Boredom before computers

[KRonn]

In earlier times people had other things to do for entertainment, or depending on where/when they lived they may have had less entertainment or free time anyway. We may be tending to project our lifestyles a bit on how we envision others may have lived, or what they needed/wanted. But they would have had their ways, just as we differed before computers, tv and the electronic age. And some of us were kids back before computers and such came into being, and we had other things that we liked and did.

[Barrister]

We are all working on the assumption that previously it was okay to have a lot of different recreational time & activities. Was it the case?
In a rural society, atleast around here, previous to the introduction of TV, it doesn't look like it was.

They did though.  Especially if you go out to small towns you'll find a ton of curling rinks that are never used, ball diamonds that never get used, community halls that rarely get used.

It's actually much more apparent in small Yukon towns since there is no broadcast tv, and cable tv only exists in Whitehorse.  So all the other communities only ever got TV with the introduction of satellite 20 years ago or so.

And yes, I've heard all the stories about the tons of activities that used to go on.  You know I'm a curler.  I've heard that all those little towns used to have vibrant little curling leagues, and some people would spend the entire winter driving up and down the highway to the different bonspiels that were put on.  All of that now is gone, or is only a pale shadow of its former self.

[Berkut]

LOL, how is my arguing one perspective while you argue another ME being "so aggressive"?

Why are YOU being so darn aggressive, putting forth your opinion and all?

Re-stating the exact same example as Malthus doesn't help much - my response to you is the same as my response to him. In fact you do not sit around watching TV - you do in fact go out on your canoe, because you know that if you did not, you would be less happy.

Would you be MORE happy if you spent more time in the canoe, and less in front of the computer? Perhaps - give it a shot and find out. But to presume that you would be MORE happy overall if you did not even have the computer is a rather huge stretch, IMO, and not supportable. I suspect that in fact you reach a pretty decent medium between the two, for you.

I am sure that my suggestion that you do that which makes you happy will be met with an over-abundance of aggressiveness. Probably because that makes you happy.

[Berkut]

We are all working on the assumption that previously it was okay to have a lot of different recreational time & activities. Was it the case?
In a rural society, atleast around here, previous to the introduction of TV, it doesn't look like it was.

They did though.  Especially if you go out to small towns you'll find a ton of curling rinks that are never used, ball diamonds that never get used, community halls that rarely get used.

It's actually much more apparent in small Yukon towns since there is no broadcast tv, and cable tv only exists in Whitehorse.  So all the other communities only ever got TV with the introduction of satellite 20 years ago or so.

And yes, I've heard all the stories about the tons of activities that used to go on.  You know I'm a curler.  I've heard that all those little towns used to have vibrant little curling leagues, and some people would spend the entire winter driving up and down the highway to the different bonspiels that were put on.  All of that now is gone, or is only a pale shadow of its former self.

I will take your anecdote and raise you one.

In my "little town" this Saturday I will be taking my son to the little league parade in the morning. Then we will go home, and he will likely spend 1 hour or so playing his DS, either by himself or with his best friend. Then he will spend several hours playing outside with his friends, after which we will all go to his first little league game.

interest in lame patroal activities like little league is so low that the town has recently spent a pile of cash expanding the fields because there are not enough of them, and there is a huge demand for more teams to handle all the kids playing.

This is in addition to soccer, football, basketball, la crosse, hockey, and probably even curling that is common.

The fact that curling is not all that popular anymore doesn't really say anything about anything other than curling. I think it is rather presumptive to assume that it isn't popular anymore because everyone is sitting home miserable because they are too unaware of their own misery to do something about it.

[Berkut]

I find it amusing that the opinion that people are basically capable of doing that which makes them happy overall is considered so "aggressive" and worth of such scorn.

[Grey Fox]

LOL, how is my arguing one perspective while you argue another ME being "so aggressive"?

Well you are a Berkut.

Stop capitalizing random words, Banana.

[Barrister]

I find it amusing that the opinion that people are basically capable of doing that which makes them happy overall is considered so "aggressive" and worth of such scorn.

It would be the tone of your argument that makes it agressive, not the position itself Berkut.

[Phillip V]

Nobody is talking about masturbation. 

[Berkut]

I find it amusing that the opinion that people are basically capable of doing that which makes them happy overall is considered so "aggressive" and worth of such scorn.

It would be the tone of your argument that makes it agressive, not the position itself Berkut.

I find your tone to be overly aggressive, barrister.

[Berkut]

LOL, how is my arguing one perspective while you argue another ME being "so aggressive"?

Well you are a Berkut.

Stop capitalizing random words, Banana.

It is easiest to show EMPHASIS, yogurt.

[Barrister]

I find it amusing that the opinion that people are basically capable of doing that which makes them happy overall is considered so "aggressive" and worth of such scorn.

It would be the tone of your argument that makes it agressive, not the position itself Berkut.

I find your tone to be overly aggressive, barrister.

So now you're using "I know you are, but what am I"? 

[Grey Fox]

LOL, how is my arguing one perspective while you argue another ME being "so aggressive"?

Well you are a Berkut.

Stop capitalizing random words, Banana.

It is easiest to show EMPHASIS, yogurt.

Yogurt? I'm not slave.

Emphasis & aggression on an internet board are the same thing.

[Berkut]

I find it amusing that the opinion that people are basically capable of doing that which makes them happy overall is considered so "aggressive" and worth of such scorn.

It would be the tone of your argument that makes it agressive, not the position itself Berkut.

I find your tone to be overly aggressive, barrister.

So now you're using "I know you are, but what am I"? 

Indeed - it seemed an appropriately infantile response to your infantile ad hom.

How is that for aggressive?

But seriously - if you can simply say "Oh, you are so aggressive!" then why can't I? I am stating my views, you are stating yours - I am no more aggressive than you - in fact, I think I can make an actually objective argument that making ad homs relating to my supposed tone rather than the content of my argument is considerably more "aggressive" than me stating my views without making any such personal attacks.

[Berkut]

LOL, how is my arguing one perspective while you argue another ME being "so aggressive"?

Well you are a Berkut.

Stop capitalizing random words, Banana.

It is easiest to show EMPHASIS, yogurt.

Yogurt? I'm not slave.

Emphasis & aggression on an internet board are the same thing.

I say they aren't.

[Grey Fox]

Sorry, sir.