Miata Mailing List: November 1995, Message #159
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   From: a.mccombs3@genie.com
Subject: Re: More psychobabble
   Date: Thu, 2 Nov 1995 20:30:08 -0500

Roseanne comments on Josh's story of the teens who verbally threatened to
beat the excrement out of a Miata person because she was "rich."  Well,
here's another dose of Jack's amateur (and pessimistic) psychology.  After
this one, I promise - no more!  (Until the next time something sets me off.)

I dunno that this really has anything to do with absolute wealth.  I believe
it to be a relative thing.  Threatened person had a neat little car; teens
didn't.  The teens were envious - they wanted a neat car like that, too.
And they wanted it RIGHT NOW.  I fear that the philosophy of instant
gratification and the short attention span, have pretty much come to rule
the modern world, at least in the USA.  If it takes time and hard work to
accomplish something, then the hell with it.  Let's steal someone else's
(money, car, life, etc.) instead.  It's quicker and easier.

There are a couple alternatives to taking what doesn't belong to you:  The
hard way, which takes time and effort (like a college education, and working
one's way up the ladder), or rather than aspiring to what others have, then
the easy way - tearing the others down to your level.  This was likely also
a part of these teens agenda:  They couldn't have what they wanted RIGHT
NOW, so let's trash that which the other party has (if not the car, then the
person) so we're all even.

I see the results of this all the time in the DC area:  The trash in the
streets and gutters, etc.  In the rougher areas, the locals may be guilty of
"crapping in their own beds" so to speak, just out of hopelessness and
despair.  But I can't believe that this is the reason for the decay in (what
should be) nicer areas.  Here, I believe it's due to the "it's too hard to
arrange my life to work up to what these people have; I'll tear them down to
my level instead" philosophy, even though it is almost certainly on a
subconscious level.

The answer?  I can't change society, so I'll move to a location where
society is different.  For the present, I'm selling out insofar as my values
are concerned and staying in the DC area, because that's where the good
positions are, at least in our chosen fields.  Damn shame when it comes to
that, but that's how it seems to be, at least looking through my eyes.  At
least it's still possible to get some quality time around here with our
Miata, and a get together with fellow Miata owners and club members.  Here's
to Miata people!
                                                --Jack M. & KANSEI--