I've been noticing things that lead me to believe that maybe our culture is getting a little numb. Numb to the point that we have to do more and more to just feeeeeel SOMEthing. Be more extreme, more hardcore, more MORE just so that it pokes our callouses enough to at least make somebody notice.
Examples:
Used to be that people got excited about Mountain Dew, it was the big caffeine pick-me-up.
Now? There are a hundred different kinds of energy drinks, Monster and Red Bull and Nos. They are getting ridiculous. Caffiene isn't enough, now we need it's big angry brother, taurine. My dad sees people in the hospital emergency room who have had too many energy drinks. No joke.
Used to be that people got excited about Stone Cold Steve Austin and Goldberg. These mammoth men created violence within the scripted confines of WWE and WCW.
Now? Mixed Martial Arts, the Octagon, people beating each other up with blood and submission holds and broken limbs. Chuck Liddell is the real life Chuck Norris.
Used to be that people got excited about the latest punk band or ska outfit. Concert goers would skank around the dance floor in a light mosh, looking something like a person bumper car skating rink.
Now? Hardcore. Thrashcore. Screamo. Shriek louder, hit the bass drum faster, and crunch the guitars more maliciously. People dance by throwing fists and roundhouse kicks. It actually looks pretty cool when they get wound up and those punches and kicks beat the airspace. Just hope there aren't any faces in that same airspace.
Just some observations. The world has changed even from when I was in high school. I'm not bemoaning the world, saying "it's all going to pot! This next generation sucks!" I'm just wondering what's next.
Mountain Dew to Monster to Adrenaline IV's?
WWE to MMA to Prison inmate deathmatch?
Punk to hardcore to.... chainsaws and jackhammers on stage?
Wisdom seems to tell me that it can only go so far. When is the ending point where we can't get any more extreme? I know time usually goes in cycles, getting more hardcore would probably be followed by a general pacification. However, my observations here were mostly based on high school males, it's not like all of society is in the thrill culture, or even the Monster Energy Drinks culture. Where do all these kids go from here? Skydiving?
Last questions: has this filtered over into the culture of Christianity? It's not that the Church should have lots of sleepless nights over what the christian subculture is drinking to start the day or watching on prime time TV. These things don't necessarily have direct consequences on holiness and maturity in Christ. But it does mean that men's retreats include paintball and mountain hikes and shooting real guns within the church.
If only being more hardcore meant sharing the gospel with more people and dealing more radically with sin......
Examples:
Used to be that people got excited about Mountain Dew, it was the big caffeine pick-me-up.
Now? There are a hundred different kinds of energy drinks, Monster and Red Bull and Nos. They are getting ridiculous. Caffiene isn't enough, now we need it's big angry brother, taurine. My dad sees people in the hospital emergency room who have had too many energy drinks. No joke.
Used to be that people got excited about Stone Cold Steve Austin and Goldberg. These mammoth men created violence within the scripted confines of WWE and WCW.
Now? Mixed Martial Arts, the Octagon, people beating each other up with blood and submission holds and broken limbs. Chuck Liddell is the real life Chuck Norris.
Used to be that people got excited about the latest punk band or ska outfit. Concert goers would skank around the dance floor in a light mosh, looking something like a person bumper car skating rink.
Now? Hardcore. Thrashcore. Screamo. Shriek louder, hit the bass drum faster, and crunch the guitars more maliciously. People dance by throwing fists and roundhouse kicks. It actually looks pretty cool when they get wound up and those punches and kicks beat the airspace. Just hope there aren't any faces in that same airspace.
Just some observations. The world has changed even from when I was in high school. I'm not bemoaning the world, saying "it's all going to pot! This next generation sucks!" I'm just wondering what's next.
Mountain Dew to Monster to Adrenaline IV's?
WWE to MMA to Prison inmate deathmatch?
Punk to hardcore to.... chainsaws and jackhammers on stage?
Wisdom seems to tell me that it can only go so far. When is the ending point where we can't get any more extreme? I know time usually goes in cycles, getting more hardcore would probably be followed by a general pacification. However, my observations here were mostly based on high school males, it's not like all of society is in the thrill culture, or even the Monster Energy Drinks culture. Where do all these kids go from here? Skydiving?
Last questions: has this filtered over into the culture of Christianity? It's not that the Church should have lots of sleepless nights over what the christian subculture is drinking to start the day or watching on prime time TV. These things don't necessarily have direct consequences on holiness and maturity in Christ. But it does mean that men's retreats include paintball and mountain hikes and shooting real guns within the church.
If only being more hardcore meant sharing the gospel with more people and dealing more radically with sin......
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