How do you stay inspired during uninspiring times?

LizzieMaine · Jul 8, 2012

"If it bleeds it leads" was a saying that originated in television news in the '70s, and still pretty much epitomizes the way it's done now. It's a big reason I got out of journalism.

There was plenty of reporting of grim news in the Era, you just needed to know where to look for it: many special-interest magazines and newspapers of the period were relentless in reporting stories the big media censored or overlooked. During the early years of the war, before the US became involved, it was fashionable among certain types of people to dismiss the news out of Germany and Asia as reported by these publications as "atrocity propaganda." Such so-called media sophisticates found out a few years later just how wrong they were.

As for sleazy crime stories and the like, any city with a tabloid newspaper or two covered every kind of degeneracy ad nauseum, some in ways that would make readers of today cringe in terror. When I was posting "This Day In History" front pages from my newspaper collection a few years ago, there were several that I deliberately skipped over for fear of offending the sensibilities of the Lounge's readers -- such as a New York Daily News front page from 1936 reporting on the death of a kidnapped boy by covering the entire front page of the paper with a full-length photo of his bloody corpse sprawled in a snowbank.

Swing Motorman · Jul 8, 2012

Odd, I was thinking about good-news-vs-bad-news while working on the train today. I heard of a few bad-tempered "customers" at the snack bar who thought that realizing they had to pay for candy, rather than just pick it right out of the basket, meant they could throw it back and hurry off. As the snack bar attendant and I shook our heads and went on with our work, my train of thought switched tracks a few times.

"The nerve of people these days... I bet this didn't happen nearly so much years ago."

That gave way to "Well wait a minute, how many good customers do we get at the snack bar, compared to the appearance rate for ruffians? This is the first time this season we've had that behavior."

So before I turned my mind to other things, I concluded that what we have today is a small minority of incredibly rude people who refuse to mend their ways. Most other bad things the general public does can be mended with a little well-placed education or some guidance (doing crowd control reminds you of how confused our species gets in large groups... herd animals, we are not!)

But in the end, I stand by the notion that cringe-inducing cretins are a minority. A very visible one, but honestly, there are so many good people out there we barely remember, while the knuckleheads come to mind quickly. It would also help if we didn't put this minority on a pedestal as a driving cultural force, (reality TV :eusa_doh

, but we've always done things like that and survived.

So, to wrap up my day's philosophy (before I ramble too long! :eeek

I'm thinking that sure, these times are uninspiring. But, like all other times, they're really what we make of them.

-Steven

AmateisGal · Jul 8, 2012

Steven, I must say, you have definitely got your head on straight. Good for you. You are going to make some girl very lucky some day!

Swing Motorman · Aug 8, 2013

"How do you stay inspired during uninspiring times?" I remembered this thread when I asked myself this same question this morning! Tired, just coming off of a sick day, and generally not looking forward to a day at my office job, I had to find something... fast... to pluck myself up before heading out the door, ready or not.

Luckily, I've been acquiring Glenn Miller 78s and Frank Sinatra 33s faster than I can listen to them, so ten minutes of Ol' Blue Eyes therapy put a swing in my 7:30am step. Music is very often how I stay inspired when little else can.

Hope to see more in this thread, it's a ver relevant question even after a year's silence.

-Steven

P.S. A personal yet open note on Melissa's post above:
How's it feel to be prophetic? It's only about a year and a month from the last posts in this thread, and I recently celebrated a full year of making a certain very special girl in my life happy! Oh, and my amateur fascination with cultural history (looks like my last post here was at the beginnings of that,) is still growing, for better or worse!

PrettySquareGal · Aug 8, 2013

I have also been amassing lots of Sinatra. He's my go-to fellah for inspiration.

Broccoli · Aug 8, 2013

I am having a hard time understanding this thread. What is causing you all this depression? Why can you not walk down the streets smiling to your fellow citizens? While they are badly dressed, most people are nice.

Why would you want to stay inside and hide?

PrettySquareGal · Aug 8, 2013

Broccoli said:
I am having a hard time understanding this thread. What is causing you all this depression? Why can you not walk down the streets smiling to your fellow citizens? While they are badly dressed, most people are nice.

Why would you want to stay inside and hide?

This is why I rarely post here any more. Sanctimonious assumptions and ludicrous condemnations of character are quite a bore.

Story · Aug 8, 2013

LizzieMaine said:
When I was posting "This Day In History" front pages from my newspaper collection a few years ago, there were several that I deliberately skipped over for fear of offending the sensibilities of the Lounge's readers -- such as a New York Daily News front page from 1936 reporting on the death of a kidnapped boy by covering the entire front page of the paper with a full-length photo of his bloody corpse sprawled in a snowbank.

Seems ideal for this thread.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...in-the-golden-era-were-not-too-cool.../page81

Poison · Aug 8, 2013

Grizzly Adams your lovely, thanks for posting your thoughts.

Poison · Aug 8, 2013

Vintage movies/shows, bios and other reads.

Foxer55 · Aug 11, 2013

I think you opened a dilemma here. If we ignore chnanging contemporary culture and try to live a sensible life outside of it, its like sticking our heads in the sand. By doing that we contribute to the problem with our non-participation by not actively resisting change or by not doing anything about it. I think that is why our culture has so rapidly disintegrated, because everyone turned away from the bad, creepy stuff that was going on and didn't want anything to do with it.

So we have two alternatives: (1) struggling against the changes, which is uncomfortable, or (2) ignoring the changes which simply invites increasingly more changes which will become very uncomfortable later.

I don't know what the answer is.

PrettySquareGal · Aug 11, 2013

By not participating, it's possible to replenish and inspire others through example of sound and stylish living. By not fighting, there is energy to create something new outside of the paradigm. By feeling good about life, it makes easy to be friendly and welcoming to those who want to learn a new way. By not supporting garbage, it weakens. By ignoring it as much as able, it takes its power away. I am talking about bad manners, online nonsense, fake news, drama, etc.

LizzieMaine · Aug 11, 2013

PrettySquareGal said:
By not participating, it's possible to replenish and inspire others through example of sound and stylish living. By not fighting, there is energy to create something new outside of the paradigm. By feeling good about life, it makes easy to be friendly and welcoming to those who want to learn a new way. By not supporting garbage, it weakens. By ignoring it as much as able, it takes its power away. I am talking about bad manners, online nonsense, fake news, drama, etc.

Well said. You can't fight the filthy stinking poisons of modern culture by taking them into your mind, any more than you can by taking them into your body.

PrettySquareGal · Aug 11, 2013

LizzieMaine said:
Well said. You can't fight the filthy stinking poisons of modern culture by taking them into your mind, any more than you can by taking them into your body.

Thanks. I learned the hard way by imbibing the poison. Never again if I can help it.

John in Covina · Aug 11, 2013

Foxer55 said:
I think you opened a dilemma here. If we ignore chnanging contemporary culture and try to live a sensible life outside of it, its like sticking our heads in the sand. By doing that we contribute to the problem with our non-participation by not actively resisting change or by not doing anything about it. I think that is why our culture has so rapidly disintegrated, because everyone turned away from the bad, creepy stuff that was going on and didn't want anything to do with it.

So we have two alternatives: (1) struggling against the changes, which is uncomfortable, or (2) ignoring the changes which simply invites increasingly more changes which will become very uncomfortable later.

I don't know what the answer is.

Go Amish!

Zombie_61 · Aug 11, 2013

PrettySquareGal said:
By not participating, it's possible to replenish and inspire others through example of sound and stylish living. By not fighting, there is energy to create something new outside of the paradigm. By feeling good about life, it makes easy to be friendly and welcoming to those who want to learn a new way. By not supporting garbage, it weakens. By ignoring it as much as able, it takes its power away. I am talking about bad manners, online nonsense, fake news, drama, etc.

Well stated! You may not be able to effect change in the world at large, but you can decide how the world affects you. If you ingest toxins, the body is harmed; if you ingest nourishment, the body flourishes. The same is true of the mind. Focus on the positive, minimize or eliminate the negative. This is not to say one should ignore negativity, but rather acknowledge it and be mindful of it without allowing it to affect you in a harmful manner.

Foxer55 · Aug 12, 2013

PrettySquareGal,

By not participating, it's possible to replenish and inspire others through example of sound and stylish living. By not fighting, there is energy to create something new outside of the paradigm. By feeling good about life, it makes easy to be friendly and welcoming to those who want to learn a new way. By not supporting garbage, it weakens. By ignoring it as much as able, it takes its power away. I am talking about bad manners, online nonsense, fake news, drama, etc.

Given the state of affairs of our culture I'm not sure that approach is accomplishing much. The creepy stuff - bad manners, ugliness, ever increasing phony news propoganda, bad is really good and good is bad mantra - is more prevalent everyday. Will it all ever collapse on tself? Not in our lifetime I think.

PrettySquareGal · Aug 12, 2013

Foxer55 said:
PrettySquareGal,

Given the state of affairs of our culture I'm not sure that approach is accomplishing much. The creepy stuff - bad manners, ugliness, ever increasing phony news propoganda, bad is really good and good is bad mantra - is more prevalent everyday. Will it all ever collapse on tself? Not in our lifetime I think.

I accomplish good health and stand tall as it collapses around me. The alternative is collapsing with it. But I am not "doing nothing." I'm actually very active with spreading "the word."

Feraud · Aug 12, 2013

John in Covina said:
Go Amish!

But don't run afoul of the Amish Mafia..

bburtner@moran · Aug 12, 2013

My music,I enjoy playing guitar.

How do you stay inspired during uninspiring times?

One of the Regulars

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One of the Regulars

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One of the Regulars

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