Discussion
At the blood bank, the young prep nurse said, "Hi, how are you?"
I said, "Can't kill me if they can't catch me, you know how it is."
She did not smile or laugh.
Six months ago, at the IGA, a cashier asked the same question and got the same answer.
She looked at me, nodded, and said, "Damn straight."
@morgan That's a good one.
I had a serious gastric distress back in January, and eventually went to the doctor.
After the description of symptoms, and his requiring tests, he asked me how I had been *otherwise*.
I replied, "About as well as can be expected, from someone of my dissolute lifestyle."
He said, "Dissolute lifestyle. That's good, I'm gonna find a use for that phrase."
@GeePawHill Nurses are a weird crowd when it comes to existential jokes. When I get the "Do you smoke?" question checking in I usually say "No, but I'm thinking of starting bc all the cool kids do it" (I'm 50+). There are only 2 reactions: A HARD laugh or, just as often a polite but stern mini lecture on that I shouldn't start because (well known reasons).
@GeePawHill I'm assuming young = Gen Z. They are fundamentally incapable of enjoying dad jokes. Not a single shred of whimsy can exist within them because they've only known how bad life can suck. I feel so sorry for them. ☹️
@moxie Could be, tho, in general, I think "gen" talk is shite. Both the prep nurse and the cashier were within five years of each other's age, for instance.
@GeePawHill @moxie 100% I've noticed that generational analysis became especially popular (it was always to some extent there) as the cult of the individual was supercharged by atomizing cultural influences meant to divide families and friends, double dipping to sell rebellion as a hip aesthetic (the young sucker's simulation of freedom) alongside resent as real estate (the greedy and tired elder's temptation to say "fuck them kids").
I feel like it becomes a de facto way of relating to those before and after you when you're emotionally arrested before you realize that the "my elders can't possibly understand me" thing is conceit, because in fact, we're all different, and many of us are very good at empathizing with our imaginations even if another thing you get better at over time is saying things people don't want to hear.
I think "kids these days, they're all X" bullshit comes from the same mindset of "you grownups can't possibly know what it's like!" after many years pass without growth. It's a reflex to retreat to thought arresting abstractions to avoid encountering the real animal under the mask, and it's very much encouraged and reinforced at scale by promulgation of generational analysis in articles of popular publications.
Also my gen alpha son is perhaps the next king of dad jokes and he has been through hell (we both have). My observation is just that some people find it harder to cope using humor (even offensive), while others do so far more automatically, and that's just a varied trait that depends on a ton of factors. Also people change over time, and laughing about your misfortune (and recognizing that humor in others) tends to just get easier and more attractive over time as you have less and less energy to agonize over things.
Just my two cents about generational analysis and why some people laugh and make corny jokes more than others.
@GeePawHill @moxie And hell, wrt the original post, one data point is hardly a sample. Maybe the chick that didn't laugh was just having one of those days 🤷♀️
@GeePawHill Yeah. I am very much generalising, but it's a valid observation. Their sense of humour has been kicked right in the shins by life. You clearly kick back with humour!
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@GeePawHill a Ukrainian friend told me the common response in his country is "better than I deserve."
I've been using it.