Why aren't truckers in the driver's seat?

Children in school today have to have access to the Internet. The world and how we learn has changed since we were kids whether we like it or agree with it or not. Some classes are now online and even with ones that aren't online, many assignments require access to the Web. Many college courses require a laptop. And with the increase in crime and number of whack jobs on the street I'll gladly provide my kids their own phones. My family comes first and I will always give them whatever I can. A two-bedroom home isn't practical when you have multiple children or children of the opposite sex. I have no problem living within my means but that doesn't mean I'm willing to settle for a low-paying company or job and reduce my family's level of comfort simply because ACME company pays a wage less than what is considered fair or wants to pay a lower wage at the drivers' expense. I have a nice cushion and managed that because of my lifestyle, not in spite of it. I agree with paying cash whenever possible and I never cared about television, personally. I'd rather be outdoors hunting, camping or fishing. My home is almost paid for and the largest debt I have now is college tuition.

 

So you've been to funerals of people who have died from tuberculosis then? Got a ton of friends with Polio? Smallpox? Cholera? Typhus?

Current life expectancy and lots of history books would suggest otherwise.

Well I can only speak for myself but I'm pretty happy.

First of all, why is that the real question? That really has absolutely nothing to do with this discussion. But to answer your real question society isn't any better or worse because of technology. Everyone is equipped with a brain and free will. If people are less interactive than they used to be, it ain't because of technology, its because that's how people want it. Are things the way they used to be when we were kids? Nope. But when we were kids, things were not how they used to be when our parents were kids. And so on and so forth. This has been going on for ages. If you want to run around and yell that the sky is falling because people like to spend time focused on their cell phones, knock yourself out. But don't expect me to join you. I'll be playing Angry Birds and I'll be doing so with complete confidence that society will be just fine.

 

Dang right.

I text a lot and angry birds is awesome.

Ethan

 

It seems that I hit a few nerves with my post. I will address them in general. As a society we are not healthier and obesity is epidemic. According to some this generation is actually expected to have a lower life expectency than previous generations. Rather than getting out and getting exercise, too many will sit or rather lay around and watch TV or play video games or on the internet. Our educational sytem has steadily declined since the 1960's as test scores will show. Our children used to be at the top world wide, now we are well down the list. Instead of encouraging innovation and self reliance, group thought and collectivism is being taught in our schools where everyone is dependent on the others for their grade. Rather than communicating one on one, children and many younger adults will text instead of having an enriching conversation. Instead of having time with the family children go off into their rooms and text or play video games. Some of today's games seen to teach violence rather than being a time to interract and learn how to compete and get along with others.

Instead of working toward a goal, people demand that they receive what they want immediately without effort. They think the government should provide for their needs and believe the propaganda that the rich are evil and that government should take from them and what they have produced with their efforts to those who choose to be lazy and unproductive.

Technology is a double edged sword. In some respects technology is good, but is does seem that we are serving technology rather than technology serving mankind.

There are so many more stresses today than when I grew up. Just look around at all the kids with diabetes and high blood pressure. That rarely happened when I grew up. People got out and exercised their bodies and minds. Some of the diseases that were thought to have been erradicated are making a comeback. People are not happy with all the technology. In fact, most people find that a simpler life is much more satisfying when given the option. Today, millions of Americans are taking anti depressants and other medications. They are not dealing with their problems but taking drugs so that they don't need to confront them. Illegal drug use is higher than ever. Prisons are filled to the brim. Children are being sexually abused more than I can remember. It was a rare thing to hear about a child being sexually abused back when I grew up. We hear about it all the time today.

I think that there is still an American spirit, but the light is getting very dim. Unless the attitude of Americans change this nation will soon be just another asterisk in the history books of an empire that imploded.

 

Same here and Angry Birds is the bomb.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

Wow, that is one heck of a broad brush you're painting with there. Doing the trim and the baseboard must be tough.

According to whom exactly? And based on what data exactly?

What does that have to do with this discussion? Are you implying that technology is to blame? That's a stretch if ever there was one.

This is a very broad generalization and is not at all reflective of the majority of society. But more importantly, it really doesn't have much to do with the topic at hand.

It doesn't seem that way at all to me. Not even a little.

And your parents said the same thing when they were your age. And their parents said the same thing when they were your age. And so on and so on and so on. Its a situation that has existed for many generations. Smart phones have been around for less than 10 years. The math isn't really in your corner on this one.

Apple's sales figures would suggest otherwise.

Just because you didn't hear about it much when you were a kid, doesn't mean it wasn't happening. People are much more likely to report those kinds of crimes now than they were when I was a kid. I see that as a good thing and I feel sorry for you if you don't.

 

But, G/MAN, one thing you miss in your assessment that we are now unhealthier than in previous years, is that we have found a lot more conditions than we knew existed in the past. People since the dawn of time have died from heart failure, suffered from bone and cartilage loss, had trouble sleeping, etc. Just that now we have a medical community set on finding new ailments every day to cause some of us worry. Over weight is one condition that can have detrimental effects, but I am not so sure it is as big a boogie man as politicians and others would have us believe. Take a look, for instance, at pictures of women that were considered "hotties" a hundred years ago compared to models of today. Those gals would be considered overweight by today's standards. No skin and bones Twiggy models back then.

Average life expectancy, when Social Security was implemented was around 62 years. Now it is closer to 80 years. Kinda of hard to quantify that we are sicker than ever. People died from simple cuts because of lack of anti-biotics and tetanus vaccines just a century ago. Sure we have a laundry list of ailments now that we didn't have just 50 years ago, but mostly because the medical community didn't even know they existed, even though they have always been with us.

 

No nerve touched. Simply agree to disagree on some points. I agree with most of what you wrote in the first paragraph except the violence thing. We played army as kids where we "killed" each other and bashed each other via Rock'm Sock'm Robots and other "games of violence" yet it did little damage.

As far as education and the government providing some things, this is its job and but one reason the Department of Education exists, to promote student achievement and prepare them for global competitive careers.

I don't see many buying into the rhetoric that the "rich are evil." Class warfare rises when the "haves" seek to increase their holdings at the expense of those who have less as has been the corporate creed for too long. Taking an equal shake from all, such as a flat percentage of income, equates taking from ALL not just "them (the rich)".

Blame parents for allowing the kids to sit on the computer all day and feeding them junk food. Responsibility begins in the home with the parents.

I agree a simpler life -is- more satisfying but the current generational gap shows us not all think like us and the proverbial genie is out of the bottle. Instant gratification is fostered through instant messaging and communication and fast food and having any information at your fingertips in mere seconds.

Illegal drug use is at an all-time high because when the economy tanks people seek to numb themselves. Historically, whenever the economy tanks, sex, drugs and liquor use increases. We need only look to the Baby Boom generation for proof of this demonstrated by our sheer numbers. Also, man has sought to alter his consciousness since the beginning of time whether through chemicals, religion, meditation, exercise or what have you. Legislation against an innate trait of man is inherently foolish which relates directly to prison numbers. Since we have the most incarcerations in the world despite our country being smaller and having less population than some other industrialized nations we are left with two possibilities. We have either the most evil populace on earth or some of our laws are unjust and wrong.

I don't see the glass as half empty, I see it as half full. We can always improve but we must adapt and change with the world. We can no longer coast on our past accomplishments and bleat patriotic cheers of the U.S. being #1 unless we come together and work toward a common goal of which themes must include educating our children and paying a liveable wage which must increase accordingly with the cost of goods and living. The American Dream is alive and well but we must work at making it easier to attain for individuals and families, not more difficult.

 

There is a difference using your imagination with make believe guns and playing Army than playing violent video games for hours on end. With video games you don't need to use your imagination. When society changes we need to look for the cause. Studies have been done which suggest that there is a correlation between playing violent video games, for long periods of time, to violent behavior.

Our education was the best in the world when I grew up. The government used busing to achieve racial quota's and that took many children away from close proximity to their homes and families, making it more difficult for parents to get to school meetings and to get involved in their children's school. Little by little, the government moved more away from teaching basics to political correct issues. Sex education was considered more important than teaching children how to lead a moral life and to be responsible citizens. We were taught civics and how our government works. Most can't even name the three branches of government, today. Once the government got more involved they decided that it was better to not embarrass a child who didn't do their work and earn the right to pass to an attitude of pushing children into the next grade when they were not prepared. Changing text books to reflect a certain political agenda rather than teaching actual history. Children have been graduating in recent years who can't even read and write. Many can't even count change without the use of a computer. That would not have been allowed to happen just 30 years ago. It teaches children that they don't need to work in order to achieve or be successful.

I have spoken to a number of people in the last couple of years who have bought into the "rich against the rest of us" mentality. I think that a flat tax would be more fair to everyone. The rich should not be penalized for their success. The poor should also be willing to contribute to society. A flat rate would be fair to everyone. Everybody pays the same percentage of their income is the only way to fairly tax people where everyone pays something.

I agree. It is the parents who are ultimately to blame for their children's behavior. Too many refuse to actually "parent." They would rather be their child's best friend than their parent. Some people should never be parents. Eating habits start when we are children. Parents used to prepare meals at home. Today, many are too willing to go to McDonald's than take time to cook a healthy meal at home. Pushing children outdoors to play would be a good way to get them away from the computer and into a much more healthy lifestyle. We were told to go outside and play and our parents had to call us to come to dinner. Obesity is rampant in our society and is obvious in trucking. There are a lot of drivers who pass the 400 pound mark. It is only a matter of time until we have weight limits on drivers in order to work in this industry. There are already sleep apnea studies for those with a certain ratio of body fat.

There are some good points about having access to technology. It is difficult to imagine going back to how I had to run my business without internet or computer access. It is the total reliance that is the problem. I could survive without the technology, but it would make things more challenging. I operated without the computer for longer than they have been available in this industry. I could do it again, if needed. There are many drivers today who rely so much on their gps that they could not find their way if their technology failed. Some can't even read a map. Technology can make our lives easier in some respects but more difficult in others.

Illegal drug use has been increasing since the 1960's when it was rare. Historically, people do tend to want to numb themselves or escape with the economy is bad, but I don't think you can blame all the illegal drug use on the economy. It was a thriving industry long before the economy tanked. I don't know if there is more use today than before the fall in the economy. There are too many people who are incarcerated. Many things that were not illegal a couple of decades ago are now illegal. We have also witnessed a general moral decline as a nation during that time. Those with a close religious belief system are much less likely to get involved in illegal activities or go to prison than those who are not exposed to a belief in God.

If we are to survive and thrive then we will need to adapt. That is how I and others have managed to survive over the years. We adapt. This country is more divided today than I can recall. It will be a challenge to get people back together. Education is important to being able to do well in life, as is a strong belief in God. When people are prepared they can earn a good living. People need to learn at an early age that they will need to put forth effort if they are to be successful. Children need to learn to take responsibility for their failures and not blame others. Work to not make the same mistakes in the future. When we demand nothing from children, that is what we receive. When we expect children to take responsibility and do well, they tend to do excel. We need more parents to become involved and less government in our lives. It is still possible to earn a good living. Trucking is still one area where people can come with minimal training and earn an above living.

 

Go G/man !!! .........