Comments on: The Standard American Life. http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life "The future depends entirely on what each of us does every day; a movement is only people moving." Wed, 08 Feb 2012 21:48:58 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Heather T. http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12923 Heather T. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 13:48:06 +0000 #comment-12923 It was not condescending, I just wanted to add the point of view of the "other side". I love reading this blog, I get to keep up on you, and see how other people live this crazy life. I often find myself jealous of the travel and experiences you have, but I would not trade my world for yours. And I know you would not trade your world for mine. I feel that one day I will travel and experience things I only dream of now. It is funny how we were both raised in the same town with similiar parents and how we both traveled different roads, and yet we are both happy with what we have. It is a great feeling "happiness" in whatever form it takes. It was not condescending, I just wanted to add the point of view of the “other side”.
I love reading this blog, I get to keep up on you, and see how other people live this crazy life.
I often find myself jealous of the travel and experiences you have, but I would not trade my world for yours. And I know you would not trade your world for mine. I feel that one day I will travel and experience things I only dream of now.
It is funny how we were both raised in the same town with similiar parents and how we both traveled different roads, and yet we are both happy with what we have. It is a great feeling “happiness” in whatever form it takes.

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12922 Anonymous Mon, 14 Apr 2008 03:46:26 +0000 #comment-12922 heather, if i have *ever* been condescending toward you (other readers, heather and i have been friends since high school), i truly apologize. i realize that life is full of difficult choices, and know you've had to make many yet have always remained optimistic, which is something i really have always admired. i have also always loved the saying 'there are as many paths to god as there are people', and i believe the same is true for happiness. as i said at the end of this post, i know that happiness is hard to find, and i am trying really hard to let go of some of the judgments i've built up around some of the things people do in their search. heather, if i have *ever* been condescending toward you (other readers, heather and i have been friends since high school), i truly apologize. i realize that life is full of difficult choices, and know you’ve had to make many yet have always remained optimistic, which is something i really have always admired.

i have also always loved the saying ‘there are as many paths to god as there are people’, and i believe the same is true for happiness. as i said at the end of this post, i know that happiness is hard to find, and i am trying really hard to let go of some of the judgments i’ve built up around some of the things people do in their search.

]]> By: Heather T. http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12919 Heather T. Mon, 14 Apr 2008 02:09:16 +0000 #comment-12919 As one of the carrot chasers I guess at this point I should be greatly annoyed by this thread in general, but I must agree with some things being said. I agree that it must seem like a generic life from the outside looking in, but believe me there is nothing generic about pro-creation. I am the mother of not the 2.5 but 5 beautiful children. I am the one you all cringe at, but I would have it no other way. I do not have a huge mortgage, I do have a little one that will be paid in 3 years. I have a car that is to big, but just right for us. I hate this, cannot wait to have a small car that will not take my paycheck to go to the grocery store. I have not traveled the world, or even traveled to much of the U.S. I have choosen to raise our future. I thrive on the idea that my children will be the educated, and the ones that are not cluttering the world with nothing to do or say, but leading the way to their childrens future. I could rattle on and on about which way is right, and I sit on the line. I do not know, as none of us really do. We can just hope that our choices in life better the world, and as someone else said does not hurt others. As one of the carrot chasers I guess at this point I should be greatly annoyed by this thread in general, but I must agree with some things being said.
I agree that it must seem like a generic life from the outside looking in, but believe me there is nothing generic about pro-creation.
I am the mother of not the 2.5 but 5 beautiful children. I am the one you all cringe at, but I would have it no other way.
I do not have a huge mortgage, I do have a little one that will be paid in 3 years.
I have a car that is to big, but just right for us. I hate this, cannot wait to have a small car that will not take my paycheck to go to the grocery store.
I have not traveled the world, or even traveled to much of the U.S.
I have choosen to raise our future. I thrive on the idea that my children will be the educated, and the ones that are not cluttering the world with nothing to do or say, but leading the way to their childrens future.
I could rattle on and on about which way is right, and I sit on the line. I do not know, as none of us really do. We can just hope that our choices in life better the world, and as someone else said does not hurt others.

]]> By: kristin http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12909 kristin Sun, 13 Apr 2008 00:03:00 +0000 #comment-12909 I did see this video...I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago....And I do realize that I am judgmental at times...over what makes people happy - but it's because I just don't understand....and now being newly divorced...I'm just even more fucked up :) I did see this video…I stumbled upon it a few weeks ago….And I do realize that I am judgmental at times…over what makes people happy – but it’s because I just don’t understand….and now being newly divorced…I’m just even more fucked up :)

]]> By: beforewisdom http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12908 beforewisdom Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:43:15 +0000 #comment-12908 I didn't see this cartoon as judgmental, just as a statement about the pitfalls of that path. There is plenty of quiet desperation to go around for suburbanites and people living the alternative hipster lifestyle alike. The worlds population is too large and getting bigger. The current replacement rate is 2 kids plus a decimal number. Please, everyone, if you can't handle being childless, adopting, or having only 1 kid please limit yourself to two children so that the the population can slowly come down. End of sermon. I didn’t see this cartoon as judgmental, just as a statement about the pitfalls of that path. There is plenty of quiet desperation to go around for suburbanites and people living the alternative hipster lifestyle alike.

The worlds population is too large and getting bigger. The current replacement rate is 2 kids plus a decimal number. Please, everyone, if you can’t handle being childless, adopting, or having only 1 kid please limit yourself to two children so that the the population can slowly come down.

End of sermon.

]]> By: amy.leblanc http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12903 amy.leblanc Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:11:25 +0000 #comment-12903 shannon, i appreciate your perspective. it's because i know (wonderful) people like you who i trust will thoughtfully move forward with your family and financial planning, that i can't just dismiss everyone who choses to go the 'normal' family route as being uncreative asshats. shannon, i appreciate your perspective. it’s because i know (wonderful) people like you who i trust will thoughtfully move forward with your family and financial planning, that i can’t just dismiss everyone who choses to go the ‘normal’ family route as being uncreative asshats.

]]> By: Shannon http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12900 Shannon Fri, 11 Apr 2008 22:45:25 +0000 #comment-12900 I've been struggling a bit with this too recently, especially now that I'm pregnant. I've always sort of thought that owning a house is kind of your real ticket out of the rat race. I mean really owning it, not "owning" it and having high mortgage payments. When you think about your expenses, I know that usually at least 50% of mine go towards housing (rent, electric, etc.). If you actually actually owned your house, it would be much easier to "drop out" or the working world...or at least reduce your hours so that you could work on things that mattered more to you...When you live in large cities, you have the convenience of culture, and lots of fun things to do, but I think that the high cost of living has a tendency to chain you to your job. Recently, we've been setting up our financial goals to be able to buy a house in the next few years. I'm OK with that in theory. But it makes me sick to my stomach to think of how much a house in Hawaii costs, and what we'd get for that kind of money. I mean seriously, for what we'd pay on a down payment, I could outright buy a really nice house in my hometown and have enough money to really pimp it out. But purchasing that house in Hawaii, unless we start making a lot more money, it's like we're running around in one of those gerbil wheels. *shrug* Love, Shannon I’ve been struggling a bit with this too recently, especially now that I’m pregnant. I’ve always sort of thought that owning a house is kind of your real ticket out of the rat race. I mean really owning it, not “owning” it and having high mortgage payments.

When you think about your expenses, I know that usually at least 50% of mine go towards housing (rent, electric, etc.). If you actually actually owned your house, it would be much easier to “drop out” or the working world…or at least reduce your hours so that you could work on things that mattered more to you…When you live in large cities, you have the convenience of culture, and lots of fun things to do, but I think that the high cost of living has a tendency to chain you to your job.

Recently, we’ve been setting up our financial goals to be able to buy a house in the next few years. I’m OK with that in theory. But it makes me sick to my stomach to think of how much a house in Hawaii costs, and what we’d get for that kind of money. I mean seriously, for what we’d pay on a down payment, I could outright buy a really nice house in my hometown and have enough money to really pimp it out. But purchasing that house in Hawaii, unless we start making a lot more money, it’s like we’re running around in one of those gerbil wheels.

*shrug*

Love,
Shannon

]]> By: amy.leblanc http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12899 amy.leblanc Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:44:29 +0000 #comment-12899 i think it's the "harming other people" that's the catch and where my conflicted feelings are about this. a lot of ZPG advocates and others would argue that the lifestyle depicted in this sketch IS harming other people. i think it’s the “harming other people” that’s the catch and where my conflicted feelings are about this. a lot of ZPG advocates and others would argue that the lifestyle depicted in this sketch IS harming other people.

]]> By: jenks http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12898 jenks Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:31:56 +0000 #comment-12898 being "atlernative" is no more a *right* lifestyle than being anything else. so long as you're living in a way that makes sense to you, and isn't harming other people, then have at it. there is no default "happiness" lifestyle. being “atlernative” is no more a *right* lifestyle than being anything else. so long as you’re living in a way that makes sense to you, and isn’t harming other people, then have at it.

there is no default “happiness” lifestyle.

]]> By: amy.leblanc http://www.amyleblanc.com/2008/04/the-standard-american-life#comment-12897 amy.leblanc Fri, 11 Apr 2008 21:09:57 +0000 #comment-12897 well, you have been living in urban coastal cities for most of your life...which is a huge factor in how many people you know who choose the standard path. that's not just an opinion, that's demographics. well, you have been living in urban coastal cities for most of your life…which is a huge factor in how many people you know who choose the standard path. that’s not just an opinion, that’s demographics.

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