I hate universal culture and feel sad about the world. Am I wrong to think like this?

[PP1983]

I feel really sad at the moment and disappointed with the way the world is changing, especially here in the UK. I am 25 years old so I am not a bitter old person who enjoys moaning, although sometimes I feel like people see me that way, despite the fact that I am young.

Essentially my worry is with regards to peoples attitudes in life and just way culture is losing its identity and character and the dominance of the universal in contemporary life. Here in London, I see it everyday, people just showing no empathy and sympathy towards each other. People who are greedy and want everything and NOW! I even get this at work. My boss expects everything of me, whereas I see myself as more of a specialist in particular aspects of what I do. I can't promote myself as an all-rounder or perfect (like most do) because I am not. I am also an introvert so I am shy and not as successful at promoting myself etc. So I feel left out most of the time, although I feel I have something to offer to the world and to people. I hate the way everything is becoming 'americanised' - food, drink, culture. The universal shopping malls which are growing bigger and bigger. In London many local independent stores have closed due to the introduction of the biggest shopping mall in Europe. I find that so sad and I really feel for those people who have lost everything they have worked for the past 50 years of their life. I wish I could detach myself emotionally from this like most people can. I dont want to offend any American people, i just think they could show more sensitivity towards other cultures, especially in Dubai etc. This past week saw Woolworths (a British department store) close due to financial problems and again I find this so sad. This mostly happened because of the introduction of massive stores such as "walmart" "Ikea" etc intruding with their size 12 feet. I know that not all Americans are like that and I dont hate them as people. My problem is that all of this is making me depressed, and unhappy. How can I become less sensitive to the world?

This also effects my personal life. When I meet a girl they want everything, me to be the caring boyfriend, the best looking guy, the tough guy, professional, free-spirited, funny, serious, kind, mean, and they want it then and there in front of them straight away. Then they expect me to accept that its just a casual relationship and I am one of many. I just cant be part of that world. I dont think I am greedy, I just want to meet a girl who is prepared to get to know me (slowly), as opposed to wanting everything there in front of her, and something which is disposable in a second. I know I sound pathetic and over sensitive (people always tell me that I am), but again, I just cant help caring about what is happening to the world.

Whenever I speak to people all they care about is the 'biggest' 'the best' 'the richest'. Why cant people look beyond extremes and realise that life can exist in a beautiful harmony and consistency, and stop trying to outdo everyone and everything. Every girl I date is obsessed with what her friends are doing. Sex, money, job etc.

Alongside this, I am also worried that I could be developing a bad mindset. I dont think I am a nasty person, I just feel so alone in my thinking. What does everyone think? If I am alone in this, does this make me wrong and unfit for this world? Am i wrong to feel this way? Should I try harder to be what the world demands me to be? Maybe I am just stupid and naive about the world. I guess I was raised by my parents to be quite naive about the world, as my mum in particular was always doing things for other people and spent all of her time helping the church and charities, but never shouted about it or made everyone aware of it and taught us to never be rude or loud. So, I guess as a family we lived in the background of culture and never really got noticed in a world which is dominated by people who shout and are forceful. Thats what feels most natural to me, but I also want to be successful in what I do.

Sorry for the long rant. Anyone else ever feel like this or hold a view on this?

 

[this girl]

You can't change people. They will be or become whatever they want or are. All you can do is look for a few friends or even one girlfriend who isn't like this and confide in her. That would be the only thing you could do. Unless you want to protest capitalism which is the reason for all of this in my opinion. But what other choice do we have?

 

[not me]

hi

i can identify with what you said, i used to be like this as well and still am. you know i think its about taking life easy and not worrying too much about things. Just do what you think is best for yourself and don't worry about other things that are going on and that you cannot change (for example Woolworths) - you didn't have anything to do with its closure and if a new shop comes in it will be as good as Woolworths, so why worry. I think Woolworth was badly managed and they didn't managed their finances well that's why these shops have to shut in a recession like that, if they didn't put any monies aside for the bad times.

What i'd suggest to you, get away from all this environment that annoys you and just go to live in the coutryside in a house where its very quite and reassemble all your thoughts. This way you can concentrate just on yourself and have a calm environment. That was the best solution for me. You don't need to live in a huge city like London to be happy in life!!! some people prefer a quite and calm life.

 

[captainchris]

I live in Aamerica, and your country isn't the only one. I have seen lots of changes in my life. Seems to me you don't like change. Well, your gonna have to just deal with it and get over it. as time goes by, change will be made. So, I don't know why your so stop worrying and bickering. I love change in life. Without change, life would be pretty fcking boring. I don't like things to NOT change. Change is good, routine is not good. I hate a routine life. People get up out of bed at 5am, get dressed get to work by 9am, leave work at 5pm and cook dinner, take a shower be in bed by 10pm, get up at 5 am, get dressed get to work by 9am, leave leave work at 5pm and cook dinner, take a shower be in bed by 10pm, and do the same thing 5 days a week. That to me is so fcking boring, I never done that and I hope I never will do that. First off, I'm not a morning person, don't wake me up early in the morning (early to me is 9am) for nothing. I sleep at least until 11am. I'm a Capt. for a major airline corp. I work about 8 days out of the month, and my flights are never the same destination. I have top seniority so I get 1st dibs in the flight schedule.
But you need to learn how to deal with life, you got a lot of growing up to do.

 

[Paul D]

I sadly agree.....I have whatched the Brittish culture desolve overe the past years (Europe is allready decayed) and now it is happening to us...(U.S.) THIS WHOLE GLOBAL COMMUNITY THING IS FONY...All it is doing is watering down culture. Students today are believing everything the educational system is pumping at them. They are revisionists, with the intention of changing culture itself...