Fun_People Archive
5 Jan
Tee-Cee and the Next Century

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From: Peter Langston <psl>
Date: Wed,  5 Jan 100 13:02:58 -0800
To: Fun_People
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Subject: Tee-Cee and the Next Century

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From: James Propp <propp@math.wisc.edu>

The first surprising thing that'll "happen" on January 1 is that so many
people will usher in the New Year at home with their loved ones, instead of
attending parties and special events.  (At least that's what I've been
reading and hearing from news-sources.)

I suggest that this phenomenon, far from being a fluke, may herald the true
nature of the next hundred years, and that we may be crossing the threshhold
of what future social historians may dub (but not before I do!) the Stay-At-
Home Century.

Typical remarks from the Stay-At-Home Century:

"Go to the movies, when I can rent a video?  Naah."

"Send troops overseas to solve problems caused by our country's colonialist
 behavior in some earlier millennium?  I don't _think_ so."

"Explore the solar system?  That would just be *soooo* tee-see."

[Tee-see., also T.C., adj. (slang): of or pertaining to the Twentieth
Century, hence: behind the times, pre-post-postmodern, overly impressed by
technology, generally uncool.]

© 2000 Peter Langston