‘Eliminate all the frivolous noise’

Jobs and money
3/19/10
‘These teens should be tried as adults’
3/19/10
‘A gift to give their loved ones ...’
3/19/10
Chipmunks and cats
3/19/10
‘They gave us the best of themselves’
3/19/10
> More opinion headlines

9:55 AM Monday, February 8, 2010

We, the Americans of 2010, are in a real conundrum. We thrust through our work week looking forward to the weekend. We often seek to find our individuality and social standing by staring at Web sites, sending text messages and forwarding immature e-mails. We often feel affronted when we miss out on the hottest viral video or newest Internet sensation.

More often than not, we base our self-worth on having the most recent technology and — when we see someone with something better — we watch them with covetous eyes.

The average person keeps a cell phone 9-18 months before replacing it. And why do most replace them? Well, it sure isn’t because it was broken.

Yet, at the same time, we pride ourselves on being more environmentally conscious. We make an effort to recycle our trash, which a great deal of still goes into landfills, but — hey — not your problem ... you did your part.

We push governments and lawmakers to find better and more efficient sources of power but still have a preference for driving huge gas-guzzling SUVs. We are first in line to provide aid to ailing countries but fail to recognize the plight of those inside our own borders.

We protest about illegal immigrants but, at the same time, we benefit from their cheap labor and wallow in all of the profits that NAFTA has ravaged from their home lands.

We complain about rising trends of violence but continue to glorify it on TV and movies.

The point is that we are a generation of people that is besieged to find its identity and, more importantly, a sense of relevancy. We need to eliminate all of the frivolous noise from our ears and focus on clear, concise goals to shape our future.

It is clear that we need to focus more on our families and community but we also need to rethink our way of life. If being better international citizens means that we need to increase prices on some products we use, then so be it.

More importantly, this generation must redefine the “American way” of life because, if the world lived by our standards, we would have run out of natural resources years ago. We are shaping the future — and not just our own, but that of the world around us.

Eric Maurits

Hamilton

Share this article

ADD COMMENT

Comments feed

Eric, I think you made some good points but it is also great to hear everyone's counterpoints. Conveying your message is essential but how people react to it and respond to it is more important. Whether you are for or against the points the author made at least it raised your curiosity enough to respond. Kudos.

Rick
8:12 AM, 2/15/2010

REPORT ABUSE

You made some excellent points Eric, and your letter was well worth reading. Many (not all) Americans have grown fat and lazy. We live in the greatest country in the world but many fail to appreciate it.

mc mechanic
7:57 PM, 2/11/2010

REPORT ABUSE

Hey, if you want your children to grow up in a desolate, lifeless wasteland, then thats your problem. Its a little thing called being considerate. When your mind is closed nothing good can happen.

Cori
6:10 PM, 2/11/2010

REPORT ABUSE

The US has been a "welfare" provider for the world and where has it got us, in a hole. The frivolous noise that I will tune out is the globalist, internationalist, and progressive message, it's all BS anyway.

HowRad
3:43 PM, 2/9/2010

REPORT ABUSE

Those of us with large SUV's take your kids, and their gear camping with the scouts..... Bring your kids tuba home from school so they can practice. Take the basketball team to a game when the bus doesn;t show up.

If all of us drove prius's, none of us would go anywhere as a group, and your kids would lead boring lives.

tom
1:17 PM, 2/9/2010

REPORT ABUSE

There are 2 additional comments

SHOW ALL

We welcome your comments. Please remember this is a public forum and behave appropriately. Your comments must conform to our visitor's agreement.