Every time I turn on the radio I am assailed by ads targeting old people ( funerals and retirement homes/ home help etc ) from young people wanting to exploit the aged; real estate agents trying to flog their overpriced hovels so they can get rich rich rich, the government brings in some more expensive "reforms" that will have to be paid for by future generations; and if I mistakenly turn on what purports to be music ( for the young generation ) it melts my brain.

Not only that, but the talk back programs that I used to enjoy have seemingly all been taken over by woke feminists ( of either sex ).

 

Can't even watch live tv anymore, as that has gone completely woke and seems there are more ads than program, and the ads themselves are just awful. New age soaps seem to be populated by the ugliest people that they can find, and they are really horrible people. I've seen ads for ghastly shows about young people such as the "Beauty and the Geek" style shows, but the "beauties" are really ugly and unpleasant. I'd rather stick a pencil in my eye than actually watch one of those shows.

 

Shopping- everything seems to be made in China and break after 5 minutes.

 

Cars, all ticky tacky clones and can't fix them yourself any more.

 

Houses, new developments have about 2 meters between houses and no space at all for kids to play. Now the government want to allow 3 story apartments in residential areas where all are currently single story houses- what could possibly be not to like about that ( sarcasm alert )? Spend a half million bucks on the overpriced, badly built shack that is all one could find, and find a 3 story apartment block with people looking into your bedroom.

 

Schools, kids just don't seem very well educated today- can't even do mental arithmetic. Could be because no one wants to teach maths anymore and kids all use computers anyway.

 

Driving, utter maniacs on the roads that should never be given a licence, though apparently licences are optional for a certain segment of the population.

 

Food, sugar saturated, over salted, over processed junk. The toxic waste we are eating is killing us slowly IMO.

 

Overpopulation, population growth in poor countries continues unabated, and then they want to move to wealthy western countries because they can't find a decent job at home.

 

Unemployment- too many young people wanting to live on benefits ( other people's money ) instead of getting off their butt and doing a job, and the government pandering to them by making it easy to get the dole.

 

Christmas, it's no longer a time for family and friends- no, it's a time to spend spend spend. Crass commercialism has IMO taken over. The small town I'm in doesn't even bother with decorations. For all the council cares, it's just an excuse to spend money that people don't have. 

Also, all the townies decide to go driving in the country and have no idea how to drive over 50 kph.

 

Actually, it's the exploitation of Christmas by crass commercialism that brought on this rant. It's really making me PO.

 

Merry Christmas ????

 

 

I am still trying to work out my first Christmas in Thailand, the whole traditional Christmas is not really going to work, maybe small gifts for the children? The younger ones will not know of Santa Claus, so that magic is not viable, I guess yes it will be gifts from me and my wife to the children, commercial it is then ????

 

As for your other comments, living in Isaan means largely unaffected, already 'got off' to a large extent

 

Merry Christmas ????⛄

39 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

as that has gone completely woke

keep up with the buzzwords of the right, maybe that's part of the problem, instead of enjoying life as it is, you want to find something to make you think they're coming for you......

Your complaints are the same i have heard for my entire adult life... "woe is me, things are sooo much worse than they used to be".

 

To me it seems that you are the same as the complainers I heard in the 70s and 80s... if you are stuck in the muck and only looking back, you are most certainly missing the best of an entire world moving forward.

 

Me, I'm loving 2021 and looking forward to another year of fun and adventure to come.

 

????????????????

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Actually, it's the exploitation of Christmas by crass commercialism that brought on this rant. It's really making me PO.

I disagree with almost everything you wrote, from my sofa in Chiang Mai.

It's a lovely morning, the wife and kid slept on the bedroom balcony in a tent all night.

The rabbits are happily eating together on the driveway, it's sunrise and the birds are tweeting, a chilly 12c outside.

 

I'm happily living in a house without much space around it, I hate gardening so it's great for me, my kids play in the street and park with all the other kids.

Back in the UK there were lots of terraced houses since Queen Victoria with even less space.

 

Where I can agree,

Reality Tv is dreadful, the participants are awful people and the viewers are brain dead people.  I haven't watched any reality TV since it first kicked off in the 1990s.

Only watched stuff from torrents the past 10 years, no ads.

I also avoid watching anything that is 'western women' centered.

 

Xmas,

Made mince pies, that's it, Xmas is just another day where I live.

HomePro are delivering a new bathroom door Xmas day.

My family are Buddhists, no celebration, no gifts.

Sounds like the OP may be in U.S. California.

If not, he is sure describing what it is.

11 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Sounds like the OP may be in U.S. California.

If not, he is sure describing what it is.

Maybe... but I have heard the same screed from the woeful from all parts of the world.

 

There are those who accept and move in the world as it is. And there are those who can only pine for a time which only exists in their mind. Geographic location means little if anything at all to the malcontent.

18 minutes ago, bkk6060 said:

Sounds like the OP may be in U.S. California.

If not, he is sure describing what it is.

Sounds more like Australia to me.

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Every time I turn on the radio

OP, I think your opening line sums up everything.

Nobody even owns a radio anymore, its from another century (literally). Surprised you don't call it the wireless.

Have you heard of podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, literally a whole world of media, information, entertainment at your fingertips. You get to choose what you listen to.

One of my fears , as I grow older, is becoming that old guy at the pub moaning about "back in my day".

Thanks for the timely reminder not to be that guy.

Is it the world around you or your attititude toward it .

 

In some cases we say " take off the rose colored glasses" when people see only positive, in your case I think, "get off the ledge" seems more fitting.????

 

 

9 minutes ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, I think your opening line sums up everything.

Nobody even owns a radio anymore, its from another century (literally). Surprised you don't call it the wireless.

Have you heard of podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, literally a whole world of media, information, entertainment at your fingertips. You get to choose what you listen to.

One of my fears , as I grow older, is becoming that old guy at the pub moaning about "back in my day".

Thanks for the timely reminder not to be that guy.

Every time I turn on the radio I hear some Thai guy wailing about being sorry....."Siaaaaaa Jaiiiiiiii"....

The commercialisation of Christmas is hardly new is it?

I mean what were those three wise men thinking of - gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

16 minutes ago, Farmerslife said:

The commercialisation of Christmas is hardly new is it?

I mean what were those three wise men thinking of - gold, frankincense, and myrrh?

20 Baht Gold, a Thai translation of Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, and some Farang Real Esate Guy in Phuket named Murray....a truly Thai Christmas.

I learned long ago not to worry too much about things I have no control over.  The OP managed to compile a whole list of stuff he has no control over. 

 

To the OP, I offer this one question:  What have YOU done to make your life better?

 

Because that's the one thing you do have control over. 

2 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Sounds like the OP may be in U.S. California.

If not, he is sure describing what it is.

In NZ. I gather California is pretty much the same.

 

I just heard a kitchen ware store urging happy consumers to hurry up and buy their Christmas gifts! Oh, the joy of unwrapping a colander on Christmas day.

19 minutes ago, Berkshire said:

I learned long ago not to worry too much about things I have no control over.  The OP managed to compile a whole list of stuff he has no control over. 

 

To the OP, I offer this one question:  What have YOU done to make your life better?

 

Because that's the one thing you do have control over. 

I spent most of my life making life better for other people. Best I can hope for now is not to hurt when I wake up.

1 hour ago, Peterw42 said:

OP, I think your opening line sums up everything.

Nobody even owns a radio anymore, its from another century (literally). Surprised you don't call it the wireless.

Have you heard of podcasts, YouTube, Spotify, literally a whole world of media, information, entertainment at your fingertips. You get to choose what you listen to.

One of my fears , as I grow older, is becoming that old guy at the pub moaning about "back in my day".

Thanks for the timely reminder not to be that guy.

5555555555555555555

 

To be able to use that sort of tech one has to be on line all the time. I can only be on line part of the day. Should I then cease to be entertained by the music I like and the occasional news broadcast?

 

At least I can console myself that I'll never be the guy that had no options because he lost his "connection" for any of a thousand reasons.

 

BTW, I have heard of them and just not that interested. I do other stuff and the radio is in the background, Media is just not that big a deal to many like myself.

1 hour ago, CharlieH said:

Is it the world around you or your attititude toward it .

 

In some cases we say " take off the rose colored glasses" when people see only positive, in your case I think, "get off the ledge" seems more fitting.????

 

 

Every day that passes with the growing insanity of the world around me makes the ledge seem more attractive.

Happily there are still people I know that scorn the insanity of the woke, and being in their presence makes it worthwhile continuing.

2 hours ago, crouchpeter said:

Sounds more like Australia to me.

I've heard that Oz is actually worse, if that is possible. They used to have real men over there- what the <deleted> happened to the Lucky Country?

8 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

At least I can console myself that I'll never be the guy that had no options because he lost his "connection" for any of a thousand reasons.

My internet connection is more reliable than my water or electricity connections.

I find not listening, reading or watching 'News' makes my life so much better.

I live an ad free, news free existence.

3 hours ago, tonray said:

keep up with the buzzwords of the right, maybe that's part of the problem, instead of enjoying life as it is, you want to find something to make you think they're coming for you......

I don't think they are coming for me, but they sure are annoying.

21 minutes ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I spent most of my life making life better for other people. Best I can hope for now is not to hurt when I wake up.

That's one thing you and I have in common....the aches and pain of aging.  Every morning.  It'll only get worse, but hey, all we can do is make the best of it.

Just now, Berkshire said:

That's one thing you and I have in common....the aches and pain of aging.  Every morning.  It'll only get worse, but hey, all we can do is make the best of it.

Actually, the days I hurt do have the effect of making me enjoy the days I don't.

“The Chairman alluding to the problem of young people and their English said his experience was that many did not seem able to express or convey to other people what they meant. They could not put their meaning into words, and found the same difficulty when it came to writing.”
Unable to Express Thoughts: Failing of Modern Young People, Gloucester Citizen, 1936

 

“We defy anyone who goes about with his eyes open to deny that there is, as never before, an attitude on the part of young folk which is best described as grossly thoughtless, rude, and utterly selfish.”
The Conduct of Young People, Hull Daily Mail, 1925

 

“Whither are the manly vigour and athletic appearance of our forefathers flown? Can these be their legitimate heirs? Surely, no; a race of effeminate, self-admiring, emaciated fribbles can never have descended in a direct line from the heroes of Potiers and Agincourt...”
Letter in Town and Country magazine, 1771

 

“The beardless youth… does not foresee what is useful, squandering his money.”
Horace, 1st Century BC

 

“They think they know everything, and are always quite sure about it.”
Rhetoric, Aristotle, 4th Century BC

 

 

“And these children that you spit on
As they try to change their worlds
Are immune to your consultations.
They're quite aware of what they're going through".

― David Bowie

You live in probably the most beautiful country in the world. Bit cold but coming into summer. 

Free to air TV is terrible, but as others have said, it's because quality is now elsewhere. I record most stuff I watch on free to air to fast forward ads.

Best to stay away from talk back radio in my opinion. Commercial stations too many ads and normally aim to upset you.  Government ones too boring.

The real estate situation is what it is. Many feel the same about overdevelopment and there's probably online sites you could join to take action.

It's harder now to live on the dole than the 70's and 80's. Seemed like more did it back then.

Most youth I meet are nice and not disrespectful to us older folk. Still get rough heads but less than before. 

 

 

2 hours ago, Berkshire said:

That's one thing you and I have in common....the aches and pain of aging.  Every morning.  It'll only get worse, but hey, all we can do is make the best of it.

I tell people now my hardest job is putting socks on ????

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

6 hours ago, bkk6060 said:

Sounds like the OP may be in U.S. California.

If not, he is sure describing what it is.

In NZ

No wonder you're miserable. 

 

Get yourself over to Thailand. 

Problems solved. 

 

 

6 hours ago, mikebike said:

Your complaints are the same i have heard for my entire adult life... "woe is me, things are sooo much worse than they used to be".

 

To me it seems that you are the same as the complainers I heard in the 70s and 80s... if you are stuck in the muck and only looking back, you are most certainly missing the best of an entire world moving forward.

 

Me, I'm loving 2021 and looking forward to another year of fun and adventure to come.

 

????????????????

You’re loving 2021 ?  Really ?   Wear your mask, and social distance. If you don’t have your shots…then stay home.