You Do Realize You’re Being Oppressed Right?

Well you are. No, I’m not saying the youth, post Generation X without-a-catchy-name generation is oppressed in the way that slaves, American Indians, Asians, Jews, Homosexuals, Women (you get the point) have been oppressed in the past. But it’s happening to us and in a new and clever way. It is an oppression brought on by too many choices and too much to do. I ask you to think of your day and all the ways that we waste money. Flipping through TV stations, deciding what music you’re in the mood for, looking at dozens of internet sites. Then there’s shopping. All of this leads to hours of the day, every day, wasted on choices. I’m not suggesting that choices be taken away, not for a second. But when you make that choice, stick with it and save your time and energy for more important things in life. Take a trip to the grocery store, and the soda aisle. Pepsi, Coca-Cola, RC, the store’s generic brand, Sprite, 7-Up, Sierra Mist, Dr Pepper, Root Beer, Cream Soda, Mountain Dew, Mountain Dew Code Red, Mountain Dew Livewire, Cherry, Lime, Orange, Club, Ginger Ale, regional brands, and of course a diet version of each of these. We walk up and down that aisle, deciding which specific soda we are in the mood for that day. All of this time wasted, not just on soda, but also beer, cereal, soaps, shampoos, everything in the grocery store.
So what to do? Pick two of each of these things, and stick with it. When you get sick of one, switch to the other. Shopping doesn’t have to be a day long event. Know what you want to buy ahead of time, buy it, and move on with trying to make your part of the world a little better. Think of the time saved if you walk into a store, buy your Pepsi then leave (or if you’re sick of Pepsi you already have your pre-planned alternate of 7-Up). Decide what you want, stick to it, and move on with your day.

I’ll tell you more about your lives later.

Next: down with MTV and the Psycho Early Bird