# Are we losing it? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 1, 2015, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655 "2015-09-01T23:43:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/41 "2015-09-02T01:01:13Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > You might want to be aware that there is actually a rule about posting in English on this MB. Damn it. You’re right. I did know about that rule, I swear. Mea culpa. I’ll get back to English. Borking in Norsk would be a stupid thing to get a warning over. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/42 "2015-09-02T01:01:55Z")
> [@John\_Mace](#): > > I do speak a little, and I could get what you guys were talking about, having spent some wonderful time in Norway. You might want to be aware that there is actually a rule about posting in English on this MB. The mods are usually OK with a few words here and there, but not multiple posts. Sorry for the last post, I’ll stop. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/43 "2015-09-02T01:05:05Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > I have my battles, but I have a good life. I do whatever I can for people I care about, and I know those people would do the same. But I could probably do a lot more. I’m trying locally, and I do help in certain different ways, even with direct monetary support, but is it enough? I’m just asking for opinions, or what some dopers would call assurances. it sounds to me like you are doing enough. maybe later you can do more. i think you are doing fine however. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/44 "2015-09-02T01:12:56Z")
You think so? My brother is facing another sentence in prison, for not paying tickets. His tickets are primarily for being at demonstrations and occupating unused, state-owned property. He did use force in a defensive way, he helped put up barricades. And he might have to quit his studies as an illustrator/graphic designer if he has to pay, and because of that he’d rather study than pay. So he’s pretty happy with a prison sentence… ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Pig](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c57346/32.png) [@Little\_Pig](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Pig)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/45 "2015-09-02T01:19:12Z")
Given the OPs admitted lack of “responsibility for spelling or other mistakes, I don’t really care. All I want is to get an answer”, then yes, this narcissistic little tic does conjure a sense of loss. And this twit is a “student”? Of what, “selfies” and “likes”? Can we PIT this vermin? ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/46 "2015-09-02T01:24:35Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Can we PIT this vermin? Yikes. That’s harsh. The kid’s all right. No malice in him. He just needs to sober up, get some sleep and ask a more specific and focused question. ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/47 "2015-09-02T01:25:57Z")
> [@Little\_Pig](#): > > Can we PIT this vermin? I don’t think this is an honest question. ---
**Author:** ![tuesdayweld](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ccd318/32.png) [@tuesdayweld](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tuesdayweld)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/48 "2015-09-02T01:28:47Z")
I just loost five minutes of my time having dedicated it to reading this thread - well, not totally loost as Martian Bigfoot provided a few chuckles along the way. Yes: pit-worthy. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/49 "2015-09-02T01:28:48Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > I don’t think this is an honest question. Oh. Heck, I’m calling it a night, too. I can’t tell a whoosh from a wallop at this hour. ---
**Author:** ![Robert163](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/4af34b/32.png) [@Robert163](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robert163)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/50 "2015-09-02T01:30:47Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > You think so? My brother is facing another sentence in prison, for not paying tickets. His tickets are primarily for being at demonstrations and occupating unused, state-owned property. He did use force in a defensive way, he helped put up barricades. And he might have to quit his studies as an illustrator/graphic designer if he has to pay, and because of that he’d rather study than pay. So he’s pretty happy with a prison sentence… how long is the sentence? ---
**Author:** ![Plumpudding](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/edb3f5/32.png) [@Plumpudding](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Plumpudding)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/51 "2015-09-02T01:34:28Z")
His sentence is a couple of moths to around half a year, depending. My sentences are way too long. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/52 "2015-09-02T01:40:43Z")
Easily long enough to fit in plenty of spelling and grammar errors. 😉 My experience with Norwegians and the Dutch is that they speak better English than I. ---
**Author:** ![boffking](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/858c86/32.png) [@boffking](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boffking)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/53 "2015-09-02T01:42:20Z")
> [@Plumpudding](#): > > Yeah and artists are usually trained in the academic language called “astral-wanking”. I sin\*\*\*celery \*\*\*apologize. > > Edit: Wow I spelled my bad joke wrong. Sin celery would go great with deviled eggs. ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/54 "2015-09-02T01:48:54Z")
You’re certainly going to lose most perspective under capitalism. A lot of interesting discussion now about the post-capitalist world. It even seems less of a religion or identity-defining notion for the USA (post crash). Things were definitely increasingly difficult through the 20t century. If the world can get a genuine handle on capitalism pretty much anything is possible. ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/55 "2015-09-02T13:38:04Z")
The idea that the world is supposed to progress is a legacy of the Age of Enlightenment, when people thought that the general increase in human knowledge would ultimately lead to a Golden Age. (This was the 1700s’ attempt to deal with existential terror, i.e., the basic fact that life sucks and then you die. Prior to that time, Christianity had dealt with this issue by saying “Yes, _this_ life sucks, but it’s supposed to, and the next life will not suck, as long as you do X, Y, and Z.” The answer provided by the Age of Enlightenment was “Yes, life sucks _now_, but it won’t suck in the future.”) That idea is obviously still around, but it started to get called into question around the mid-1800s, when people started to realize that the growth of human knowledge was, among other things, making it easier for people to find more efficient ways of exploiting and killing large numbers of their fellow beings. Modernism and everything that has followed after has been an attempt to come up with some new paradigm for dealing with existential terror. (In my humble opinion.) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/56 "2015-09-02T14:06:11Z")
The world really _is_ progressing. It’s just not a linear progression. Living in the age we do, it’s hard to have perspective about this but for much of history 99% of the population toiled from the moment they awoke to the moment they went to bed. The lucky ones had meal breaks. Leisure time is essentially an invention of the 20th century for all but the 1%. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2015, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655/57 "2015-09-02T15:28:48Z")
This morning I thought I was losing my religion, but then The Pixies came on and I realized I was just losing my mind. Stranger [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-we-losing-it/729655.md?page=2)