• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

12 year old know it all!...Not!

#161
Odonian said:
This may come across as nitpicky, but, I feel your choice of the word salvageable is rather distasteful. Sounds like you're talking about an object, like you picked up a beater guitar off CL to refinish. I also find your assumptions about the lack character of poor people to be concerning.
Click to expand...
I'm being frank in my use of the word "salvageable". What I really mean is that every person's time is limited. When you are trying to help one person, you are taking time away from helping another. A better word in this case may be "I don't have the skills to help this particular person so I'll try to help someone who's issues and personality more fit my skill level." But it is just a "nicer" way of saying the same thing. The person is not "salvageable" via the way I attack it.

And I definitely stand by my perception of the character of poor people as a whole. But it is US centric in that this is the land of opportunity. Once you reach adulthood, you are responsible for what you do with your life with the tools you have been blessed with. If you make poor decisions, you will either become poor or, if you are already poor, you will remain poor. My attitude about the poor is a generalization - and one we all apply when we are more careful about locking our cars and clutching our purses in some neighborhoods as opposed to others.

i.e. I was stating the obvious.
 
#162
mellowinman said:
When I was 12 years old, my father used to murder me in my sleep about once a month. After I had died 73 or 74 times, it got to the point where I couldn't even squeeze out a ghost anymore. In those days, parents would give their children a case of the whooping cough, or black plague, just so's the kids would know they had to mind, and God help 'em if they were ever late to supper, after 16 hours toiling in the fields! I remember me and all my little friends fought the Nazis off singlehandedly when they tried to overtake our town. The grownups just sat by and laughed and ate sandwiches while all of us were being hit by machine gun fire, and blowing up from mortar shells. Back then, if you had a arm blowed off, they'd just sew another one on, and send you right back out there! It got to the point where I had two left arms, and one a my feet was a size 16. Really made shoe shopping hard, I guess, but back then we almost never had any shoes anyway. We'd just nail sandpaper to our feet, and pour turpentine on it.
Click to expand...
16 hours toiling in the fields....or 16 hours trolling on the internet.....
 
  • Like
Reactions: Scatabrain
#164
Robroy said:
I'm being frank in my use of the word "salvageable". What I really mean is that every person's time is limited. When you are trying to help one person, you are taking time away from helping another. A better word in this case may be "I don't have the skills to help this particular person so I'll try to help someone who's issues and personality more fit my skill level." But it is just a "nicer" way of saying the same thing. The person is not "salvageable" via the way I attack it.

And I definitely stand by my perception of the character of poor people as a whole. But it is US centric in that this is the land of opportunity. Once you reach adulthood, you are responsible for what you do with your life with the tools you have been blessed with. If you make poor decisions, you will either become poor or, if you are already poor, you will remain poor. My attitude about the poor is a generalization - and one we all apply when we are more careful about locking our cars and clutching our purses in some neighborhoods as opposed to others.

i.e. I was stating the obvious.
Click to expand...

I lock my car everywhere. I don't judge character based on the apparent economics of where I am.

Sure 40 years ago we didn't lock our doors until the dog came in for his last nature call. Today? We have alarms, protection, mobile phones, panic buttons. The works. Our economic status is the same.
 
  • Like
Reactions: organworthyplayer337 and Odonian
#166
Michael B said:
I lock my car everywhere. I don't judge character based on the apparent economics of where I am.

Sure 40 years ago we didn't lock our doors until the dog came in for his last nature call. Today? We have alarms, protection, mobile phones, panic buttons. The works. Our economic status is the same.
Click to expand...
Interesting. Both in Kentucky and in Seattle I've played in bands that rehearse in "nice" neighborhoods and "not so nice" neighborhoods. The one I'm in now in Louisville rehearses in a "not so nice" neighborhood. I was strongly warned to lock my...

Wait a second. You're trolling me! OF COURSE you are more careful in poor neighborhoods than more affluent ones. You may lock stuff everywhere, but in some areas you are more mindful of the higher risk. Every sane person is. Especially women.
 
#168
mellowinman said:
When I was 12, which was around 1937, if a child spoke at all, we just went ahead and shot 'em. That's why I didn't speak until I was 27, and then I got most a the words wrong. Back then, children worked in coal mines, and gave their parents all their money, and were danged grateful to do it! Most of my friends died from black lung by the age a 15! We needs ta bring back them times! People was happier in those days, even if they didn't know it!
Click to expand...
Luxury!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Adamixoye, Sixgunn, hintz and 4 others
#169
Robroy said:
There is another girl (15 YO) from our church that we tried to "take in" as a friend, but she is so obnoxious that it is making it difficult to even try to help her. She is fat, constantly hungry, and will not eat anything healthy we put in front of her. And no amount of encouragement or positive talk works on ANY subject. It's like talking to a bag of raw narcissism. She is utterly oblivious to any attempted teaching of any kind. It's like trying to talk rocket science to a two year old. We've decided to apply our efforts elsewhere.

How do you fix that kind of stupid? And that is what it is. It is not ignorance. It is raw, unadulterated, in your face stupidity.
Click to expand...

In cases that that, you have to get severely strict and remove her ability to make incorrect choices until she adopts some new values. Sort of like going to boot camp. Age 15 is not too young to learn, but unfortunately, these days doing so would likely be considered child abuse.
 
  • Like
Reactions: organworthyplayer337
#171
Nev375 said:
In cases that that, you have to get severely strict and remove her ability to make incorrect choices until she adopts some new values. Sort of like going to boot camp. Age 15 is not too young to learn, but unfortunately, these days doing so would likely be considered child abuse.
Click to expand...
Yep. I completely agree. And here we are, in the culture we currently "enjoy".
 
#172
Robroy said:
Interesting. Both in Kentucky and in Seattle I've played in bands that rehearse in "nice" neighborhoods and "not so nice" neighborhoods. The one I'm in now in Louisville rehearses in a "not so nice" neighborhood. I was strongly warned to lock my...

Wait a second. You're trolling me! OF COURSE you are more careful in poor neighborhoods than more affluent ones. You may lock stuff everywhere, but in some areas you are more mindful of the higher risk. Every sane person is. Especially women.
Click to expand...

Perhaps you are not aware that you are making sweaping generalizations and when challenged you back off from them.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Adamixoye, Thisguy, hintz and 1 other person
#175
Robroy said:
I'm being frank in my use of the word "salvageable". What I really mean is that every person's time is limited. When you are trying to help one person, you are taking time away from helping another. A better word in this case may be "I don't have the skills to help this particular person so I'll try to help someone who's issues and personality more fit my skill level." But it is just a "nicer" way of saying the same thing. The person is not "salvageable" via the way I attack it.

And I definitely stand by my perception of the character of poor people as a whole. But it is US centric in that this is the land of opportunity. Once you reach adulthood, you are responsible for what you do with your life with the tools you have been blessed with. If you make poor decisions, you will either become poor or, if you are already poor, you will remain poor. My attitude about the poor is a generalization - and one we all apply when we are more careful about locking our cars and clutching our purses in some neighborhoods as opposed to others.

i.e. I was stating the obvious.
Click to expand...

I appreciate your explanation of your word choice, and your level headed response to criticism, it is refreshing to be able to engage in these kind of conversations on the internet without it turning into insult hurling.

I still disagree with your assumptions of character. I grew up on free lunch and food stamps, i dont snatch purses or steal cars. I started working full time at 16 because my dad couldnt make child support most months. I dont snatch purses or steal cars. I qork retail because on paper that is what i am qualified for, i have enough to eat and a home, but statistically speaking my anual income is below the national poverty line. I dont snatch purses or steal cars.

I am neither the exception to the rule or the standard of poor people, because people can not be generalised the way you want to. I have met more hard working poor people who appreciate what they have than the opposite. Most of the untrustworthy shady people i meet come from middle class backgrounds.

Edited for length and relevance
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: hintz, One Drop, Luke19Boarder and 2 others
#176
mellowinman said:
When I was 12 years old, my father used to murder me in my sleep about once a month. After I had died 73 or 74 times, it got to the point where I couldn't even squeeze out a ghost anymore. In those days, parents would give their children a case of the whooping cough, or black plague, just so's the kids would know they had to mind, and God help 'em if they were ever late to supper, after 16 hours toiling in the fields! I remember me and all my little friends fought the Nazis off singlehandedly when they tried to overtake our town. The grownups just sat by and laughed and ate sandwiches while all of us were being hit by machine gun fire, and blowing up from mortar shells. Back then, if you had a arm blowed off, they'd just sew another one on, and send you right back out there! It got to the point where I had two left arms, and one a my feet was a size 16. Really made shoe shopping hard, I guess, but back then we almost never had any shoes anyway. We'd just nail sandpaper to our feet, and pour turpentine on it.
Click to expand...
I remember the days when I was young just wishing we could afford nails and sandpaper!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Adamixoye, Sixgunn, hintz and 2 others
#177
Michael B said:
Ok. I guess we're at an impasse then.
Click to expand...
Yep. The only way I'll back off a generalization is to admit that it is a generalization. Like when I say men are taller than women, and somebody says, "That is wrong! Brooke Shields is six foot!". I may say, "Well, generally speaking, men are taller than women."

And I would be right.

The thing is, it is clearly implied within the culture where I make the claim. It's like saying "it's sunny in California.", and someone says, "Nuh uh. It rained today in LA." Do I really have to clarify, or are they just being contrarian? And if I DO clarify, am I "backing down"? No. I am not.
 
#178
mellowinman said:
When I was 12 years old, my father used to murder me in my sleep about once a month. After I had died 73 or 74 times, it got to the point where I couldn't even squeeze out a ghost anymore. In those days, parents would give their children a case of the whooping cough, or black plague, just so's the kids would know they had to mind, and God help 'em if they were ever late to supper, after 16 hours toiling in the fields! I remember me and all my little friends fought the Nazis off singlehandedly when they tried to overtake our town. The grownups just sat by and laughed and ate sandwiches while all of us were being hit by machine gun fire, and blowing up from mortar shells. Back then, if you had a arm blowed off, they'd just sew another one on, and send you right back out there! It got to the point where I had two left arms, and one a my feet was a size 16. Really made shoe shopping hard, I guess, but back then we almost never had any shoes anyway. We'd just nail sandpaper to our feet, and pour turpentine on it.
Click to expand...

...and we liked it. We liked it just fine.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sixgunn, hintz, elgecko and 1 other person

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back