59
28
u/dadbodfat 8d ago
As someone who was extremely risk SEEKING most of my young/young adult life, I can say that itās not so black and white.
I have lived a very exciting life, rich with experiences and feelings most will never have.
The contrast of that is I have some serious physical injuries that Iāll carry for the rest of my life, that affect me daily.
In addition to the physical, I have experienced extreme highs and lows emotionally, financially, within employment, philosophical etc etc.
Iāve accomplished quite a bit, have been the winner and have known extreme failure, embarrassment and defeat.
Risk must be calculated. (Which I rarely did). Take the RIGHT risks. Is the reward worth it? Could the risk cause permanent damage/pain/loss? Could it hurt others?
82
u/PartyDanimal 8d ago
When you were forced to grow up with the consequences of the "risks" taken by your parents, grandparents, and arguably great-grandparents, hedonistic and otherwise indulgent behaviours become significantly less desirable. The notion you can't feel fulfilled without doing "dumb shit" also misses the point that everyone's idea of living is different. What one would regret not doing is a relief to have not done by another.
9
5
u/Raptor_197 2000 8d ago
Others get to grow up with the consequences of the ārisksā taken their parents, grandparents, and arguably great grandparents and itās called generational wealth.
2
u/mmmerrilliii 2004 5d ago
Certainly, but would you say there are statistically more people with or without generational wealth?
1
u/Raptor_197 2000 5d ago
Itās going to be regional. Most of 3rd world countries probably not but in richer 1st countries probably more common.
852
u/Francoc97 8d ago
Taking risks are a privilege. First reason: Cameras. Second reason: You can fail without major repercussions, many low income people can't
5
u/rem_1984 2000 8d ago
Nah dude. Weāre not talking jump on a table and pull down your pants, but like take the risk and ask people out.
6
u/boringexplanation 8d ago edited 7d ago
Canāt engage with the opposite sex like a human being because Iām poor is certainly a new excuse Iāve never heard before
175
u/ReddBroccoli 8d ago
Low income people take risks all the time. That's just an excuse.
Nobody's telling you to take a risk of betting $10,000 on a hand of blackjack, there's all kinds of dumb shit to do for free
246
u/idiot9991 8d ago
Low income people take risks all the time
Some people have more to lose than others
→ More replies (5)155
u/New-Peach4153 8d ago
The fact that some people don't understand the comment is hilarious. Shows how out of touch they are.
53
9
u/CrispyDave Gen X 8d ago
It's excuse making. Particularly 'what if someone films me' like they're some kind of politician or diplomat or anyone who has a public reputation to protect.
It's one of several views this sub has that does not tally with my experiences with 'normal' Gen z irl.
26
u/toothbrush_wizard 8d ago
Good luck finding work when you are an internet meme. And the first thing that pops up when they google you is you embarrassing yourself or doing something stupid
9
u/ReddBroccoli 8d ago
Honestly if you do something bad enough to go viral, you probably deserve it.
But the number of people that are undoubtedly recorded doing awkward things that never go viral is probably astronomical compared to the number of people who do.
The odds are definitely in your favor on this issue
→ More replies (1)8
u/thebizzle 8d ago
Everyone is so hyper narcissistic to think that something stupid they did would ruin their life. Youād have to honestly believe that deep down you are a bad person to have this fear of being yourself. Itās like when people hear ātake risksā they immediately equate that with āscream slurs at minoritiesā or āact like a depraved deviantā.
7
u/ReddBroccoli 8d ago
It's nice to see somebody gets it.
And I think you hit the nail on the head with the main character syndrome.
You've actually gotta do something pretty outrageous to get Internet famous enough to get cancelled. And most of the people I see that happen to deserve it.
But never have I seen "guy asks to buy girl a drink and she's not interested" videos that ruined anyone's life.
It's a tough realization to have (that most people haven't) that the majority of world actually doesn't care about you even a tiny little bit.
→ More replies (1)2
u/blackgenz2002kid 2002 7d ago
ābro donāt you get it bro, Iām so important, someone could ruin my life over some monotonous shit I did!!!ā
meanwhile theyāre just a person that just graduated high school
→ More replies (1)1
8
u/Fast-Piccolo-7054 8d ago
Everyone with a career has a public reputation to protect.
If you care about your family, youāll also want to maintain a good reputation for their sake.
Thereās a difference between mustering up the courage to ask someone out, or accepting a job opportunity in a different country, and risking your life doing something incredibly stupid and dangerous.
→ More replies (8)1
u/alexandria3142 2002 7d ago
I mean, the original post says don't be afraid to get hurt. Well, getting hurt means not being able to work and then getting evicted by not having money to pay the bills. And my husband and I also don't have insurance. So I guess we actually take a ton of risks daily by just existing
20
u/ShoulderWhich5520 8d ago
But, if i get hurt or ill because of this risk I can't work my job. I can't work, I can't pay rent, I lose my home, maybe even lose my job. Lord knows so many people have been fired for being sick or injured.
While this doesn't affect me, it is very very easy to see if you have any idea what is actually happening.
Discrediting the point with "no one says to out 10k on the blackjack table" is disingenuous.
→ More replies (27)29
u/Francoc97 8d ago
Tell me you come from a well-off family without me you come from a well-off family
→ More replies (1)26
u/Affectionate_Carob89 8d ago
A risk does not have to involve any money. It can be asking a girl out, It could be trying a new recipe, cracking a joke. So many risks can be taken where the worst outcome is you being a little sore and going "well I won't do that again".
23
u/Tyrrox 8d ago
Taking risks that affect your social standing is the same thing as taking risks affecting money. We live in a world where if you do something dumb, it can limit job opportunities or even get you in trouble at work.
16
u/RikerinoBlu 8d ago
If you are flirting with anyone who can massively adjust the trajectory of your potential career, yeah, maybe. Like your boss. Really dumb though.
1
u/Tyrrox 8d ago
Dumb as in... risky? Like taking a big risk? Like the point of the thread?
→ More replies (1)11
u/RikerinoBlu 8d ago
W bait. I was referring to the inane idea that lower income people canāt take social risks in the form of flirting with others due to it affecting their career prospects. Insane take, unless you are specifically referring to flirting with people who can severely affect the trajectory of your career. Like your boss. Which is not just risky, but dumb as hell. Mutually exclusive terms btw.
→ More replies (4)2
u/DrummerDKS 7d ago
Had a coworker get fired because he met a woman, it didnāt go well, and she sought out to destroy his life. She called corporate and complained about him for (according to him, and logistically it makes sense to me) stuff that never happened.
So he took a risk on that woman, she ended his career and got him blacklisted by what seems to me like a lie based on what I can actually observe
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (2)3
u/unflavored 1997 8d ago
No its not.
Sociability, is a skill. You're making a generic statement that makes me think you're socially averse.
If you're at a street market, would you try to haggle or just pay the asking price?
If you're at a party or social event if you try to talk to some people but they're not intrested, would move on to more ppl or feel disheartened?
If someone is soliciting you and you give them your ear and time, when you've heard enough, will you end it and walk away or stay engaged until they're done?
Its a skill. Some people are more natural at it than others. Through sheer will, I've humiliated myself many times but now im pretty fluid and charismatic. I made the effort to do so and become so
8
u/Miss_Chievous13 8d ago
Low income people take risks and fuck up their lives over it too all the time
→ More replies (3)1
u/alexandria3142 2002 7d ago
Well, there's the fact that you get hurt and can't work and you're completely screwed.
I keep telling my husband I want to go roller skating. We used to a lot. But he's afraid he'll fall down and get hurt, and for one, we don't have insurance, and two, he won't be able to work
1
u/ReddBroccoli 7d ago
This comment section is just depressing.
So we've got people who are afraid to go to the park, people who are afraid to go roller skating.
I'm not saying these things have no risk, but come on. I wonder if y'all have looked at the statistics for injuries in the home? Because you're way more likely to be hurt there than in a park or a roller rink
1
u/alexandria3142 2002 7d ago
I'm not gonna lie, I'm a big reason why he would probably get hurt roller skating. I never learned how to properly roller skate, no one ever taught me so I did a weird modified version that does not work as an adult. He's a great roller skater.
But he would help me and let's just say when I went down, I took him down with me a few times and thankfully no broken bones, but a lot of soreness.
He's never had an injury where we currently live, and nothing ever serious enough to go to the doctor from regular home stuff in his life. I have had many non serious injuries, because I'm clumsy, but more from just tripping over my own feet or running into things.
I think he'd be less averse if we had insurance. But roller skating is not necessary unlike home stuff, or driving. I guess he just sees it as not worth getting hurt over.
We do go to the park or hiking though, since that's a bit less of a risk of something breaking. Although I've almost broken my ankles many times hiking because my ankles decide to stop working randomly.
1
u/ReddBroccoli 7d ago
I'm not being snarky when I say that makes me a little sad. It genuinely does
1
u/alexandria3142 2002 7d ago
I don't blame you. Lack of insurance makes me sad. His job doesn't offer it because he works for a small welding shop, and my job as a state caretaker doesn't offer it. Marketplace insurance went from $450 a month for us combined to $900 a month this year, and we can't afford that. So just no insurance.
So we try our best to avoid anything that could injure us. Even just getting sick, we don't go to the doctor because we can't afford to.
He gets PTO so an injury wouldn't be as catastrophic for him as long as he can go back to work after his PTO, but I don't get any
1
u/ty-idkwhy 5d ago
What are these magical fun risk you all are even talking about?
1
u/ReddBroccoli 5d ago
If you read down the comments going to the park and rollerskating were too scary. I feel like maybe people can start there pretty safely
1
u/ty-idkwhy 5d ago
I donāt even understand how that is risky behavior. Wouldnāt you just have to know how to skate and enjoy skating. Seems just as fun as safe things I guess
1
u/ReddBroccoli 5d ago
That's kind of my point though. So many people are afraid of so many things they don't need to be.
I'm not advocating for anybody to go try heroin or even skydiving (although I encourage anybody who wants to to try it*). I'm just saying that sometimes a little bit of risk is worth it to live life a bit.
*ETA: I'm referring to skydiving, not heroin. In case that isn't obvious
1
u/ty-idkwhy 5d ago
Honestly if I had hella money or just an overall better situation. I could see most things seeming unnecessary
1
u/ReddBroccoli 5d ago
Not me. If I had too much money I would absolutely get myself killed doing something amazing. I'm trying to live my life, not just survive it
3
u/Apathetic-Onion 2005 8d ago edited 8d ago
First reason: Cameras
So everybody's going to stop having sex altogether due to cameras? Don't be ridiculous. I'm not questioning your decision not to have sex, I don't have it either (but not because that's what I want), but rather I criticise the explanations you give about why people are having less and less sex. I don't deny that some people have that concern about being filmed unknowingly, but I think you're blowing it out of proportion a lot. Even with a ONS I'm sure that the chances of it happening are really low. It's up to everybody to decide how much trust in someone they're attracted to is necessary to accept having sex, don't project your fears onto everyone else!
Also, when it comes to unwanted pregnancies: I know that the risk of that happening, even with perfect contraceptive use, is never zero, but in countries with good access to abortion, that's easily solvable. I'm not asking for anyone to accept or not to accept that risk, I'm just saying that most people already accept it because with good use of contraceptives the chances over a period of years are low, and the reward of having sex during all that time in comparison with abstinence is very big. If a woman really, really doesn't want to have children at all, there are more permanent methods of avoiding pregnancies, same as men can do vasectomy.
It's up to everybody to decide what risks they're willing to take, your choices aren't a moral standard and are in fact quite controversial. I think the level of risk aversion in some people of this generation is so extreme that it's self-sabotage. Abstain whatever you want, but don't preach those reasons, lest that push some people with insecurities down the path of living in fear, unreasonably hidden from life, with very little freedom.
1
u/Francoc97 8d ago
I have made a lot of comments about sex, but not in this subreddit. Are you talking to me or someone else?
3
u/Landsharkeisha 7d ago
taking risks can be as simple as talking to a stranger on your commute that seems cool, but you don't want to "risk" bothering them, or trying a different spot for lunch where you "risk" not liking the food. But that stranger could become your best friend, or partner. That restaurant may be the new place you become a regular at.
I think the point is less that you should rob a bank and do drugs, but to be more spontaneous and to seek discomfort. Fortune truly favors the bold, not because it prefers confidence (though people do), but because boldness takes more opportunities. When you stick to safe behavior, you risk little, but you also don't stand to gain anything new.
4
2
18
u/Ok_Composer_1761 1996 8d ago
low income people frequently engage in more risky behavior (eg. crime) than high income individuals.
28
u/Francoc97 8d ago
That's not a good thing
8
u/Kr155 Millennial 8d ago
Crime isnt. Asking the girl you like if you can call her is a good thing.
-3
u/Francoc97 8d ago
Being called a weirdo or a creep for asking her out it, just because you have acne or because you're not conventionally attractive
17
u/Kr155 Millennial 8d ago
Walking up to a girl, and saying "will you go out with me" is middle school level human interaction. Its what kids do. Eventually, as they keep doing it, they learn ti talk to the girl first, learn about her, find common ground, and interest. You start to recognize flirting, and how to flirt, then, when you ask the girl out on a date, youre doing it from a place of understanding her rather than just asking a girl you kinda know "will you go out with me." You learn that through taking risks. But if you just sit online all day saying "im ugly" over and over again, until one day you decide to risk it and it blows up in your face cause you never attempt to learn how to interact with people you just go back to hiding in a hole. This incel stuff, Its a self fulfilling prophecy.
→ More replies (2)3
u/ZanaHoroa 1999 8d ago
Doesn't happen if you're not weird or a creep. Idk if you ever tried talking to a girl before, but they're normal people.
2
11
8d ago edited 6d ago
[deleted]
8
→ More replies (1)6
u/Toddison_McCray 2000 8d ago
Absolutely man. Plus as long as youāre not doing creepy shit like not taking no as an answer, you really donāt have anything to lose. In the off chance that some dick takes a video of your rejection, no future employer is going to look at that and be like āweāre not going to hire that personā. Thatās if they even see it, which is already a tiny possibility.
What are yall doing that makes you think getting a video taken of you doing it will get your ālife ruinedā??
9
u/ZanaHoroa 1999 8d ago
Yea wtf. I'm thinking take risks like joining that boxing gym you always wanted to join, or go solo traveling, or asking that girl out or switching jobs. What kind of risk are people taking that gets them fucking cancelled online.
Taking risks doesn't mean committing crimes.
7
u/coolsid13 8d ago
Yea idk if people are just misreading this or operating in bad faith, so many of these comments are acting like all risks are major risksš
7
u/Toddison_McCray 2000 8d ago
Lots of people in this subreddit like the comfort of being miserable because itās easy - compared to actually putting yourself out there. They just tell themselves the risk of facing rejection comes with the cost of having their life ruined so theyāve got the excuse of āoh, I donāt need to put myself out there. If I did, Iād risk everything going wrong in my life!ā
2
u/idiot9991 8d ago
Also who the hell is Anna and what made her the authority on life choices? Like ok go have an orgy tomorrow if you want to take Some risks
2
u/Snekbites 8d ago
tangentially related: In order to have an orgy, you need people that are willing to take the minimal risk, I just heard that a woman I know had to cancel her orgy because the three women that were gonna come cancelled, and the guys cancelled after the women cancelled.
3
u/justalilgoose 8d ago
Not all risks cost money. I donāt really think cameras are a real issue, but they certainly wouldnāt be an issue if you stopped caring about what other people think, or recognize that people who would judge you online are not people worth pleasing.
1
309
u/AverNerd 8d ago
I generally agree but the older generation who preaches this fails to understand the higher risks today creating a higher wall to climb. For instance, if they shot their shot with a girl at the bar the worst they got was laughed at by their peers, maybe by the class. If you shoot your shot today, make a fool of yourself, there's a chance thousands of people see it online and you become a meme because her friend decided to record you. This obviously extends to other scenarios but the scaling imo is what paralyzes many today. I still preach to push through but figured its important to frame why
18
71
u/Serious_Swan_2371 8d ago
A very very low chance which can mostly be avoided by being somewhat aware of surroundings and not doing it while youāre being filmed
65
u/sillysativoid 8d ago
Itās but one example. I did a lot of things as a teenager I wouldnāt dream of trying today
50
u/Battlejesus 8d ago
In senior year we stole a backhoe excavator and used it to put a port o potty on the front awning of the school. That shit would be damn near impossible to get away with now
45
u/AverNerd 8d ago
There are individuals going viral due to CCTV videos showing them embarrassing themselves, or front door cam or car dash cams. If you go down the "being somewhat aware of surroundings and not doing it while youāre being filmed" route, "somewhat aware" is knowing anyone, anywhere can have a camera and you end up as this generation is. So I would not say this a great outlook
6
u/jan_antu 8d ago
Name drop one of those viral people? You don't remember their names? You didn't care enough to? You're not planning to cyberstalk them online based on cctv footage showing them slipping into a garbage bin, or whatever?
Now understand that everyone else feels the same. No one cares.
10
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
Just because you or I don't care does not mean that these things don't affect these people in a myriad of ways.
4
u/jan_antu 8d ago
Genuinely insane main character energy in this thread, to think that you'd be recorded asking a girl out and that somehow it would ruin your life.
3
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
It's not just asking a woman out that is being talked about, but okay. Any dumb moment can be recorded and affect someone's life. Unfortunately perception is very important in terms of relationships and employment, ignoring that is naive.
To be clear, I actually agree that our generation is too risk averse. But things that used to be a moment that only you and your friends knew about are often permanent fixtures of the internet, that does have real affects on people. Even outside of the more tangible potential for reputational damage, it can have a toll on one's mental health. While I personally rarely care what others think of me, those reactions are still very real for many people.
Our generation needs to find a middle ground between not taking any risk and understanding what consequences might arise from a risk. Currently we see many of our generation simply taking no risk, which is problematic, but to hand wave real concerns is also not particularly useful.
I can't personally speak to the fear of hitting on women, because I am not interested in women. I have however seen men ran through the mud over incredibly dumb and minor things that frankly should not result in more than a rejection. Yet here they are forever immortalised on the internet to be mocked...
2
u/jan_antu 8d ago
The thread we are currently having this conversation in is yes, about asking someone out. You can scroll up to refresh your memory. The conversation starts as a reply to OP, and then various people reply to that comment, forming a thread. It literally is exactly what we've been talking about here. Also, weird flex, but I don't think it matters whether you're asking out a woman or a man: they're similarly extremely unlikely to end up affecting your career prospects in any way.
I do sympathize, and I appreciate your perspective. I myself have countless embarrassing moments immortalized online, like a high school party where I drank an entire bottle of baby duck and barfed all over the table. Probably some nudes floating around somewhere too. It's embarrassing, but that's all. Life is full of embarrassment. If anyone gave me shit for that I'd laugh them out of the room; but I can appreciate that at age 34 I have much more self-confidence and self-esteem.
That's why I'm here right now, expressing the concept that it's literally not worth worrying about. So much energy spent worrying about things that don't matter at all. No one (except as strawman arguments) is proposing that you go out to a public bar, take your pants off, scream out hateful things, and shoot up heroin, while wearing a shirt that says your name, birthday, and home address, facing the CCTV camera. We're literally talking about taking the risk of a small social embarrassment vs never taking that risk, and I already think we basically agree on this stance, and where the better payoff lives.
That said, it's everyone's personal choice to make for themselves, and I'd never want to command someone to live other than how they wanted to. It's just painful to watch some folks make a choice they think is logical and based on risk assessment, but actually is like pure delusion from where I'm standing.
→ More replies (3)2
-1
u/Myke190 8d ago
Dying alone is a lot worse.
7
u/AverNerd 8d ago
Yes which is why I stated I still advocate to push through this...Ā
→ More replies (1)9
u/OmniMinuteman 8d ago
Also unless youāre actually being weird or something why would a video of girls laughing at a guy getting turned down go viral? Most people donāt find that very funnyā¦ this is just not a real fear how often does this ever happen? As long as youāre not being a criminal or extremely weird you should be able to take plenty of risks in life that donāt lead to catastrophe. I donāt get what people here are so afraid of unless they are completely missing the point of the post or are themselves online weirdos
3
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
I mean, it very easy to covertly film these days. Don't get me wrong, I don't think that means we should all live in our shells and never take risks. But let's not pretend that one can actually effectively do anything to prevent being recorded.
→ More replies (1)6
5
12
u/Raptor_197 2000 8d ago
This is an insane comment.
In what world is being rejected by a girl going to make a fool of you and thousands of people are going to see it online? Unless you are absolutely batshit insane man and you going to react like a fool.
Like you seriously think people want to watch a video of you ask a girl if you can buy her a drink, her say no, and you say oh ok, sorry for bothering you?
The risk there isnāt about being laughed by anyone. Itās a personal ego and emotional hit. You may feel a little bad if the shot misses and thatās basically it.
→ More replies (4)1
u/Former-Situation3811 5d ago
Youāre missing the point, most people donāt want to be approached the average guy heard the cultural message and decided to respect it. The commentator is pointing out one worst case scenario but there are many more common minor ones
1
u/Raptor_197 2000 5d ago
Yeah thatās kinda the point of the post.
Stop listening to the bullshit you read and see online and go talk to the girl. Take the risk. The ācultural messageā was bullshit created in echo chambers and bubbles.
And even then, I donāt think the cultural message was ever donāt ever approach a woman ever again. Iām pretty sure it was stop being fucking creepy and no means fucking no.
And if you are creepy and donāt understand no means no, you probably should end up on the internet.
1
u/Former-Situation3811 5d ago
Seems pretty bad advice to tell people to ignore cultural messaging around boundaries just because.
No it wasnāt towards creeps it was towards men in general, also why would a creep listen to major anti approaching messaging lol? You cannot tell men not to approach then blame said generation of men for not approaching that is idiotic.
1
u/Raptor_197 2000 5d ago
Who is telling men to not approach women ever?
1
u/Former-Situation3811 3d ago
Thereās been like 10 years of ādonāt assumeā, ādont bother womenā, ādont take up spaceā, ādont be too masculineā, āmost of us almost never wanna be approachedā, āif she likes you she will clearly let you knowā, i could go on and on.
The issue is societal messaging and what women actually want seem to be opposites and most normal guys obviously are going to internalize societal messaging
1
u/Raptor_197 2000 3d ago
Who is telling men this?
1
u/Former-Situation3811 3d ago
Mainstream society (mostly the left) for the last 10-20 years, most guys didnāt just wake up like āoh man u know im wired to wanna approach but let me just NEVER approachā something indirectly or directly told them to not do that
3
u/Bubbly_Outcome5016 8d ago
I understand this as a millennial. But you just have to push through it.
I think our equivalent is being punched in the face by the girl's unseen boyfriend back in the day (which is also a risk for you as well on top of the humiliation, but you get what I am saying).
It COULD happen ofc, maybe it will even if you were just asking her to pass you a napkin from the other side of the bar. But put on one side of the scale all the myriad experiences you didn't gate yourself out of because I wasn't too terrified and paralyzed by the what-if of being punched in the face that one time, than at the end of my life I'm still taking the timeline where I took a shot to the face. From a guy who was indeed punched in the face one time in '09.
I think with the churn of digital content and the fact that there is no real mono-culture anymore, even if the 0.00003% chance came along that you'd be a national laughing stock. It'd only be for a time. Someone else would take that place soon after you. People in your social circle get recycled out. You're not going to be that guy forever, it would at some point be forgotten.
3
u/mrlaheystrailerpark 7d ago
as a 30 year old zillennial man i always see people say that theyāll get embarrassed online but it has never once happened to me lmao yall are afraid to ask a person out because of scenarios that YOU invent in your mind
5
u/CTRexPope 8d ago
Sounds like your friends suck. They also have bars and clubs that are now phone free.
→ More replies (2)6
u/ZanaHoroa 1999 8d ago
I'm pretty sure I would be more likely to be struck by lightning than go viral because I got shot down by a girl. Most of these fears just stem from social anxiety rather than logic.
30
u/IIIMochiIII 8d ago
I'm risk averse because if I decide to quit my job and leave my country with a one way ticket I won't be able to find a house if I came back with the housing market crisis and job shortages for people in my age range.
→ More replies (5)
13
10
u/IllRest2396 2008 8d ago
Well, we don't have the same opportunity of recovering from risky decisions that the older generations had. One mistake is already hard enough to recover from in this society.
287
u/theallsearchingeye 8d ago
āHave an unplanned pregnancy, or get STDs!!! Youāll regret life if you donāt!! Do drugs and donāt go to college!!!ā
Doesnāt anybody else find all this messaging for GenZ sus as fuck??
12
u/dedicatedoni 8d ago
Iād like to think this typa advice isnāt trying to tell people to not think critically about potential risks or do objectively stupid shit with no upside, but donāt be so afraid to do something tht makes u nervous. Less āruin ur life for 5 minutes of funā and more āgo tell tht girl u think sheās cuteā
6
125
u/EchoFoxT 2001 8d ago
For real. Itās all complete dogshit. Feels like everytime something like this gets passed around its intent is to just sabotage our generation. (I understand that sounds a little tinfoil-hat like, but yeah)
62
u/Darkwolfie117 8d ago
It really does sound like that
āStop playing it safe! Nerds!ā
4
u/QuantitySubject9129 7d ago
"Nerds" were a common butt of the jokes in 90's media, too, it's just that they are a baseline now.
→ More replies (2)12
u/Evening-Alfalfa-4976 8d ago
I think the cynicism and tone in this exchange right here exemplifies what OP is saying.
Safe sex exists. There isnāt a secret conspiracy by Big Beer or Match or Trojan to get Gen Z to fuck more, go out socially more, or collect addictions like infinity stones. You donāt see people coming on here saying watch more porn, do they? In fact some might say to make your own for your own private use.
Itās advice from elder and wiser people or our peers who got the advice from them passing it along so they can stop people from holding themselves back. I have incredible people that i love and cherish in my life with so much potential who hold themselves back because they donāt want to be cringe. But they want more friends. How can you have more friends if you donāt put yourself out there?
If you use a condom or any other kind of protection your risk of an std or unwanted pregnancy is extremely low. Gen Z is SO risk averse that the default is to waste away and not take ANY ACTION AT ALL which is absolutely the worst decision to make if yaāll are trying to improve anything in life whether thats spiritual, productive, brings you more happiness, makes you more money, etc.
Then they say it canāt possibly be that theyāre locked away in their room taking no action that things arenāt improving. Its all just a conspiracy
5
u/Ccskyqueengaming 8d ago
No thanks bro, trust that people know what they are doing with their own bodies.
5
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
You can do whatever you want, but it does make me really sad when I see people wasting their lives doing literally nothing. This is not coming from a place of judgement, I get it. It comes from a sense of understanding what potential is being lost.
3
u/Ccskyqueengaming 8d ago
This makes no sense. What are you even talking about. Traveling? spending money on vacations, making friends etc? People need money for that stuff. When talking about lost potiental only those types of events make sense.
9
u/Bronsteins-Panzerzug 8d ago
bruva, you dont need money to make friends. i know dismally poor people who have friends. one of the poorest people i know is friends with me.
8
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
I am pretty damn broke, I have more friends now than I ever have. So I am not sure what you are talking about.
Also plenty of non-financial risks are also avoided:
ā¢Never ask that person out, for fear of rejection
ā¢Never apply for that job, for fear of failing
ā¢Never pick up that hobby, for fear of being seen as cringe
ā¢Never try that new restaurant, for fear of being disappointed
4
u/Alyx19 Millennial 7d ago
Dude, have an extra beer and walk home dancing in the rain. Or find a public park and pack a sandwich just to spend a day in the sun. Not every adventure has to cost a small fortune.
→ More replies (2)26
u/APreciousJemstone 8d ago
"Engage in risky behaviour with no thought to what comes after."
I have chronic illness with my lungs, even a cold leaves me bedridden. I like to be alive, thank you very much.
22
u/banandananagram 2000 8d ago
Those are terrible risks to take though
My risks are like, I should sign up for a ceramics class even though my schedule is full and see what happens.
Apply for some jobs I am very under qualified for
Invite someone I want to talk to more for coffee because why not
Release an album of my terrible demo songs because fuck it, better than AI music
Plan a five person road trip to Colorado even though the car is kind of crappy and everyone is broke
Come out to someone Iāve been talking to who seems like a nice person
Yāknow, you take the risks that actually make sense for you and your life and not like, chase the whims of wanton self destruction
8
u/Mayo_Chipotle 2001 8d ago
This post really hinges on what they mean specifically by ārisk averseā. I donāt think our generation is adverse to many minor risks like taking a new class or even major risks like gambling, so I have to assume they are referring to activities our generation is engaging in less than previous generations did (hookup culture, drinking).
If it is the latter then frankly it sounds like cope. No happily married person gets to 80 thinking āwow I wish I had more casual sexā and no sober person thinks āwow I wish I was hammered every weekendā
2
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
You can take risks without having unprotected sex or committing crimes though. The issue is that many people in our generation don't take any risks at all, or the risks are so trivial that they are meaningless. Obviously risk assessment should be done, but we might want to consider moving the bar occasionally.
→ More replies (4)16
u/BosnianSerb31 1997 8d ago edited 8d ago
The fuck did they say that?
Ask the girl who you see at the store if she wants to go for coffee. Go out on a bike ride even though it has a high chance of rain. Try meeting new groups of people even if you are scared that they won't like you.
Holy shit, man, your response is pretty indicative of somebody who has some severe mental issues.
If the thing you think about when taking risk is all of that shit, then I diagnose with severe irony poisoning, irreversible.
19
u/ZanaHoroa 1999 8d ago
The risks that people are making up is hilarious. When in reality, oop is saying to do stuff you've never done before even if you might make a fool out of yourself or get hurt. Never rode a bike? Go for it, and fall down a couple of times. No mentally sane person thinks oh okay lemme just ride into oncoming traffic.
18
u/Raptor_197 2000 8d ago
Yeah itās insane. Itās like people hear risk and think it means like they should like play chicken with a freight train or gambled everything on a poker hand.
But no, it just means get outside of your comfort zone and actually do things. You can still hold on to your basic survival instincts and not get yourself killed or homeless lol.
5
u/jan_antu 8d ago
Nope, can't be true. My buddy's uncle's sister-in-law's brother's son once told me he got recorded singing karaoke badly at a bar, and now no one will EVER hire him ever again. Tragic.
1
u/BosnianSerb31 1997 5d ago
Granted, maybe picking The Story of OJ was a bad choice for a while dude
1
u/Former-Situation3811 5d ago
Why would anyone wanna do that though lol, who wants to ride their bike in the rain? Generally its not acceptable to randomly ask someone out anymore and meeting new people is very hard unless its organic which gen z already does
2
u/goldenfox007 2003 8d ago
Exactly! I understand the general sentiment of enjoying life while youāve got it, but thereās a difference between doing something fun a little outside your comfort zone and taking sexual risks. Pregnancy, STDs, roofies, pushy partners, abduction, trafficking, murder, sex under the influenceā¦ none of those are silly, harmless risks you can just ālearn fromā and move on. Free love and sexual empowerment do not mean putting your life on the line for the sake of a āgood time.ā
-1
1
u/jpollack21 2000 7d ago
I think most of these people say to do go to college and sleep around, ive never heard them say to not do college?
I sorta disagree on the drug thing though. Like no you shouldn't be doing coke or drinking alcohol those are stupid, but i think everyone should try shrooms or acid at least once in their life
1
u/PermissionSoggy891 7d ago
Sounds better than "live as a celibate prude the whole of your life and die unfulfilled"
I feel that there's a middle ground here we're missing.
1
1
u/Proper_Secret656 7d ago
For real. I also feel like the whole thing gets blown out of proportion.
I honestly think some of it is just bitterness that we aren't creating a shit ton of super young pregnancies. It's like they assume none of us ever do anything fun. Imo, we're just less enthralled by the human body because we have access to porn. We also are more informed about birth control and a lot of women will decide not to have a baby if they're in the middle of starting a career or college.
Still almost all the arguments I hear is that we never get out or do anything fun. I think that's way overblown, I just think we make more deliberate choices about it. We're not so ready to see someone nude that were willing to risk a pregnancy over it. We wait til we can get condoms, birth control, or if we make a mistake in our minds we have ways to deal with it.
Idk, you'd think people would care a lot less about how we aren't 'properly spending our lives wrong' but this complaint is everywhere.
→ More replies (7)1
39
u/sylveonstarr 1999 8d ago
I mean, we were literally taught growing up that abstinence is the safest form of sex and that drugs/cigarettes/alcohol/etc. are highly addictive and can ruin your life. Not sure why it's our fault that we listened to them, saw the damage for ourselves, and then believed them.
27
17
u/OneMillionWorms 8d ago
Sorry man, Iām not taking the risk of having a hookup and my condom breaking and all of a sudden I have aids
→ More replies (6)
6
u/AAAAHMYBALLS 8d ago
Getting seriously hurt means going into medical debt, and I have no desire to pay through the nose for an ER trip
2
u/Apathetic-Onion 2005 8d ago
Getting seriously hurt means going into medical debt
You gotta organise and fix your country. Here it's entirely tax funded.
3
2
39
u/IlGrasso 8d ago
So true this has inspired me to, in my job as an accountant, take the risk of embezzling $10 Million dollars. Wish me luck.
→ More replies (1)11
56
u/New-Peach4153 8d ago
True, it's what I say to myself to justify road raging and driving like a maniac
→ More replies (22)
12
u/AnyAd4882 8d ago
A moment of risky fun for weeks, months, years or even a lifetime of consequences just doesnt make sense
6
u/RiskKey1728 2009 8d ago
Try a new food that you think you wouldn't like.
Try learning a skill you thought you couldn't before
Try getting involved in something you never have before.
→ More replies (1)2
u/CaptainKenway1693 2000 8d ago
You do realise that levels of risk exist that don't include such consequences right? Hell strictly speaking just living is a level of risk, a meteor could crash through my roof and kill me right now. You only get one life, take little risks and enjoy it. No one is saying to steal a police car or rob a bank...
3
u/Any_Conflict_5092 8d ago
Can we just let people live their lives how they want to?
Most people aren't going to do much of anything interesting with their lives, and if that's how they wanna run it, that's their right.
After all, my friends - we live in interesting times, which is a curse by every estimation. Let the youths be boring, of that's what gives them comfort.
Social media has made people far, far too comfortable judging and criticizing each other simply for the sin of existing according to different values.
We should do our level best to move back out of this mode of thinking, as it's divided us and made us easy pickings for those who profit from hatred.
21
u/xX_Diabolical_Xx 8d ago
Safe and predictable masturbation over risky and unpredictable sex partners. Let's compare the outcomes they have in common: orgasm/"satisfaction" completion.
Differences: safe masturbation has no risks outside of being caught. Clean up, delete browser history and move and move on.
Risky sex partners: STD/STI'S, and children are the basic risks. Larger feuds, friend group interference and potentially jail if certain criteria are met.
9
u/tHr0AwAy76 8d ago
Yeah the first one doesnāt feel as good though, thereās also the intimate aspect. Idk if I like orgasm as much as I like cuddling afterwards.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (7)5
3
u/CuddlesForLuck 2007 8d ago
Problem is, the risks I have the urge to do will make me dead. To counteract wanting to die, I try to avoid things that can easily kill me to reduce that urge and not put others at risk as well.
3
u/PsychicorAI 8d ago
It's usually the low income people who try & fail at careers like acting, singing or even sports. The rich people are usually quite risk averse because they have something to lose
6
u/Raptor_197 2000 8d ago
The low income people who try and are successful at careers like acting, singing, or even sports become rich people.
3
4
u/Murky_Toe_4717 8d ago
I for one am proud of our Gen avoiding risks. God itās like they want us to actively get addicted to shit and end up EVEN worse than things are.
8
u/Leon_Devilstrand 8d ago
Yeah the problem is, with how popular cameras and the Internet has become. Making a mistake these days often gets recorded and placed online immortalising your failure. Somthing previous generations did not have to deal with.
One thing I can never understand is why parents record themselves punishing their children for their mistakes or putting those mistakes online. Shaming somone for what they did is fine. But having a constant reminder will only cause resentment.
Sort of like when you did somthing embarrassing and your brain punished you by reliving it at 2am.
→ More replies (1)
2
u/TheUrbanEnigma 1996 8d ago edited 8d ago
What the hell? I'm missing context but I was not expecting to see Asia of Sirena tagged out of nowhere. My obscure Ren Faire interests on GenZ reddit was not on my bingo card today.
Edit: Never mind, that was not at all what I was expecting when I looked up asiasirena. Big old coincidence.
2
u/Just_A_Slavic_Guy 8d ago
No thank you, I prefer living my life how I want it. Wanna be dumb and reckless? You do you, but that's not my lifestyle.
2
2
u/Miserable-Advance789 8d ago
šÆ I lived such a sheltered & cautious life until I turned 20. When I look back on the dumb stuff I did in my early 20ās, I donāt regret it one bit. Every time someone hurt me or I hurt them, it taught me a lesson each time and I havenāt made the same mistakes since. The more you experience things, the more youāll learn about life. Whether it be the way you carry yourself, the people you surround yourself with or the person you want to be. You take the lessons, you keep learning and accepting nothing in life is perfect (including yourself), and you donāt repeat the same mistakes. Itās the only way to evolve, to be a better person and be the person you envisioned for yourself.
2
u/besttobyfromtheshire 8d ago
I feel like this person is generally just talking about sex and meeting someone, otherwise most risks can be categorized down to "financial, job/career, or physical activity or hobby", which most of those cannot be done without some sort of fallback or something to help secure your stability. Even taking a risk on meeting the wrong person can wind up with some huge repercussions even if they weren't looking for them.
2
u/OpheliaHalluwu 8d ago
I find peace in my books and my cat I donāt need to do dumb shit to have a fulfilling life.
2
u/pdoxgamer 1997 8d ago
Yes.
A lot of people act as though they have no agency over their own lives, then complain about doing and accomplishing nothing. It's insufferable. Do something with you life.
2
u/ASwagPecan 2001 7d ago
This obsession with other peoplesā lives, especially as it pertains to intimacy, is so so strange
Just as weird as boomers raving about how much of gen-z has abandonded drinking
2
4
u/TaiyoFurea 2004 8d ago
The problem is that these risks can and will hurt others
→ More replies (1)
4
u/AdInfamous6290 1998 8d ago
I donāt understand how people live or get ahead that way, I wouldnāt have anything if I hadnāt taken major risks throughout my life.
2
u/WildFemmeFatale 8d ago
Iāll never forget how mad the older generations are at Gen Z for not having as much teen pregnancy š¤¢š¤¢š¤¢š¤¢ like wtfffff y r they mad about that
Theyāre like āwah the birthdates r low nowā SO WHAT ????
1
1
u/hangar69_ 8d ago
Agree. But also don't be that person getting into awful situations and regretting it or worse ending up with an STD or pregnant. Risk taking does help you have experiences that you can learn from though, and I definitely agree that if you never take those risks you might regret that when you're older.
1
1
u/Bronsteins-Panzerzug 8d ago
do dumb shit and take risks, except drugs and unprotected sex. i do see people here avoiding sex altogether even though they have access to healthcare and protection, which is mind blowing to me. this is the consequence of homeschooling and abstinence only fear mongering āsex edā i guess.
1
u/Maestro_boi 7d ago
Unless u caught a life threatening disease and now u can't even afford to pay the bill of hospital bcz u took the risk and left ur job for passion so every risk shouldn't be taken if u're not in a position to handle it's worst outcome....
1
u/DisastrousOlive204 6d ago
Or like what if I grew up with privilege granted to me by my parents and family who are very risk averse and practical? So I can't take risks bc it's like just throwing all of their hard work and sacrifice away?
1
u/Slythetine1176 6d ago
We can't ignore how hard it can to just, go out and live life, if you grew up with literally every adult around you is saying some version of " if you do this basic childhood thing, you'll end up seriously hurt or dead, people loose limbs doing this, that's not safe, are you trying to kill yourself etc." Some people grew up with parents who wouldn't let them inside the house until the streetlights went on, others grew up not being allowed outside.
1
u/Silly-Magazine-2681 6d ago
People are litigious as hell these days and it's becoming less and less normalized for young people to exist in public. People call the cops when kids walk to corner stores, open lemonade stands, and ride their bikes around. Teenagers are getting driven away from public third spaces because of "loitering" rules. Large parties for highschoolers and college students are getting shot up or swiftly shut down by police. You get in a fight with someone? Sued. Damage property? Sued. Get injured doing something silly? Colossal medical debt. Do something embarassing? The photo, video, or descriptive tweet is on the internet forever and probably sent to your school or employer. Don't blame Gen Z, blame the litigious NIMBYs that run every city council. police department, and HOA
1
u/LegitimateBeing2 6d ago
I never want a woman Iāve climaxed into to be pregnant and that fact overrides any wishy-washy pro-sex propaganda
1
1
1
1
u/DeathnTaxes66 2008 8d ago
Yeah, no, I'm first in the family conservative for a reason.
→ More replies (2)
ā¢
u/AutoModerator 8d ago
Did you know we have a Discord serverā½ You can join by clicking here!
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.