Things Are Getting Better

[Bruce Bradley]

THINGS ARE GETTING BETTER
By: Bruce Bradley

In days of old, problems plagued people and were an everyday thing. Looking to the future and the thought that things are getting better brought a sigh of relief. It was recognized that you may not benefit from times changing, but your children certainly would. This made getting up and doing what was necessary to survive everyday a pleasant thing. Everyday was full of adventure because no one knew what the next day would have in store for them. Work was hard and to do simple task were drooling. Just going to the store to buy groceries was so hard. You would have to hitch the team to the wagon and ride a bumpy ride all the way. When you got there it was a mystery if they would have all that you needed. If they didn’t there was no were else to get it. This made life full and exciting for everyone. Every time some new idea was thought up it was the most wonderful thing. When you awoke you had no idea what the outcome of the day would be.

The days we live in today, there is little left to the imagination. Everything would look wonderful if you were looking through the eyes of someone from the days of old. The one thing he wouldn’t see is it very hard to say that things will get better. We already live in time when your every necessity is at your finger tips. If you think about it you can actually live and never leave your house. We have made things so convenient that there is little or no need to panic. Oh but we do, because we have nothing else to do. We rush and forget to take the time to look around and realize that we have it made. We have lost the need for things to get better. We are so spoiled that we take advantage of our planet. It has finally gotten to the point that there are some who are fighting for us to slow down. If we don’t we are at point now, our children will not have absolutely anything to look forward to.

As a part of the human race we have a need to improve. I guess when you think it about everything evolves. It has gotten to the point that our evolution has taken use to the point that we have everything. Think about most now have surround sound and a big screen television. That is a movie theater in your house. This makes you say hell why pay all that money to go see a movie when I can wait and watch it at home. A lot of folks are on these diet plans where they buy prepackage proportioned frozen dinners. Well why go out to eat or cook when we can have it done for us. We have corrupted ourselves. Everything is made for our convenience. This takes us to the point of what do we have to look forward to.

This has attributed to the fact so many people are taking drugs. It almost an epidemic in America now. It simulates the mind where all these things we use to have to do, filled. Our youth is really the ones suffering from this effect. They are starting to use more and more. I am 43 and we are the last generation that really had the ability to say things are getting better. In all of the progressions we have forgot one main oversight, what happens when we don’t have any dreams for the future. I don’t mean going to the moon or space. That is not something the general public can do. It is like every car comes with power windows and door locks. I can remember my first car was stripped. I had to look forward to one day getting a car with this extra equipment on it. Everyone needs something to look forward to. Think about it is a time now when we pretty much have everything to make life easy on us. What does this do for children? It is alright for us because have earned the right to be somewhat lazy. Our children have got to have something to look forward to. There is no answer to this problem and it will eventually take care of it self. The world can only go so far before we get knocked backwards.

Please if you have read this and I have written anything that offended you, I assure you that are not my intentions. I was riding in to work this morning and it just came to my mind and I wanted to write about it before I forgot. I know that this is not only problem we worry about but it is base of the problems in the future unless something changes. We can already see changes in our young people and it will get worse as time goes on. Thanks for sharing this thought with me.

[Sweets America]

Brucee, I see what you mean but I personally have things to look forward to because I'm thinking more in terms of individuals than in terms of society and general improvement. Talking about improvements, I think I have more and more things to discover about myself and the others. Once the general is done, you can look at the specific. :)

[Bruce Bradley]

Sophie,

You are right, I do forget what it is like to be young and look forward to the future. Once you have seen it, you will want to go back to the past. I now am at the tip of the hill and slowly starting down. I always try to keep a good outlook on life in general. You have got to remember in the USA everything is newer than most countries. We are also spoiled from never having a war in our country.

I have been to alot countries in my time and I can understand that views could be different. My trips overseas were many years ago now and I sometimes forget. Not that other countries don't have what we have, it is just a lot older. If you do get to come to the USA, that is something to think about looking around when you get here. But as I put in my post these are my thoughts and I mean no offense to anybody.

[symphony]

I like to see things from a more optimistic standpoint (perhaps its my age). But yes things have gotten worse and will get worse everyday. But the nicer thing about it is that when things get worst, they'll always find a way to be better. :D So thats definitely something I can look forward to! However, I do agree with you on most of the above things you said, and appreciate them and cant help nodding.

The other day I too was shaking my head at how normal it has become for young people to be on drugs. I was chatting with an online friend and was shocked at how disappointed on life he is. It seems like there's nothing in life that can amaze people any more. I couldnt help admiring myself for still finding this world so beautiful and amazing. I never get tired of the world. Why would someone, when they're only 18?! But unfortunately I've met and am still meeting many people even younger than me who're tired and fretful. I'm not blaming them, life has made them so, but I always find it a thing to think about. I dont really believe there's nothing else to have, nothing else to create or dream about. Whenever a new invention/discovery came about, it seemed to be the most wonderful thing, but wasnt there more wonderful things to be brought out later? I have a firm belief that till the end of the world people will have things to know, things to discover, things to smile for, and the wonderful desire to ask questions. But may be the fact that young people lack things to fight for makes them this much bored and hopeless. Another thing I was thinking about last night was- the amount of young tech-gurus (no, tech-gods) have increased so much that kids dont find it necessary to go to schools for normal education any more. I'm not talking about everyone but more people are finding it easier to become --say, a webdesigner-- than to attend high school and complete graduation and know more about this world on general. Knowledge and skills on gadgets is very useful and I value them, but the urge to learn about other things too is slowly fading. That kind of disturbs me. Why will someone read a book manually just because s/he has run out of bandwidth and cant download it? (Of course because its not necessary to take the trouble, but call me backdated I find it disturbing that its considered a trouble rather than a pleasure) The simple pleasures of life are slowly fading. But I tell myself that there'll be pleasures nonetheless, simple or complex. If this is not the thing of interest, another thing is. Anyway, i just think kids should have things to fight for. Life becomes more enjoyable once it's harder.

Every dew on every leaf is worth living for.

Nice topic, Mr. Bradley.

[Sweets America]

About what you both said regarding drugs, I thought maybe doing drugs could be another way of enjoying life, through experiences and sensations. Not necessarily bad.

[Virgil]

About what you both said regarding drugs, I thought maybe doing drugs could be another way of enjoying life, through experiences and sensations. Not necessarily bad.

Except that it almost always destroys your life. Jumping off the roof gives one a sense of pleasure and thrill too, but at some point you're going to hit the concrete.

[Sweets America]

Except that it almost always destroys your life. Jumping off the roof gives one a sense of pleasure and thrill too, but at some point you're going to hit the concrete.

Yes I know, this is the strange thing of it. I'm curious though. But I know how it can destroy people, one of my bros was an addict and I'm glad he managed to stop cause it really had bad effects on his psychological state.
But maybe it depends on the drugs, I've read things and been tempted...

[Eric Cioe]

We are also spoiled from never having a war in our country.

The least you can do is get your facts right. We have had a war in our country. It was the Civil War. Before that the War of 1812. And before that, the Revolutionary War. After the Civil War, there were the Indian Wars. After that, there was fighting in Alaska in WWII, but I won't hold that against you because Alaska wasn't a state by then.

[Etienne]

Except that it almost always destroys your life. Jumping off the roof gives one a sense of pleasure and thrill too, but at some point you're going to hit the concrete.

"Almost always destroys your life"? Yes, maybe because you only hear about crack heads and addicts, but all those very succesful people, who you may not even suspect could tell you otherwise. Alcohol is one of the worse drug, if it was taken "under the table" you would only hear about those people drinking their life. Drugs in general are like anything, it's about being responsible, the only thing is the thinness of the line that may vary.

Drugs are often the straw men of the real problems. Blaming drugs would be just like blaming video games, for example.

[Bruce Bradley]

You are very right in what you said, it is the person who is responsible. One of the most amazing drugs to ever be invented in our time is oxycontin. It is time released pill so one pill should last a person all day with out the harmful effects of tylenol. People could not take it like it was supposed to be taken and it is now revered as the most fatal drug in history.

I had hoped that the next generation would have learned from my generation's mistakes. There is a saying that goes, "The worst thing that can happen to a person is try drugs and like the buzz effect, because you will be casing it the rest of your life." Some can control it and function in normal society. Some just can never get enough and steal and use every dime they can get to buy it. Neither is worth it, because in both cases it still controls your life. If you have any extra money you spend it on getting what your body is craving. I guess the worst addictive effect is with pain pills (which is the most common to abuse) because your doctor will prescribe them to you. The problem is what will happen when you are in the hospital and need pain releif. They will not be able to ease your pain because you are so immune to the effects of pain medcine.

I hear people say that marijuana is not bad or addictive. The ones who are saying that are smoking it so how do they know. It may be precieved because it is easy to sit down for a while. This may be true but what is on your mind while you are not doing it. Man I can't wait until I can smoke a joint.

This not something I have read in magazines or books. I have lived and loved it and lost everything I have for it. I am better now but will never be cured. I try to speak to young people to let them know because I was just like them at some point and I lost control. If you were to meet me you would think man that guy has got it together. Good job, Intelligent, somewhat handsome. The one thing you probably would not guess that I have to be one of the most stupid people because to have had it all and let it go to feel good sure makes me feel bad now.

The thing that helped me to stop using the drugs was I walked into my only brother's bedroom and found him dead of a drug overdose. My mother was already dead and my dad is very old. He was my only sibling and the rest of my family live in Missouri, so I don't really even know them. With my brother and mother gone and no one to help me with my habbit, I started to realize that everything happens for reason and maybe he gave his life so I could live. I am good now and on my way to a good life. I also lost my wife too during this drug bendge. Don't get me wrong I quit for many years but it only took the taste of a buzz to set me off again. At the time I had lots of money to really do it up and I did. It is that easy to lose control when there is nothing to control you. Remember it is the buzz you are looking for not the drug and any drug will do.

I wish I had learned my lesson when I was young and dropped out of school. I stopped because I joined the Navy and had to too. This gave me the time I needed to quit and get better. I got my GED and have suceeded much after that. I now work as Electrical and Instrument Technician and Designer, pretty much as a engineer without the degree and pay. I still make a more than fair wage but my drug use recently had almost ruined it for me again. I will never go down that road again and I suggest if you are on it take a U turn because the further you go the harder it is to turn around. If you have never tried any drugs keep it that way because as I said if you like the taste it is hard stop. I hope you don't feel bad for me because I brought all the pain I have went through on myself and I hope if you ever get offered a hit from a joint this will help you say no.

[B-Mental]

Well I agree with you for the most part. I am worried by your endorsement of drugs. I am extremely drug sensitive. When I had a minor surgery, I was in and out of deep sleep, and vomiting dry heaves when I wasn't in a stupor. I find that old ways are better for healing naturally. Now doctors give you steroids to promote healing and get you back on your feet. Wouldn't it be amazing to discover that the drug induced healing is actually weaker than the tried and true method our ancestors went through. I think that man has come to a point where everyone thinks they are a god. When in reality simple science allows them their leisure. I long for the days of old, but look forward to the days of tomorrow.

[Etienne]

What I mean by responsible does not seem to be understood... If we are to discuss it always bringing up particular cases to prove in the end it's bad, we might as well stop now. I can very well come up with examples of people who have ruined their lives with video games, who have ruined their health (and life) with junk food, I can come up with many examples of lives lost or ruined because of alcohol, I can come up with statistics of death because of cars, I can come up with people who have ruined their life with chess! Where would it lead us? Nowhere. The only difference is the thinness of the line.

It is possible to have a constructive and positive experience from drug if you are - like anything else - responsible in your use of it (and this also means not taking ANY drugs, putting them all in the same basket is a mistake too often done on both users and prohibitionists).

[Bruce Bradley]

As I said in my reply there is nothing wrong taking medication as prescribed by a doctor. But, if people experiment with drugs they are testing the waters of something that can take control of them more than they can ever realize. If they are lucky they will come to realize that they are what they are and it doesn't take drugs to make that person before it is too late. Actually the effects make them something artificial because drugs numb your feelings. People have to look at the positives and not the negatives in life and they will get a natural high. Believe me I would never convince someone to not have your own experiences but with using any kind of drug there is an addictiveness that one will never know until they are hooked and then it too late for most. The majority wind up in jail or a funeral home and the rest fight the rest of their lives to stay clean. Yes it can be controlled if they don’t let it go to their head, but isn’t that what is wanted from the drugs unless it for medicinal purposes. But even getting it for medicinal purposes, to be in control it must be taken as prescribed.

[Etienne]

Well we disagree, not necessarily in the fundamentals, but in many particulars. Or maybe do we agree in some particulars but not in the fundamentals? I believe that's more accurate... and I believe you are wrong in many of your premises and conclusions, as it is merely generalizations. There is no such thing as ONE all-embracing judgment possible on what is called drugs. Caffeine and heroin are both drugs, but can you really include both in a single judgment? People too often have this tendency: legal drugs = it must be alright if it's legal, so many people take them and it's alright anyways/illegal drugs = I always hear about people taking these being in trouble, crime, addiction, etc, etc. But that's because when all goes well you don't hear about it and there's no reason you should. If most of them we're legal people wouldn't hide it and you would see the real size of the iceberg and realize that, in the end it's not much worse than other legal "drugs" - in which we could include much more than what is generally meant by this term. Also, illegal drugs are not necessarily heroin or crystal meth, you know...

Tell me, what is your opinion about alcohol?

[Bruce Bradley]

Please let me be more specific about the drugs I am talking about. Cocaine which I have tried on occasions is very addictive, almost instantly.
The most addictive form is crack or rock form and it is smoked. It is so dangerous that one hit can have someone spend every dime they have. Please if you don't listen to anything I say please don't ever try cocaine in any form.

The next is Opiumites this covers a large variety of drugs such as Hydrocodone, Morphine, Oxycodone, Codeine and Heroin. These chemicals are used to make the majority of pain pills such as Lora tab (Hydrocodone) Percocet and OxyContin (Oxycodone). These are prescribed by doctors as an answer to chronic pain. When I was younger there was a black market pill called Quaalude which gave you a numbing effect. Every one loved them because they made you feel care free. I think this is part of the reason for Opiumites being so popular today. It is also because they are prescribed to people for extended periods of time. Eventually your tolerance gets to a point that it takes more and more to kill the same pain. This continues until it gets dangerous to your health. Doctors have started to prescribe Methadone to there patients to reduce the amount of drugs they take. Remember this if someone is ever severely hurt, the hospital can’t give them what it will take to kill their pain. This is not to mention if they ever stop taking them they will know what they have been doing to their body. They will feel every little ache so much more. This was and I guess is my drug of choice for the quality of life they give you. They also alter your mind and slow your thinking and memory down. There’s always got to be down point to taking drugs. This is not to mention what they do to your digestive system since you are numb. Severe bloating is the result of not using bathroom on a regular basis. They dry out your stool. (Sorry to bring that up but it is part of the price to pay if you want to take Opiumites.)

I guess Benzodiazepines are about as bad you can get. They are prescribed for panic attacks and high stress. They are know as XANX and Valium and if you really get hooked on them they can actually kill you coming off of them. I never liked them because they always knocked me out. They are one of the biggest reasons for people overdosing because they are taken with Opiumites. Mixing drugs is the worst thing that anyone can do. Not only can they overdose but they have attained another addiction to overcome.

Alcohol, Alcohol, Alcohol, what is wrong with Alcohol? It is legal, so how can you say anything is wrong with it. I personally don’t care for Alcohol but to give me courage to ask ladies to dance. I like to drink just enough to feel good. There is nothing wrong with it as long as it is used in moderation. Everyday drinking can also cause people to get addicted and quitting can also cause death. People, who are going to drink, please call a cab or have someone not drinking to drive. A DUI makes the cab fare worth every bit of the cost.

Last but not least the favorite of drugs, Marijuana. It was the first drug I ever did and I would say it opened doors for me use other drugs later in life. I fought quitting smoking Marijuana for many years and it cost me working a lot of times. I was hard headed about it and I finally learned to work most places anymore they give drug test and Marijuana stays in your system longer than the other drugs. I haven’t smoked any in 20 years but oh, I used to. I have tired when I quite taking drugs thinking it would help and it made it worse so I just went cold turkey. It was a very hard thing but I am good now. You can tell I have dabbled in drugs for some time and if you want to listen to experience then don’t start. I did quit during my life for about 10 years and started back. This is proof you are never well.

I took the time to write this because I care about life now and want to share this experence with people so maybe I can stop someone before they start. Once you get that taste it becomes very difficult to quit and no one can make you do anything unless you get caught with something illeagal then you do have a drug problem to deal with.

[Etienne]

It is so dangerous that one hit can have someone spend every dime they have. Please if you don't listen to anything I say please don't ever try cocaine in any form.

Responsabilty vs. irresponsabilty is my answer here. As for crack, not taking crack is part of being responsible. And I also include heroin, crystal meth and other such drugs. (I personally take no "chemicals" too.)


Alcohol, Alcohol, Alcohol, what is wrong with Alcohol? It is legal, so how can you say anything is wrong with it.

Thank you, my whole point.


I personally don’t care for Alcohol but to give me courage to ask ladies to dance. I like to drink just enough to feel good. There is nothing wrong with it as long as it is used in moderation.

:idea:


Everyday drinking can also cause people to get addicted and quitting can also cause death. People, who are going to drink, please call a cab or have someone not drinking to drive. A DUI makes the cab fare worth every bit of the cost.

Now guess what, statistically, alcohol is probably the most dangerous drug after heroin, crystal meth and crack. Do you know the amount of people who dies because of alcohol each year? Do you know the amount of trouble it can cause to society and to individuals? Th amount of people who get addicted, etc? But yet, you don't care about that specific one, why? Because it's legal? I'm afraid truth is not a law.

As for your diatribe on marijuana, let's say that it made me laugh a bit, although there's nothing really to laugh about. It was more a laugh of irony... smoking marijuana is not an addiction, it can become a habit though. And then there's a very easy way to stop : change all your habits completely (traveling is probably the best). I've seen video games ruin some people's life, does that mean we should ban video games?


You can tell I have dabbled in drugs for some time and if you want to listen to experience then don’t start. I did quit during my life for about 10 years and started back. This is proof you are never well.

For every of those people who say : "Oh I've dabbled in drugs and it's evil." (because they were not responsible when they took it) there is 5 persons who still enjoy a bit of relaxation, even if they left the "harder" things for the past youth (just like they don't get dead trunk anymore), and are very succesful.

I've stayed responsible all the time, and I've always stopped easily when circumstances asked for it (which is very easy as long as you stay responsible), and this also means right now. Same as I don't get drunk these days.

I'm not saying telling people not to take drugs is wrong, but I'm more interested to facts and truth. But I say we drop the conversation and go our own way, as my only point is one should not put all "drugs" in the same basket, and especially not simply a dichotomy legal = good/illegal = bad. And that the danger is like with anything in life, you have to control yourself and be responsible. And being responsible also means not taking some drugs who really are dangerous and extremely addictive.

[Bruce Bradley]

The thing your not understanding is I am not saying that everyone will throw there life away on drugs or alcohol it is you never know what your reaction will be until you try them. For some that is all it takes. Who knows what will happen later in life it is all a mystery. One thing for sure you can guarantee that you won't go nuts on them if don't start to begin with.

I can tell by the way you talk about drugs you want to say it is good to do any drug because you like it. I like them too but I have lived and learned from my mistakes. Anybody who says it is good to alter your thinking is nuts. Drinking is as bad all the others. I added it on the list of drugs I think people should leave alone. I do believe that Marijuana is the least addictive of the drugs but you started and you are still doing it. Why are you still doing it? Let’s see in 20 years if you still are. Just like smoking it is not good for your lungs and people have mental addiction to both. They both affect your mind and when you don't have it your mind sends signals to tell you to get it. I agree that it not physical like some other drugs.

I really enjoy your questions on this because it means you have been thinking about it and wondering. This is the first step to either quitting or getting worse. Denial is one of the steps to becoming an addict. It is all a mind game and you choose your weapon. A mind is a terrible thing to waste. You can spend time thinking of ways to better yourself instead of using drugs. I know it must be a strong thought in your mind because of everything I wrote in my post it was only thing that stood out to you. I am not an educated person so I may not express myself as well as some but I mean no harm to anyone. If you feel drugs are your answer then do them up, no one can stop you. I am only giving my experience in this matter.

[Etienne]

I have said in my posts that I have practically stopped every drugs, (only a bit of alcohol, but never getting drunk), mostly for practical reasons and temporarily. In the last year I've been smoking marijuana at most once a month in average in the last, what 8 months? that's not enough to entertain an addiction if addiction there was, and it is always opportunistic and situational.

Do I like drugs? Yes, some of them, when they are done in a constructive and positive way, not just "drugs for drugs". I've read the Artificial Paradises of Baudelaire recently, and it shared much of my opinions on drugs based on my own experiences, and every people I meet who takes drugs responsibly share this very opinion. It is absolutely obvious, but some people get excited much by the social side of drugs, but that's exactly the very danger. Even alcohol. Wen do people get in ethylic comas? In drinking parties, and why do they drink so much? For the gallery. Same with the rest.

Many people can't do that, ok, I admit. But it's the people who are to blame more than the substance, and just like I won't preach to anyone to stop drinking, I won't tell to anyone that some other drugs are bad (some are truly bad, though, no mistake). Is it cars that are bad, or people driving at 150 in residential areas? Drugs can harm only the user, and besides prohibition is useless, the best solution is education, and education involves truth.

You know when people say ohh drugs are bad, marijuana is dangerous! What do you think kids think when they hear all the time that marijuana is dangerous and they try it? Well then maybe it's the same for heroin? They say it's bad but it's not. By prohibition and propaganda the only thing it creates is a flourishing black market, ignorance of the drugs which leads to more dangerous situations. You see my point is not an apology of "drugs" it is a defense of some of them.

[Bruce Bradley]

I think we pretty much are on the same side. I do agree that it is not the drugs it the person using them. Some should never even be in existance such heroin and crack but they are because there is someone buying it. I agree and I am glad to hear that what you told me about yourself. I just hate to hear about these young kids robbing there parents medicine cabnets, now that is sad.

[Quiche]

I didn't have time to read your entire piece nor the entire thread(kind of trying to stop myself from this terrible procrastinating that I'm doing!), but I must say that I like your point about this modern world having nothing left to the imagination. Not because it's necessarily true, but because it is thought provoking. I feel as I am growing up that I'm becoming more analytical and less entranced by the prospect of something adventurous and elaboratly strange, and I see this trend in not only myself but in the modern world as a whole. Though there is still plenty left to imagine about (and anyone who does imagine anything unprecedented is a creative genius, I think), it seems as if sometimes we've thought of all there is to think about, and now all we can do is just keep arguing over this way and that and figure out the details.

This is all speaking in very general terms, btw.

And oh, how I would love to see the reaction of, say, a person of the dark ages seeing our modern world. Or even a person from the 50s!

[blp]

Or even a person from the 50s!

Well there are still quite a few of those about. :p

[blazeofglory]

You are a positivist and you see things positively. But the truth of the matter is otherwise. See things differently and independently even of your own notions of things, you will become critical of what you wrote to your bewilderment. .