[Bill14564]

Originally Posted by FredJacobs

The problem is when you don't agree. You face the danger of being labelled a racist, an anarchist, a domestic terrorist.

Exactly. You face being labeled but you will not be arrested.

But to your point and, I think, the point of the OP, we are currently living in a culture where guilt by accusation is too common. You may not be a racist, anarchist, or a domestic terrorist but if you are accused of it then you face being "canceled." I don't know how to fix that other than refusing to participate in the "canceling" and speaking against it when the opportunity presents itself.

[dtennent]

Bravo to Choro&Swing! To the OP - that you can continue to post your rantings is proof positive that freedom of speech is alive and well. As far as businesses go, they have a right to establish the rules for their patrons as long as it doesn't cross racial and gender lines. If you go into a restaurant that requires a jacket and tie for men, they have a right not to seat you if you come in wearing a polo shirt. Facebook, Twitter, etc. have a right to limit what you say. Don't like that? Start your own version of social media. Just like starting a newspaper a 50 years ago.

If people don't agree with your opinions, it doesn't make them sheep or ignorant.

[Sunflower1]

Thanks for the interesting post. I wonder if you would have felt the same way if other vaccines had come out in your childhood? Actually I was blessed to be able to retire early. Under 65, as with others in The Villages, we ( under65 people) don’t qualify for the vaccine yet. Who knows when we will, maybe after everyone else and all the illegal immigrants get it. Hopefully by that time, the vaccine will be better and down to one shot. In the meantime, hopefully many of you will already be vaccinated, resulting in everyone having a safer place to live.

[Two Bills]

Originally Posted by nick demis

18 episodes of Muppets cancelled. What next, Mr. Rogers?

Article about Muppet Show.

The Muppet Show: Disney adds content warning over '''negative stereotypes''' - BBC News

[GPGuar]

Originally Posted by dhdallas

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (or What Happened to the Boomer Generation?)

Remember the 1956 American science fiction horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter? The black-and-white film was done in a film noir style and is really creepy but the idea underneath the material is a lot scarier than anything you see.

Alien plant spores had fallen from space and grown into large seed pods, each one capable of producing a visually identical replacement copy of a human. The new human copies moved and thought together as a group. Many viewed it as an allegory for the loss of personal autonomy.

This brings me to my point. Whatever happened to the Baby Boomer/Woodstock generation? Were they victims of alien spores? Are they now living among us as pod people? The Baby Boomers used to question everything and especially anything the government and media told them.

Do NOT tell me, “We grew up”. Of course we did; we matured, we became a little less confrontational and we learned to bend a little. Some degree of conformity is necessary to get along in society but have we thrown out our ability for independent thinking along with our bell bottoms and tie dyed shirts?

Now comes a brand new virus. Fear & rumor run amok. Instead of our leaders and the media calming the public and speaking as a voice of reason, we continue to be bombarded daily with stories of death and measures we all must adhere to lest we get sick and join the daily published death count.

Constitutional rights were the first casualty of the virus... or was it the truth? Individual freedom was quickly proven to be just an illusion as the government mandated lockdowns, forced businesses into bankruptcy, banned travel and public gatherings.

My recent article dealt with the reasons I was not getting vaccinated & that people should really investigate the pros and cons rather than to blindly trust the government and the pharmaceutical industry. Rather than delve behind the curtain to sort out the real truth, it seems everyone is fighting over who gets to drink the Kool-Aid first.

Cancel culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles either online on social media, in the real world, or both. As an example, I posted the exact same article about vaccinations that appeared on this forum to “The Villages Friendly Folks” Facebook page only to have it removed by their administrators. The reason given was that I somehow violated their posting policies of no hate speech/bullying, no promotions or spam, and to respect others' privacy. Their feedback also included a quote from the WHO stating “Approved COVID-19 vaccines have been tested extensively for safety and effectiveness.”
Facebook and free speech are not compatible, I should know better.

I find there are three distinct psychological terms that apply to the general public and their behavior regarding COVID prevention and vaccination.

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome.

Compliance Theory is when you act the way you are “supposed” to act; either because you were directly asked, or pressured more indirectly

Complicity Theorist is a person who accepts the political narrative of the day unquestionably; consumes mainstream media; and is prone to submissiveness, outbursts of irrational fear, and public shaming of free-thinkers.

So either these terms apply to the masses (and not just to the Baby Boomers) or “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” has become a reality. I don’t know about you but I am checking the house for seed pods every night before bed!

David H. Dallas, RN-ASN, EMT-P, retired

“In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.”
― Galileo Galilei

Funny that you have posted this, but I have often joked to friends and family many times that there must be something in the water that's making people nuts..... maybe it is pods.

[Scorpyo]

Originally Posted by GOLFER54

No matter what opinions one may have, another person may disagree with them which has obviously been a part of our society for so long it’s now the norm.

I believe your timing is a little short. “part of our society”. I believe it’s more realistically part of our species.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by LiverpoolWalrus

Most hippies are/were baby boomers.

& we are here living the current dream

[Tnbrewer]

Yes and no!
We have to have and open mind to some of the wild things said or outrages information.
Many times they are true but don’t fit into how we were programmed in our youth.
Key people in power Do Lie sometimes. Science is not correct all the time or just plain corruption of the real facts.
Smoking is ok said by doctors and proven by scientists paid for by the tobacco companies.
We are not expanding the war into Cambodia.
I was told as my follow military brothers laughing out on the flight line with our b-52s.
Marriage is forever. Tell that to my ex.
I cold go on and on but sorry to say .
Life is full of lies and manipulative people who want something from you.

The best crime is the one u can get the masses to believe never happened or was not a crime at all.
The OP was right on.
No we did not all go to Woodstock or have long hair but we all witnessed the results of outrage and lies.
Censorship is dangerous! It stops the truth for coming out.
For good or bad I support the Constitution of the USA and will continue to question the so called experts.

[Dr Winston O Boogie jr]

Originally Posted by dhdallas

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (or What Happened to the Boomer Generation?)

Remember the 1956 American science fiction horror film Invasion of the Body Snatchers starring Kevin McCarthy and Dana Wynter? The black-and-white film was done in a film noir style and is really creepy but the idea underneath the material is a lot scarier than anything you see.

Alien plant spores had fallen from space and grown into large seed pods, each one capable of producing a visually identical replacement copy of a human. The new human copies moved and thought together as a group. Many viewed it as an allegory for the loss of personal autonomy.

This brings me to my point. Whatever happened to the Baby Boomer/Woodstock generation? Were they victims of alien spores? Are they now living among us as pod people? The Baby Boomers used to question everything and especially anything the government and media told them.

Do NOT tell me, “We grew up”. Of course we did; we matured, we became a little less confrontational and we learned to bend a little. Some degree of conformity is necessary to get along in society but have we thrown out our ability for independent thinking along with our bell bottoms and tie dyed shirts?

Now comes a brand new virus. Fear & rumor run amok. Instead of our leaders and the media calming the public and speaking as a voice of reason, we continue to be bombarded daily with stories of death and measures we all must adhere to lest we get sick and join the daily published death count.

Constitutional rights were the first casualty of the virus... or was it the truth? Individual freedom was quickly proven to be just an illusion as the government mandated lockdowns, forced businesses into bankruptcy, banned travel and public gatherings.

My recent article dealt with the reasons I was not getting vaccinated & that people should really investigate the pros and cons rather than to blindly trust the government and the pharmaceutical industry. Rather than delve behind the curtain to sort out the real truth, it seems everyone is fighting over who gets to drink the Kool-Aid first.

Cancel culture is a modern form of ostracism in which someone is thrust out of social or professional circles either online on social media, in the real world, or both. As an example, I posted the exact same article about vaccinations that appeared on this forum to “The Villages Friendly Folks” Facebook page only to have it removed by their administrators. The reason given was that I somehow violated their posting policies of no hate speech/bullying, no promotions or spam, and to respect others' privacy. Their feedback also included a quote from the WHO stating “Approved COVID-19 vaccines have been tested extensively for safety and effectiveness.”
Facebook and free speech are not compatible, I should know better.

I find there are three distinct psychological terms that apply to the general public and their behavior regarding COVID prevention and vaccination.

Groupthink is a psychological phenomenon that occurs within a group of people in which the desire for harmony or conformity in the group results in an irrational or dysfunctional decision-making outcome.

Compliance Theory is when you act the way you are “supposed” to act; either because you were directly asked, or pressured more indirectly

Complicity Theorist is a person who accepts the political narrative of the day unquestionably; consumes mainstream media; and is prone to submissiveness, outbursts of irrational fear, and public shaming of free-thinkers.

So either these terms apply to the masses (and not just to the Baby Boomers) or “Invasion of the Body Snatchers” has become a reality. I don’t know about you but I am checking the house for seed pods every night before bed!

David H. Dallas, RN-ASN, EMT-P, retired

“In questions of science, the authority of a thousand is not worth the humble reasoning of a single individual.”
― Galileo Galilei

We've learned that being paranoid does not equate with being rational.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by Sunflower1

Thanks for the interesting post. I wonder if you would have felt the same way if other vaccines had come out in your childhood? Actually I was blessed to be able to retire early. Under 65, as with others in The Villages, we ( under65 people) don’t qualify for the vaccine yet. Who knows when we will, maybe after everyone else and all the illegal immigrants get it. Hopefully by that time, the vaccine will be better and down to one shot. In the meantime, hopefully many of you will already be vaccinated, resulting in everyone having a safer place to live.

i think the problem lies with the government requiring certain forms of behavior. years ago we had every flu known to man, & we relied on our doctors to advise us. with the hong kong flu, bird flu, asian flu, life continued. yes, there were certain restrictions, but i never once remembering the entire US Gov. involved. then there comes the trust factor: when someone has been lied to non-stop for decades, it DOES affect the way we look @ them. some of us have lived long enough to recognize the bs when it hits, & because of that we will not stand in line to accept whatever is said. remember: Question Authority & judge the replies yourself. Excellent thread

[Mountains48]

Thank you, David! Couldn’t have said it better!

[merrymini]

We are certainly being censored by the media. They promote a biased view and companies are following their lead. How about facebook and Australia? I always wondered how crazy maniacs got to lead countries. They count on a weak and frightened populace, unwilling to question or push back. Vaccine passports? All control! This virus is not as dangerous as fauci (mr change your mind more frequently than I change my socks) would lead you to believe. He gets his paycheck though, no matter what he says or does.

[OrangeBlossomBaby]

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing

I’m a baby boomer who still questions everything. I still wear jeans. I still believe in personal freedom and the so-called sexual revolution. (Which failed, alas.) I still remember my relief when Roe v. Wade was decided. I longed to go to Woodstock, but I was only fifteen and 1500 miles away.

But I cut off my long hair when I was 19 and got a sensible haircut that looked good on me, and I’ve kept it that way ever since. I got rid of the tie-died shirts I used to make and bought Oxford cloth buttondowns and even a suit I wore on dates. When I looked carefully at what the radicals and revolutionaries of my time were saying, I repudiated them. I questioned them and then I realized they were wrong and shunned them. I stopped calling police officers pigs. Wanting a clear head, I said no to smoking things. I studied science and medicine and learned to tell the difference between sound research and junk science. I studied mind control and propaganda and how the media work so I wouldn’t get fooled by those who want to fool me in order to have power over me. I learned how legislators work and why I need to not trust them at face value, while recognizing that they have been elected by us. I learned to recognize conspiracy theories as almost certainly false. I learned to avoid quack medicine while allowing certain alternatives. I learned that vaccinations are important and that they work. I learned a lot more about history and the Constitution than I knew in my more radical youth. I studied philosophy. I learned what the Founders meant by freedom of speech and its limits. Thus, when people claimed that their constitutional freedoms meant they didn’t have to follow a rule and wear a mask for their own good and the good of others, I realized that wasn’t a sound position. I realized that freedom of speech should not mean the freedom to spout lies and hatred in order to harm others.

In short, I’ve kept aspects of my early ideas and idealism that I got from others but gained in wisdom and insight. I grew up. I matured. I cringe when I think of some of the wild-eyed things I believed at 16. I like to think there are millions who would agree with me.

I'm an end-boomer, born in 1961. I totally missed the Hippies, though my babysitter was one, when I was 6. I grew up with tye die shirts, embroidered bellbottom bluejeans, wedge sandals, and cross-shoulder fringed pocketbooks. We didn't discuss politics in the house, so I grew up ignorant of politics. I didn't even know what party my parents claimed for themselves until a couple of years ago.

Our neighborhood was predominately white (we had, I believe, one black family), middle-class, suburban with sidewalks and unlocked back doors. We had summer sleepover camp. Life was fairly idyllic. When the race riot happened at our high school while I was still a Junior High student, I didn't understand it at all. I had zero understanding of why people WOULD have a race riot. I mean - they're just dark-skinned, what difference could that possibly make in the scheme of things?

We had a gay elementary school teacher. We laughed *about* him because he was a raging full-on effeminate rainbow-suspender-wearing "queen" but we never laughed AT him, because he was an amazing teacher and everyone absolutely adored him.

I grew up in, what was at the time, conservative-leaning moderate white american suburbia.

Presently, that is now known as "leftist." It's known as that, because what used to be right-leaning conservative, is now alt-right. And they have moved the entire spectrum. If anyone claiming I'm a "leftist" were to see an ACTUAL leftist, they'd realize how ridiculous their label is on me.

The "cancel culture" is nothing new. People like me have been victimized by it most of our lives. The only reason it's a meme, a trope - is because it's affecting "you" (the OP, not the person I'm responding to) now. It's "your" turn now. Doesn't feel very good, does it?

How about stop spewing hate and division and "us vs. them" all the time, making "my side" feel like we're somehow to blame for "your side's'" failures, and stop making "my side" feel like it's somehow inferior.

Then maybe you'll discover no one is trying to cancel you. They just want you to behave like a civilized adult. If you aren't capable of doing that, then you're going to get a time-out.

[LG999]

I agree w Choro&Swing but from a female orientation. Many Boomers lived a life of “sex, drugs, rock & roll”, we wore beautiful cloths, flowers, went to Woodstock — but we grew up and got jobs, got married, accepted responsibilities, love our parents & families, etc.
We do still question what other say, what we read, what we see. We are still watching & aware.

[Carla B]

Originally Posted by Choro&Swing

I’m a baby boomer who still questions everything. I still wear jeans. I still believe in personal freedom and the so-called sexual revolution. (Which failed, alas.) I still remember my relief when Roe v. Wade was decided. I longed to go to Woodstock, but I was only fifteen and 1500 miles away.

But I cut off my long hair when I was 19 and got a sensible haircut that looked good on me, and I’ve kept it that way ever since. I got rid of the tie-died shirts I used to make and bought Oxford cloth buttondowns and even a suit I wore on dates. When I looked carefully at what the radicals and revolutionaries of my time were saying, I repudiated them. I questioned them and then I realized they were wrong and shunned them. I stopped calling police officers pigs. Wanting a clear head, I said no to smoking things. I studied science and medicine and learned to tell the difference between sound research and junk science. I studied mind control and propaganda and how the media work so I wouldn’t get fooled by those who want to fool me in order to have power over me. I learned how legislators work and why I need to not trust them at face value, while recognizing that they have been elected by us. I learned to recognize conspiracy theories as almost certainly false. I learned to avoid quack medicine while allowing certain alternatives. I learned that vaccinations are important and that they work. I learned a lot more about history and the Constitution than I knew in my more radical youth. I studied philosophy. I learned what the Founders meant by freedom of speech and its limits. Thus, when people claimed that their constitutional freedoms meant they didn’t have to follow a rule and wear a mask for their own good and the good of others, I realized that wasn’t a sound position. I realized that freedom of speech should not mean the freedom to spout lies and hatred in order to harm others.

In short, I’ve kept aspects of my early ideas and idealism that I got from others but gained in wisdom and insight. I grew up. I matured. I cringe when I think of some of the wild-eyed things I believed at 16. I like to think there are millions who would agree with me.

Wonderfully said. I am a member of the generation that just preceded the Baby Boomers. We were spared from questioning and experimenting, doubting, and challenging. We didn't have to arrive at sound conclusions. We were already living them.