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PaperclipPerfector  2d ago (text post)   6578 thread views

Culture War Roundup for the week of November 24, 2025

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There's a really interesting post from /r/TheMotte that you might enjoy: https://old.reddit.com/r/TheMotte/comments/c7bkqh/examining_1999s_culture_through_its_best_movies/

It seems like culture around 1999 was different on this point in a really important way, which I think led us to the ennui of the middle-aged office worker asking, "is this it?" This isn't as much of a thing on the more recent years. I think it's been replaced by a view that even the "soulless middle-class existence" would be a significant step up from what the younger millenials, zoomers, and alphas actually got: the economic engine hiccupping as it lurched from crisis to crisis, houses accelerating to many multiples of median annual income, immigration changing hometowns and countries beyond recognition, dating being so messed up that finding a partner is tough enough, let alone someone seriously keen on starting a family, ...

It seems like culture around 1999 was different on this point in a really important way, which I think led us to the ennui of the middle-aged office worker asking, "is this it?" This isn't as much of a thing on the more recent years. I think it's been replaced by a view that even the "soulless middle-class existence" would be a significant step up from what the younger millenials, zoomers, and alphas actually got

I remember watching an old interview with Ayn Rand on Donahue, when he had a talk show, circa 1980, and there was this bit where Ayn Rand said she felt good about skyscrapers and cities and Donahue responded with dismay at all of the people working these soulless office jobs in big concrete buildings.

As someone that came of age around Flight Club I was surprised at how much older the office drone disgust sentiment was.

I wonder if I recall that correctly?

Tech jobs all went to open concept offices so the 90s cubicles people were complaining about look ridiculously nice.

Find a picture of an engineering office in the 1950s. Replace drafting tables with desks with monitors on them, voila, 2020s software company office.

At least they are front to back. 2020s offices like to put people face to face which is horrible when you are trying to concentrate on something.

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