20 New Year’s Resolutions For 20-Somethings

Bit snotty this.

nah, i’m cool, thanks

I like number 14. Partly because I have already done just that. 

I really should do number 15 and 17.

Stop elling people what to wear, it’s rude.
In fact most f these are rude.

This. All of this.

I give this piece a resounding, “meh.”

I need to do number 19.

Don’t know why there’s so much hate in the comment section. It’s only the second day of the year too.

Like this list — minus the comment about brussels sprouts (which is constantly misspelled). They are awesome and I will not stop giving them attention.

TREAT YO SELF has become my life philosophy and to see this on here just made my day. Thank you, TC.

this was pretty annoying. sorry i’m not sorry. 

T? O?

My resolution is to give 20-something lashes to the next person who uses “20-somethings” in a title. Grrr.  

This was great. Especially number 5, 11 and of course 20.

Loved this. Especially 5, 11 and of course 20.

20 made my life better. love it!

bro i never used my brain in the olden days

I KNOW. Brussels sprouts are delicious. Roast’em, people!

Trader Joe’s sells them on a stalk! So fun!

Really? If the person I’m hooking up with and I don’t want to date, we should stop hooking up? That makes sense. We will both drop out of school so we can focus on the relationship we don’t want to have. Or, just not have sex for the next four years. Thanks, Grandma!

uhhhhhh….. no dawg. 

here’s some reasons why these are lame and some occasional suggestions for awesome resolutions (not that we all need to change, yo… I’m pretty awesome the way I am)1: see this xkcd comic http://xkcd.com/137/ . Instead: Develop strong cybersecurity habits, such as good password use and proxies. 2: oh ho! I’m going to vote in the next presidential election, am I? I’ve done that twice, and all I ever get to show for it is incumbents!Instead: Get involved in direct democracy on a local scale – support a local Occupation, or join a Food Not Bombs chapter. Why wait for politicians to solve our problems for us?4: what is this i dont even …. I am smooching with someone who I like a lot but don’t really want to be my “gurl frond”. I hope that’s okay with you! We are poly and very happy and don’t really want to enter into a state which is expected to lead to some sort of formal solidity like a marriage. Relationships need not be teleological!!!!111one
Instead: When you are waiting for the bus, or in traffic, look at the people around you – look hard – and try to imagine what they look like to someone who is madly in love with them. 

Brussels sprouts are actually really good people should try them.

The only problem with this list is that some of the resolutions might be too grown-up for 20-somethings (see some of the other comments). =)

Anyway, numbers 4, 7 and 16 are especially excellent, thanks for reminding me.

#12..    most reality shows are quite scripted.

All reality shows are scripted, but in TV terms, reality shows are referred to as “non-scripted.”

These are all really good! And the list makes 20 somethings seem so….grown up ha! I was reading the whole list like a serious, well adjusted young adult should do.  Consider these logical and do-able resolutions.  Then I developed an ulcer.  

I thought that this was going to be another obnoxious list, and then I found myself reading each number and nodding my head.  And then I got to the last one and just fucking beamed (but you’ve gotta give Donna some credit there too).

I’m going to guess that most of the negative comments here are from those under the age of 25. If you’re still in college, or being supported by your parents, you’re not really an adult, and these prob don’t make sense to you. The rest of us 20-somethings are nodding in agreement.

Liked the list, and wish more people thought this way!

too cool to make any type of commitment, even to yourself, YOU GOT IT ALL FIGURED OUT KIMLW, DON’T YOU??????

@teach28. Maybe. But for the record, I work a FT job and I am financially independent (including paying my own way through grad school) and I found the piece insulting and condescending. But I guess you like that sort of thing.

Agreed in regards to #4, monogamy and committed relationships just aren’t right for everyone, and there’s nothing wrong with being cautious of commitment in your twenties, or at any age. Regardless of what antiquated “old maid” type messages may still be seeping their way into current media or even everyday conversation, you have your whole life to be in a formal long-term relationship with another person – enjoy your freedom while you still possess it.

Agreed. I found about 90% of it pretty insulting as well. 

you’re a dumb cunt! :)

LET’S ALL LIVE EXACTLY THE SAME!!

a lot of these are good suggestions – but definitely don’t like the “holier than thou” tone throughout.

This list is funny.  If you find it condescending, then perhaps too many of these apply to you…

I agree that the suggestions are good ones – I think all of us twenty somethings at some point or other have strived to be better friends, to remove ourselves from our addicting electronics, to stay up – to -date on politics… the list goes on. But I’m not  a fan of the way this list is presented. It’s insulting its audience rather than encouraging it. I’m a twenty something, and I use my brain quite regularly, not because I’m a fan of the “olden days”, but because I’m human.  My generation is not a bunch of brainless robots.  

This is not to say we shouldn’t have resolutions – let’s just not generalize and insult along the way…

As a life long hater of Brussel Sprouts I do have to admit that the Brussels Sprouts at Red Medicine are amazing.

More people need to follow #1… I’m sick of the “Going to class #bored…miss my bf/gf….taking a poop-” facebook statuses

I think this should be for 13-25 year olds. If you’re nearing 30 and most of these apply to you….you fail.
Disclaimer: I hope number 4 does not apply to my suggested age bracket. 

Why hello pretentious person…did u feel this was completely neccasary to post on the Internet? Stop thinking you’re better than everyone and you just might turn out to be as smart and awesome as you think you are.

Instead of #4, how about “don’t let yourself be used for sex by someone who you have a big crush on but who is him/herself just looking for an ego stroke”?

Just a thought.

Hey now, let’s not start the new year hating on brussell sprouts!
Let’s roast those suckers, or panfry them in some butter with some breadcrumbs and garlic, or slice them up all thin and delicious!
Boiling is so 2011.

#21 – watch more arrested development/community.

I am mid twenties and pretty much agree with all of these. If people go offended im sure the writer didnt mean to. But our generation is actually less connected than ever. Most seem pretty much common sense. Although i dont like anyone telling me who or what to watch on tv.

What heresy is this? A not 100% self-important and neurotic blog post on TC?!? It must be a New Year!

Thanks Mom!

21. YMMV. anyone who has time to compose and post a list on the internet is not a life expert.

I’m in my mid 40s.   I found most of the items on the list applicable to all age groups.   Given the comments from friends my own age who didn’t keep up with tech ( more numerous than you think ), I think it is more likely that OTHER age groups would be the ones who wouldn’t be able to figure out how to shut down their Facebook accounts.   I would say that the few items that do apply to people in their 20s, only apply to a minority of them.   I don’t mean any offense, but this post comes off as out of touch and a bit curmudgeonly.   Sorry, I guess writing “no offense” first really doesn’t help with that choice of words.  If I had more time to think about my writing I’m sure it would be less offensive.   Wishing you and yours a happy new year.

Oh, make no mistake, it absolutely is curmudgeonly. Welcome to TC!

shut up. you, in turn, are being pretentious.

The tenor of this article, to be frank, pisses me off. It assumes that 20somethings are still immature, dependent children, that we’re, you know, blacking out & obsessing over technology & just generally acting like self-obsessed hedonists who haven’t yet grown up. While it may be true that we have a lot of growing up to do, the tone of this article is so condescending & assuming that I find it difficult to view it as anything but judgment in advice form.

Wrong. Seems the list has actually angered those of us who AREN’T as childish & dependent as this list assumes all 20somethings are. Like @Lilybluesf above me, I’m 27, financially independent, & paying my own way on, well, my whole life. This piece is so condescending I could hardly bear to finish it.

Hit a nerve, did it? 

Is this comment supposed to be snarky, or…?

No.  It was an honest question.

In that case, it’s pretty obvious I didn’t like it, right? As for “hit a nerve,” that phrase implies that it touched upon some sort of truth within me. As I said in my original comment, yes, I have plenty to work on, as do so many others, & yes, a few of these were applicable to me – but the tone was so unkind that the advice became secondary.

“Before you status update, Tweet, Tumble or Instagram, pause and say to yourself, “is it entirely necessary that I share this morsel of thought with my entire social network?”and if the answer is not, “yes, I absolutely must,” then step away from the Internet.”

Yes, it was obvious that you didn’t like it, but that’s not what I asked.  Your reaction just suggested that the piece angered you in some way, which made me curious, because I am having trouble finding anything in it that could be interpreted as ‘unkind’.  Apparently my question offended you as well, so I apologize for that — it was unintentional. 

I’m printing this out & putting it on my mirror haha

Wow…you’re certainly wound tight.

I agree and I am not in my twenties (mid 30s). This article sounds like it was written by a baby boomer, the most self righteous and smug generation ever to grace this globe. Hey here’s a goal for baby boomers: die so we can start fixing all the problems you created.

As an twenty-two year old, recent college grad, still trying to figure out what I’m doing… thank you for this list. 

I’m 27.  This list might as well have been written by me or one of my friends.  The joke is that facebook doesn’t allow you to delete your account, so as much as you SAY you are going to quit, you actually never can.

No, no, I’m sorry, I wasn’t offended at all, it’s just sometimes difficult to tell tone through the Internet, you know?  As for the article, I just don’t think the attitude of it is a good one, whether the author meant it that way or not. It feels very condescending, & that DOES strike a nerve.

I would say the same of this entire post.

You would be the first person to ever describe me that way, truly.

Julio? Small world.

Although I feel like TC puts too much emphasis on “twenty somethings” being the core of social media issues, I appreciate the basis behind this article and EVERYONE should take something from it.

Exactly, the tone was extremely rude. So what if I watch the Keeping Up with the Kardashians? I’m in GRAD SCHOOL, I have the rest of my life for academic and intellectual pursuits.

Exactly, the tone was extremely rude. So what if I watch the Keeping Up with the Kardashians? I’m in GRAD SCHOOL, I have the rest of my life for academic and intellectual pursuits.

I loved this article–I know these pieces are intended for a wide variety of audiences, but as a 22-year-old recent grad, this is most applicable to my age group.  When you graduate from college, it’s important to re-learn some of the skills we had before we spent 24/7 on our laptops-like actually talking to people face to face or on the phone rather than texting or emailing.  That alone is a resolution all 20-somethings should take up. 

I loved this article–I know these pieces are intended for a wide variety of audiences, but as a 22-year-old recent grad, this is most applicable to my age group.  When you graduate from college, it’s important to re-learn some of the skills we had before we spent 24/7 on our laptops-like actually talking to people face to face or on the phone rather than texting or emailing.  That alone is a resolution all 20-somethings should take up. 

It wasn’t the best list ever, but I definitely don’t feel that the “tone was unkind” especially to the extent where the good advice from the article becomes secondary. [It's generalized, so take things with a grain of salt because some ppl need that for the msg to reach them.  AKA: Drake got it right when he said: "someone told me i fell off, oh i needed that"].
I went back and read the article again, looking for an unkind tone, and I must say- I think you read that negative sentiment into the piece, which is rather sad. We are in control of perceiving our own reality… even if something negative exists, putting more negative energy into it, just begets… you guessed it, a growing pile of sh!t.  If you don’t like something, accept that, and move on instead of bantering hated about (because that what it all boils down to).I think #5 and #16 are pretty awesome.Peace

I agree wholeheartedly with everything said, except for the fact that Brussels sprouts are freakin’ delicious. And I say this as a lifelong-until-4-months-ago avid avoider of sprouts. They are awesome. Cut off the stems, toss in olive oil, s&p, and roast at 400* for 20 minutes. Thank me later.

And patronising.  It was also extremely patronising.

This is really patronizing.

21. Get a real job. Blogging is not one. 

Actually, the author is a 20-something as well.  You’ve jumped to the wrong conclusion, presumably to manipulate the discussion so you could include that little dig at the baby boomers, which, frankly, was completely uncalled for.  Suggesting that the baby boomers should die?  Did it not occur to you that many 20-somethings reading this article have parents who are baby boomers?

Yes, it definitely can be difficult to interpret tone on the Internet, I agree with you.  I’m still scratching my head about the reaction to the article (both yours and others who found it offensive).  Since the author is a 20-something herself, I took it as her attempt to both be funny and offer some advice and general inspiration / motivation, rather than to imply that she’s better than the generation she’s addressing.  If she’d been older, it might have bothered me, too, but I thought it was entertaining and contained some pretty good advice.

I agree with this article…well some people think the comments are snarky-I think she was just trying to put a funnier tone to it–make it light-hearted while giving us something to think about. It has an overall good message: save your money, stop that fad diets, be adventurous even with food choices, take a break from texting/internet and get back in touch with reality, VOLUNTEER (how is that a bad idea?). I am 27 and I admit…I watch reality shows, I spend the better part of my day on facebook, I text my mom more than I talk to her. It is nice to have a reality check from time to time. 

how about “stop making lists of your pet peeve’s and
suggesting them for other’s NewYears resolutions”

Snarky, sarcastic, assumptive as it may be it was written for a reason. And that reason is because Jessie Rosen, a 20-something like myself, has seen the overwhelming amount of other 20-something (which I must say often includes 30+ year olds) who see nothing wrong with racking up a huge credit card debt on texting, phone-FBing, trendy clothes that hardly fit and ridiculous cable bills to watch ridiculous reality TV. What’s more they genuinely think that an occasional kind text, diet coke, Pilates class and their on-again-off-again hook up will make their already peachy lives even peachier. 

Biting, poignant, amusing and disturbingly accurate, I say.

1.      
As a “hater” of the Kardashians who routinely
swears by his love of Deadwood, The Wire,
Justified, Breaking Bad, etc.,  (and
wanting to create something as artistically brilliant as any of these), it’s
entirely condescending to suggest that someone turn off something they like
because it’s “not helping anyone,” which is really code for “too dumb, dummy.”
People have different reasons for watching different entertainment. 

1.      
Leave people alone. Some of my most intelligent
friends watch trashy reality. It’s an escape. Some people simply want to be
entertained. I play Modern Warfare 3. My friend plays Gears of War 3. We are
both entertained and use the games to decompress from our days/nights at work.
Others may watch the Kardashians, or Real Housewives. Maybe they simply want to
escape for a little while and find those shows the right tone for where they’re
at. Point being: leave them alone. When the choice is between happily watching
the Kardashians or slogging miserably through Enlightened – not a comment on its quality, but requiring much more
active watching – that’s no choice at all.

The only people who are upset about this article are the people that it applies to, who suddenly realized it, and it stung them a little.  I find that to be more hilarious and obviously true than the article itself (which is, of course, hilarious and obviously true).

How about you learn how to use apostrophes correctly?

You should add: properly type out words, and capitalize.

To be perfectly honest, I am normally easily offended. However, I don’t see how this facetious list is insulting?? To me, it appears that a fellow 20-something is just poking fun at our generation and some of the not-so-bright things that we do.

I graduated from college, work full-time at a job that I love, live with my boyfriend, am financially independent, etc. BUT, I am attached to my blackberry, look up every fact online and watch trashy reality TV. I don’t see this list as telling me not to do these things, but rather making me laugh about these silly truths.

I really feel like there are better and more influential people to quote than Tom Haverford from Parks and Recreation.

Isn’t one of the more inherent problems of twenty-somethings is the over saturation of popular culture?

Alas, it is me.

fuck yes! this guy is awesome.

Quit being queer.. This was intended to be fun

Thank you!! Why is everyone taking this so seriously?

Quit being queer. This is supposed to be funny. Obviously you have no common sense, or a humorous bone in your body.

Love it, Jessie!  Per usual.  Especially 8 and 12.  And yes…I still qualify as a 20-something for another year and a few months haha. 

Um, no. He’s really telling you to do these things. Not blacking out, connecting with people face to face, volunteering, etc. are not silly truths. You thinking they are is the whole purpose of this message. Yikes.

This broke rule #1

The fact that you use the word queer to describe anything makes you sound like an idiot. It is fun, but so true. Grow up.

 Wow, what an offensive way to berate someone else. Unless by “quit being queer” you mean “never stop being awesome and who you are – some day I will wash your car”

The cloud is decent for stuff like storing music,  movies or homework.  I think the point was to backup your personal pictures or anything else you may want one day, you should do that locally.   I like the idea, is everyone on facebook is relying on facebook’s servers to be there forever?  Or your ISP’s connection to be 100%, 24/7?

Laura, here are a few other things you apparently find facetious: political non-ignorance, fiscal responsibility, honesty in interpersonal relationships. Not to completely parrot K-Mo, but wow, just wow. 

I mean, where do you see the humor in #18: “Back up your entire online life onto an external hard drive, especially your photos.” Where is the undercurrent of satire? Am I missing something? Perhaps you need to look up the word ‘facetious’ again?

It’s my fault — I should’ve known better when you started your comment with, “To be perfectly honest, I am normally easily offended.” You sound like a winner.

Queer is originally a pejorative adjective, he likely wasn’t using it to mean gay which it has only recently been used to convey.

Fiiine leather goods. Yes.

How about a 21st resolution: stop seeking self-worth by insulting complete strangers on a comment thread. Everyone is entitled to their own interpretation. You sound like an arrogant asshole. Woops! Broke my own resolution.

Number 3 is NOT healthy advice. Telling someone to loose weight by eating less and working out like crazy is the start of an eating disorder. I agree no one should go one these crazy juice fasts, but to anyone reading this, please do your own research on foods that if eliminated cause weight loss. Also one more thing, know that low fat anything doesnt make you lose weight. Try being healthy before loosing weight, your body will follow after.

omg roxy seriously? i was thinking about how nerdy this response was and then i realized i knew you. hahahahahah xo

and welcome to the cloud.

-sjh

Easily the most pretentious thing I’ve read not only in 2012 but probably in the last 10 years. Thanks for the advice, now get over yourself.

I liked a lot of this, but my biggest problem with it and question is: Why are you limiting your audience by saying this is for twentysomethings?

And p.s. Enlightened is a great show!

Wow according to this post, most people in their 20s are technology dependent socially inept morons with no taste. You really don’t give us a lot of credit. The hooking up thing was especially offensive. Thanks for assuming we all just have casual sex. And wear clothes that fit you? Seriously? I’m not sure what kind of people this person is accostumed to but they clearly live in a different world

Wow…you don’t know how to relax, do you?  This was meant to be light hearted.  Breathe, not everyone fits into every single stereotype on this list, if any.

Why is anyone upset about this at all? It’s funny. And if you don’t like it, is it really ruining your life? Just head on to something else. 

It sounds as if mostly everyone commenting on this is a little too sensitive. Here’s a new year’s resolution for all of you exerting your energy and use of good vocabulary..Don’t sweat the small stuff!

I disagree with number 3. You should not “eat less and exercise more”. That’s not a healthy or good way of putting it. You should modify your eating habits with portion control. Eat portions that don’t starve you yet also, don’t over-stuff you. Weight Watchers (what Jennifer Hudson did) is great for learning more about portion control and still eating well. Definitely add exercise into the mix too. I also feel that this article should be directed to the general public. Teens, 30 something year olds, etc. There are people of ALL sorts who should take some of this advice. Number 6 was hilarious. =)

Queer is an adjective in the English language meaning strange or unusual. I agree his usage wasn’t correct, but ultra-sensitive PC-police shouldn’t make people stop using words just because they sound offensive. I’ll never forget the time a black student in my English class almost fought another student for properly using the word “niggardly.”

So what if this post is a little condescending?  It’s true.  We all need to slow down a little, step away from Facebook, and re-connect with the real world.  Instead of getting offended by the post, let’s use it to re-evaluate some of our habits.

As a 23 year old, I found this really funny and very accurate. But to be fair, why not write a few more posts…advice to 30-somethings, 40-somethings, 50-somethings, etc. My grandmother’s on Facebook. It’s not like you won’t have an audience.

$300 is not a realistic amount of money to save to be able to visit long-distance relatives.  That is not enough money.  While I agree with making the effort to travel and spend time with family, to honestly be able to achieve this requires more of a budget.  It takes more ambition than a New Years Resolution and will require a lot of work.  To think a mere $300 will cover expenses shows a limited perspective of where people’s families actually live.

chill.

Soooo…you don’t disagree, just don’t like the simplistic way it was stated.  Give me a break.

My new years resolution is to be a bigger Asshole to people who only look for things to bitch about. I’m already doing a better job, asshole.

Douche

erika vega, the greatest nit-picker of possible resolutions list in the world. you wear a crown of punctuation marks and money signs, and ipanemagirl liked your nit-picking. congratulations. 

any food that is eliminated will contribute to weight loss. it’s purely caloric.

the Real Housewives mockery cut a little too close, eh?

the Real Housewives mockery cut a little too close, eh?

the Real Housewives mockery cut a little too close, eh?

the Real Housewives mockery cut a little too close, eh?

A lot of people seem to be saying that this post was “intended to be funny”. Maybe it was to some extent. The funny parts, I found funny. But I think for the most part the real intention was sincere. The sincere parts were ridiculous, somehow attempting to implore generations to remember simpler times when all interaction was face-to-face, facts had to be “remembered”, people were virtuous and volunteered, and we could not count on facebook to back up our memories. Perhaps this comes from a grain of good advice, but don’t forget that these “olden days” are societally shared myth, and that we should recognize that all of the “less real” experiences in the digital age might allow us to be closer than the author of this post seems to think.

Black out or get out

It’s not entirely necessary for people to say most of what they say to whoever they say it to-  in person, on a billboard, or on the internet.  And brussels sprouts are delicious. 

Where I live, most black males think their waist is at their knees. They could truly benefit from pants that fit properly.

haha…thanks, I guess?  I’m just saying the idea is good but the allotted dollar amount is a joke.  300 bucks will not buy me a flight to any of the various cities that hold my relatives.  I’m not really trying to be “nit-picky” but point out that realistically, trying to achieve that resolution comes at a much higher cost.  Sorry! 

no sweetheart, I think the purpose of those “Olden” ideas is to try to get us to not be so heavily tech reliant and to take time and actually interact with people face to face once and a bit.

Oh shit, that’s another thing they forgot; saying stupid, made-up phrases like “Sorry I’m not sorry.”

Cameron, I could not agree more.  I don’t relate to most other twentysomethings either because of this sort of thing.  Some of us have morals and multiple hour conversations in real life (that aren’t about celebrities and superficial drivel).

Maybe you could save $600 and just go every other year.

The first funny comment I’ve seen in this entire article.

A fag is a pile of sticks. Thanks for the definition. It is a word. There is lots of them. Many other words would make someone sound so unintelligent. If you agree his usage wasn’t correct, why are you responding to this. So you can call me ultra-sensitive? Good for your student defending himself. Niggardly? Really? Sounds to me like you need to work on some vocabulary development with your students. Wow.

Megabus…tada!

Holy crap, people. I am 28, have a career in the area I majored in, am married and have a child on the way, and was able to read this and enjoy it without assuming that the writer was talking down to me. Of course not all of these resolutions apply to me (I’ve never watched the Kardashians in my life and anything about hooking up/dating are irrelevant), but some of them certainly do. Stop taking yourselves so seriously and read this for what it is — entertaining and mostly very good advice.

Well said!

And best of luck bringing your little one into the world! 

Thank you!

Um…isn’t portion control another way of saying eating less?

Yeah, damn kids today with the texting and the facebo0k, grumble grumble…

the funny thing is that i was directed to this post/site on FACEBOOK. This site showed up on my  newsfeed when some girl re-posted it via her friend. I was pretty interested in reading the list until I did and found it to be super condescending. I understand she’s trying to be funny…but noticing that she’s trying actually makes the whole thing less funny.  I think it would have been better if she included herself in every enumerated statement, such as: LET’S all finally stop liking the Kardashians…”, etc., etc. Clearly, she is on facebook a whole lot to know that (a) it changes every couple of months and people get upset, (b) some people share every morsel of thought with their entire social newtwork, and (c) the huffington post is updating the world on the latest Kardashian crap news. Come one, she has totally done these things before. So please, get off your high horse and at least word your statements differently so it doesn’t sound like you’re an uptight 60 year-old Mom advising me on the rules of being courted by a gentleman. I can very well keep up with American hyper-partisan politics while treating myself (resolution #20) to mindless but highly entertaining Real Housewives of (insert U.S. city). 

#21. chill the fuck out.

Research would disagree with you; our digital age experiences (real or not so much) are not bringing us closer together.  But if you don’t regard facts as worth remembering, you likely also have little regard for research.  At the very least, back up your memories so you can avoid making a phone call to a real person (IT guys are people, too) when all of a sudden your “memories” are gone.

#21: stop caring what people on the internet think you should be doing with your life.

I got a chuckle out of the post overall, but some of these made me really think twice and will be considered.

Haha…nice…though that still wouldn’t cover visiting the majority of my family.  Maybe some obscure relative that is within the US, but most of my family is outside the country.  I don’t think I could take a bus across the ocean either.  I’ve only visited my father’s side three times, at the age of 3, 15 and recently at 28.  I only visited my mother’s country once when I was 16.  I’m hoping to save money to visit my maternal side again soon but neither $300 nor $600 would cover just the plane ticket.

What’s funny about your post is that your calling her the crazy person, but you made it pretty damn clear that you are in fact the one who is crazy.
Good day.

no, you just straight up nit-picked. besides, i could totally visit my family and buy a plane ticket for $300. if you wanted to apply these to yourself, you could have mentally substituted the $300 “allotment” (really? allotted?) for any other amount you choose. maybe you should consider resolution number 1, only apply it to commenting on thought catalog articles.

#18 is for real. facebook won’t last forever

Ha! Every single one of these apply to me and I think it is hilarious. I’m adopting every single one of these for 2012.

Signed, 24 year old girl from South Carolina.

apparently some of us old people text and facebook as well!!

Just cleanses are for people who don’t *want* to eat less and exercise like crazy. It’s a choice.

Also, brussel sprouts are the FIRST food people who “think they dont like it but have never really tried” should try. They’re almost always fried these days, almost impossible to taste bad.

Also, #1 could be said about 90% of thought catalog posts. 

haha!  LOVE THIS!

This list represents everything I hate about society. If in any way you need to motivate yourself to do any of these things – I am objectively better than you.

It seems that YOU, along with the author of this post, have fallen in to the same shared myth that were once days without technology in which out interactions were pure and we all felt closer. You mention ‘research’ yet you don’t reference any at all, and you seem to be resting on the very assumption that produced the values in the post above. Don’t you see that the internet permits us to keep in contact with many more people we wouldn’t be able to otherwise, and allows us to maintain our ‘memories’, as you put it, much more effectively than in a photo album. I don’t disagree with some of the basic values in the post, but I DO recognize the author has some irrational emotional connection to the mythical days when everything was face-to-face and unadulterated with technology. And again, I remember facts, but I don’t think that ‘remembering them’ is any more inherently worthwhile than looking them up. Perhaps you do, but that’s simply your opinion, and not anything more objective than that.

But don’t you see, that you, like the author of this post, seem to assume that face-to-face interaction is inherently more worthwhile, and you’re not even willing to examine this assumption. I appreciate face-to-face interaction too, but I don’t think it should have a privileged place over electronic communication. In the time it takes me to visit a family member, I can communicate with dozens of people over email, text, or online social networks. Perhaps you think that the latter forms of communication are less “REAL” than a face-to-face visit, but, again, that’s only your opinion which derives from unexamined assumptions about technology.  You’re being naive if you don’t think that everyone in America isn’t already ‘tech-reliant’, but you’re even more naive if you interpret this as wholly negative without at least considering some of the benefits as well.

And finally, the “olden” days the author speaks of don’t exist. The times of perfect and pure interactions and family life and happiness are a collective myth of societal nostalgia. They don’t refer to a real historical period but to a time that we ‘wish’ had happened.

Andy, enjoy living in your virtual world – I think the list was relevant, although from my perspective, just common sense…….

but I’m old.

Brilliant

I’d say you’re naive if you don’t realize most everyone in the United States spends a large amount of time in a virtual world. But, in my opinion, this helps to enhance communication and togetherness, and doesn’t separate us from reality.

Yes to most of these, especially #16. I just contacted someone about volunteering this weekend :)

happy 2012!

No. Incorrect. You made an error on the internet, shame on you.The best way to lose weight is actually to INCREASE the number of times that you eat, so that you are eating around once ever 2 hours. What you need to change is what you are eating. So eat more healthily, more often. Or just get an eating disorder.. who needs teeth or social acceptability anyway?

Wow awesome list!  I’m printing this one out

And it’s hilarious haha

Great list not just for 20 something… 

It is slightly ironic this was posted on Facebook 23,000 times. Heh.