Thats pretty sad when you have to dodge the issues of today because they depress you. Doesn't that tell you something?

I don't think that OUlioness was saying that she or her friends "dodge" important issues.

To me, she makes a very valid point by stating that it is important for us to have an even balance in our lives. Certainly there is a time to talk about politics and world news, but there is also a time to discuss less earth-shattering tidbits like Hollywood stars' engagements. :)

Dude, I was going to start a similar topic the other night. I noticed that some peoples (ESPECIALLY college age and younger) conversations doesn't go beyond sports, make-up, clothes, and who's dating who.

Like someone said, there needs to be a balance. While I like to talk about sports, sex, parties, clothes, gossip, etc. I also like to talk about current events, religion, and even little about philosophy, science, and politics. Hell, I just like to talk, even occassionally when I don't know what the hell I'm talking about. :p

Sometimes I wonder about really superficial or really deep people.

agger_rob: To address your question....I'm leaning more toward Hollywood. It put Jesse Ventura in office. But you couldn't pay me to put Al Sharpton in a movie. :p

A balance is important, but I don't think that "important" issues are discussed enough by young people. Some say college opens one up to new experiences, expands horizons, blah, blah, blah, but I just found myself in a cultural void. The world could fall apart around my college, but I wouldn't have noticed until I went off campus. I'm ashamed to admit that I do not know a lot about politics, and more ashamed to ask someone to explain what's going on for fear of being ridiculed. As they say, ignorance is bliss :)

I work for a Private Investment company owned by Saudi Arabians. Needless to say, I am completely up to date on everything going on in the market and in the Middle East. I have to brief my boss on things and read every frigging article in papers and mags from all over about these "news worthy" issues. So when I am up to my eyeballs in political and/or economical jargon, it's nice to log on to GC and talk about funny commercials, make-up and what I eat when I am drunk! If you want to start some threads about current topics, I am sure tons of us would respond. Don't just belittle us all for discussing things you think are irrelevant. Start something you deem constructive and we'll discuss that, too, I am sure!

Maybe i get upset/depressed when i think about some of because i have a very close friend whom i care about in the military and he will be sent to fight a war if the US choses to fight iraq. Otherwise, I absolutely love to talk about politics and stuff. I would actually like to have a job working on international treaties for the US government when i graduate from college. I don't dodge the issues of today, but neither do i feel a need to be constantly be discussing them. Sometimes we all need to let loose and talk about things that don't mean anything in the long run.

I wonder how far the enlighented era during the 15-1600s would have taken us had life revolved around such meaningless garbage as today's consumerism...it's funny you mentioned L.O. in particular. She can't sing nor act, but some jackass controlling n.a radio stations decides that (with the effects of audio dubbing) we'll give this individual more power than someone capable of making a difference in society. When did life revolve around such trivilties as some guy catching a football over a brilliant man dedicated to improving/reformatting ecology? Just keep buying bullshit we don't need, and hope that everyone else will be happy with a little less than what we have.

Ok, you can insert Nsync, Britney, Jessica, Britney, Christina, BSB, Britney and basically every other pop act that does not write their own lyrics, play their own instruments, or is able to sing without some fat guy sitting in a studio turning knobs to alter their voice to that equation.