 in this age.
 

Marbles

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AK
Every person born in America after 1940 is from the generations of wimps. Their parents and grandparents built a world that was far easier, and now the first wimp generation must make themselves feel better by talking down about the subsequent wimp generations. It is laughable.

To the OP, if you had worked 16 hours, 7 days a week at 8 years old I might care. As it is, you prove my point because what you report for being tough conditions are quite frankly, by the standard of most of human history, very soft.
 

Shortschaf

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Jul 29, 2020
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They didn't have 24/7 news in the 1900's (that's me calling you an old fart ;))

They do have that now, so every tiny happening is turned into a major headline event
 

FLS

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May 11, 2019
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My grandmother grew up on a small farm in rural South Carolina. She talked about picking 100 pounds of cotton by hand in a day. That’s some hard assed work. No AC, no indoor plumbing, and she raised 10 kids. You didn’t have any choice but to be tough or you died.
 

Squincher

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Jan 25, 2020
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Midwest
Every person born in America after 1940 is from the generations of wimps. Their parents and grandparents built a world that was far easier, and now the first wimp generation must make themselves feel better by talking down about the subsequent wimp generations. It is laughable.

To the OP, if you had worked 16 hours, 7 days a week at 8 years old I might care. As it is, you prove my point because what you report for being tough conditions are quite frankly, by the standard of most of human history, very soft.

The "anxiety generation" darn sure came about long after 1940.
 
Joined
Nov 16, 2017
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Central Oregon
All them Boomers said my generation was soft to.
But when It came time to un alive terrorists we stepped up real quick and did our duty.

Sure there is alot of soft shit and soft people and soft news reports.

But I also believe there is always alot of Lions ready to go to work when needed.

We just are not concerned with the softies or interested in squabbling about it.
 
Joined
May 10, 2015
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Timberline
Every person born in America after 1940 is from the generations of wimps. Their parents and grandparents built a world that was far easier, and now the first wimp generation must make themselves feel better by talking down about the subsequent wimp generations. It is laughable.

You need to get out more. This post simply is not true.
 
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