Feeling old? Have you seen the latest xkcd comic?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around feelings of nostalgia and aging, prompted by a recent xkcd comic. Participants reflect on the passage of time, cultural references, and generational differences, touching on various media and experiences from the past.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express feelings of devastation upon realizing how much time has passed since certain cultural milestones, such as the release of "Shrek."
  • There are comments on generational differences in understanding cultural references, such as 8-tracks and LPs.
  • Participants share anecdotes about children’s perceptions of money and value, highlighting misunderstandings about currency.
  • Some express a sense of nostalgia for past television shows and events, noting the significant time that has elapsed since their original airing.
  • There are reflections on the implications of youth's inability to understand historical artifacts, such as the Golden Record, and the potential disappointment in generational knowledge.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share a sense of nostalgia and the feeling of aging, but there are varying perspectives on the implications of generational knowledge and cultural understanding. No consensus is reached regarding the significance of these feelings or the interpretations of the cultural references mentioned.

Contextual Notes

Some statements rely on personal experiences and subjective feelings about aging and cultural knowledge, which may not be universally applicable. The discussion includes references that may depend on individual familiarity with specific cultural artifacts.

ideasrule
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If you haven't seen this already: http://xkcd.com/891/

If you're 15 or younger, read the mouse-over text.
 
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I hate my life now.
 
Wow, Shrek was 10 years ago. I actually felt a twinge of devastation reading that.
 
ideasrule said:
If you're 15 or younger, read the mouse-over text.

You mean there are people aged 15 or younger who still know how to read?

Well, you learn something new here every day :rolleyes:
 
I know what an 8-track was.
 
my son is into transformers at the same age i was. even mario is pushin 30
 
A child thinks that 25 cents or 25 years can scarce ever be spent.
 
Jimmy Snyder said:
A child thinks that 25 cents or 25 years can scarce ever be spent.

A child also thinks 2x50p pieces are worth more than a £1 coin.
 
<ignorance>100p = £1, right?</ignorance>
 
  • #10
jhae2.718 said:
<ignorance>100p = £1, right?</ignorance>

Yep.

Give them a pound coin and they're happy, give them five 20p coins and they're ecstatic.

Seen a few fights because one got "more" than the other in this way.
 
  • #11
And if you give an adult a gold coin that turns out to be chocolate wrapped in tin foil, they will be disappointed. If you give a child a gold coin and it turns out to be solid gold the child will be disappointed.
 
  • #12
Kramer Jr. is almost 40.
 
  • #13
It has been more than 38 years since astronauts last walked on the Moon.
 
  • #14
The last season of Gilligan's Island was in 1967.
 
  • #15
Borek said:
Kramer Jr.
GeorginaS said:
Gilligan's Island

What the heck are you guys talking about?
 
  • #16
George Jones said:
It has been more than 38 years since astronauts last walked on the Moon.

What a coincidence. There's even a cartoon for that: http://xkcd.com/893/
 
  • #17
I explained what an LP is/was to the bf of my youngest daughter.
 
  • #18
GeorginaS said:
The last season of Gilligan's Island was in 1967.

The last episode of Star Trek aired (for the first time) in June, 1969.
 
  • #19
Andre said:
I explained what an LP is/was to the bf of my youngest daughter.

You should have given him a copy of the Golden Record. The instructions for building and operating a device to listen to it are right on the record, itself.

Or, then again, having human youth prove incapable of deciphering something we intend alien life to interpret may just be depressing.
 
  • #20
BobG said:
You should have given him a copy of the Golden Record. The instructions for building and operating a device to listen to it are right on the record, itself.

Or, then again, having human youth prove incapable of deciphering something we intend alien life to interpret may just be depressing.

Forget about human youth. Even top human scientists back in the 1970's couldn't decipher the Golden Record; top scientists of today would probably have no hope whatsoever if they haven't seen it before.
 
  • #21
i feel terribly old when i realize has been ten years since the appearence of tom green on MTV... we were so young :cry:
 

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