GUILTY: Joanna Weiss wrote a very insightful piece entitled “The boo of the bored” in the Dec. 7, 2010 edition of The Boston Globe (Link below). She talked about our superficially driven instant gratification demanding generation by analyzing what took place at a recent discussion led by the comic and satirist Steve Martin (tickets costing $50 each) which evidently did not go well. Expecting, I think, a lot of razzel dazzle instantaneous humor that Steven Martin is known for the audience received a more serious format which seemingly lost them. They immediately, of course, voiced their displeasure and subsequently were offered their money back. Martin was angered and "Tweeted" it. Read the article of Ms. Weiss for her further discussion and analysis of what occurred. I offered, to the Globe and Ms. Weiss, my comment:

Dear Ms. Weiss, you wrote an excellent opinion entitled, "The boo of the bored," yesterday, December 7 in the Boston Globe. I finally had the time to read it today. Of course, my life was filled with things to do yesterday so I did not have even the nanosecond it took to read your perceptive piece. As an incessant blogger and fluid opinion writer, I am able to give MY well thought out opinion at the drop of a hat. Curiously, I began to feel ever so guilty of exactly what you iterate in the article. I am utterly HOOKED on the instantaneous gratification of the Web and the information it gives immediately if not sooner. I write editorials and have my own egotistically driven blog. Naturally, what I write, is well thought out (or not) opinion. In reality -- if I can allow myself a more introspective look -- much of what I write is knee jerk reaction of Vesuvian feeling about one hot button issue or another which may offend or appeal to my prefabricated politically progressive sensibilities.

Now I feel guilty! Of course, what other feeling is there for the nice Jewish woman I am to have? I swear it is ethically driven by my Jewish DNA (if there is such a thing.) After generational years of being pummeled in every land the Jew took root where he or she could, learned to cower and waited for the next blow to arrive. OF COURSE it often did. I begin to think every malady on earth is ALL my fault. I jest, of course. Yet, there is truth to some of that statement which further reinforces my guilt for disseminating too many opinions without carefully thinking through each idea. Guilty as charged.

Realizing this fact, after reading your article, may I offer the explanation that we are the McDonalds's generation no matter which generation we are. We expect instantaneous everything from food, to cures, to love, to acquiring money, to solving the deficit without thinking through thoroughly the choices we make.

McDonalds, if we eat enough of it WILL, in fact, PROBABLY kill us (or maybe it won't.) Buying homes with sub-prime loans thinking tomorrow is another day and we will, as the Popeye cartoon character and hamburger-loving Wimpy would say, surely be able to pay tomorrow what we cannot pay today (or NOT.) We will pay alright; right into the poorhouse of the streets with no money, no bank account, no shelter, no health care to keep us safe. Next step the grave. Now THAT'S a FACT and, if given enough time, I most probably can prove it (MAYBE.)

Excellent article and certain worthy food for thought!

http://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2010/12/07/the_boo_of_the_bored/