Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - how D&D is a good model for life, and why many dont follow it

squeeeb · 06-03-2009, 01:46 PM

Skitto's thread over in life: http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...eneration.html
while not exactly related, reminded me and got me thinking.

it seems to me that many younger folks, and a few older folks, have this unfounded sense of entitlement which seems to cause frustration and snowball into other problems, such as massive debt, stress, depression, etc.

when i was 18, living out in the world, i had nothing. i wasn't suffering, not by any means, i had a place to live and i was eating quite well, i just had nothing. i didn't own or drive a car until i was 21. i didn't have a credit card, so if i couldn't afford it, i didn't buy it. we didn't have cell phones back then, but i did have a phone card that i got billed for each month. i learned when i wanted something big, i saved for it each month until i had enough to get it, then i bought it.

to get all nerdy: i think Dungeons and Dragons is a great model for life (other than the looting and pillaging and stealing part). you start with very very little, the basics, the clothes on your back. you go on adventures, gain experience, and slowly accrue a bunch of stuff in your inventory. it takes a long time, but you eventually end up with a whole bunch of money and clothes and things.

nowadays, it seems young'ns think that by the time they are 21, they need to have a house, big truck/shiny fast car, big screen plasma tv, the whole shebang. they look at others and think that is how they should be living RIGHT NOW!

i know a handful of people, young and old, who are in debt because they HAD TO have a brand new huge truck, a brand new huge plasma screen tv, even though they knew they couldn't afford it. they see others with it and think "i deserve it as much as they do, dammit, i'm getting it."

i would be willing to bet some of the blame on the current US economic situation can be fully put on the people who knew they couldn't afford the big house but got it anyway, instead of starting with a small house, building equity, selling it for a profit, and upgrading. this takes years to do, but that seem to be the right way to do it. but due to a sense of entitlement, need for instant gratification, need to "keep up with the joneses," not thinking about how what they do now affects the future, they got the big house, all the stuff to fill it, and then were upset when they had to foreclose.

as for the people who could afford it until they were laid off, i have mixed feelings. it is a shitty blow that you don't see coming, but on the other hand, i don't think they should have gotten so far into debt without a safety net of savings to back them up.

um... ok, i'm done ranting. it's been on my mind for a while, i wanted to know what others think.

06-03-2009, 01:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
squeeeb part of the problem Location: hic et ubique	how D&D is a good model for life, and why many dont follow it Skitto's thread over in life: http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...eneration.html while not exactly related, reminded me and got me thinking. it seems to me that many younger folks, and a few older folks, have this unfounded sense of entitlement which seems to cause frustration and snowball into other problems, such as massive debt, stress, depression, etc. when i was 18, living out in the world, i had nothing. i wasn't suffering, not by any means, i had a place to live and i was eating quite well, i just had nothing. i didn't own or drive a car until i was 21. i didn't have a credit card, so if i couldn't afford it, i didn't buy it. we didn't have cell phones back then, but i did have a phone card that i got billed for each month. i learned when i wanted something big, i saved for it each month until i had enough to get it, then i bought it. to get all nerdy: i think Dungeons and Dragons is a great model for life (other than the looting and pillaging and stealing part). you start with very very little, the basics, the clothes on your back. you go on adventures, gain experience, and slowly accrue a bunch of stuff in your inventory. it takes a long time, but you eventually end up with a whole bunch of money and clothes and things. nowadays, it seems young'ns think that by the time they are 21, they need to have a house, big truck/shiny fast car, big screen plasma tv, the whole shebang. they look at others and think that is how they should be living RIGHT NOW! i know a handful of people, young and old, who are in debt because they HAD TO have a brand new huge truck, a brand new huge plasma screen tv, even though they knew they couldn't afford it. they see others with it and think "i deserve it as much as they do, dammit, i'm getting it." i would be willing to bet some of the blame on the current US economic situation can be fully put on the people who knew they couldn't afford the big house but got it anyway, instead of starting with a small house, building equity, selling it for a profit, and upgrading. this takes years to do, but that seem to be the right way to do it. but due to a sense of entitlement, need for instant gratification, need to "keep up with the joneses," not thinking about how what they do now affects the future, they got the big house, all the stuff to fill it, and then were upset when they had to foreclose. as for the people who could afford it until they were laid off, i have mixed feelings. it is a shitty blow that you don't see coming, but on the other hand, i don't think they should have gotten so far into debt without a safety net of savings to back them up. um... ok, i'm done ranting. it's been on my mind for a while, i wanted to know what others think. __________________ onward to mayhem!