February 2, 2011, - 1:02 pm
Snowstorm?: A Nation of Wimps, Sheep & Hype (Plus HILARIOUS Video)
America looks like Charlie Sheen’s coffee table, right now.
–Jimmy Kimmel on the snowstorm.
America looks like a bunch of wimps and weaklings who can’t handle a little extra snow, right now.
–Debbie Schlussel on the snowstorm.
Is it just me . . . or is the hype and hysteria over and reaction to the snowstorm a little ridiculous?
This whole “impending weather disaster” thing has reinforced my belief that we truly are a nation of wimps and sheep who eagerly respond to whatever hype were served, without a second of critical thinking.
On Sunday, the cashier at a local Target asked me if I’m getting ready for the big snowstorm.
Me: What snowstorm? Oh, you mean the 12 inches that are supposed to fall Tuesday Night? Nah. What am I gonna do? How do I “prepare” for being home and then going to sleep and waking up? It’s a lot of hype over nothing. We’ve had snow before.
The cashier looked at me like I’m nuts, like I’m supposed to be stocking up for some huge natural disaster like they have in the movies, in which power goes out forever, there is mass looting, and you need an AK-47 to protect yourself against the invading zombies and alien beings that have just landed.
Yesterday morning, I ran out of skim milk, and went to a local supermarket, which was packed with people stocking up on what looked like supplies of canned food and dry goods for a couple of months. Huh? It’s just a brief snowstorm, not a worldwide tsunami. Did someone forget to tell ’em it’ll be over in a few hours? These are probably the same people who built bomb shelters in preparation for the giant Y2K disaster that never happened. Remember that one?
Last night, I drove to a movie screening. The driving was bad, the snowfall was heavy, and I wouldn’t have recommended driving in that. But I live a couple miles away, so I chanced it. Not a big deal. This morning, with barely any snow falling anymore, you’d think there’s contagious, fatal disease in the air. There’s nobody out. It’s totally abandoned everywhere. Why? Because we are a nation of wimps who follow group-think, that’s why. Ed Rendell had it right when he said America has become a nation of wusses. So, true. When I was a kid and we had a 19-inch snowstorm, my dad didn’t let us just sit inside and watch TV because we had the day off from school. We all bundled up and went on a long walk through our neighborhood and a local field to visit my grandmother who lived alone. We survived this “treacherous” snowstorm. Maybe it’s just me, but I’m a hearty person, and I like to go hiking in the snow. You just have to dress for it.
After telling us here in the Detroit area, we’d get over a foot of snow, the reports are that we got between six and nine inches, which is nothing. When I briefly lived (for a year) in the American Siberian armpit of Stevens Point, Wisconsin, it seemed like we got more than that almost every day. After that, this is nothing.
But apparently, American heartiness is nothing, too. It doesn’t exist. At least not today. This morning, I went out to do some errands and attend to some business, and everywhere I went, everything was closed. Only 7-Eleven was open, so I treated myself to a small Slurpee, something I drink only 2-3 times a year (because it’s loaded with sugar). But I was the only slurper. The place was abandoned, but for me and the cashier. The roads and freeways were empty, like a plague had hit almost everyone but me and a few other drivers. I was shocked. The driving wasn’t that bad. Doesn’t life go on? This is how America shuts down after a few inches of snow? Imagine if we actually have a real natural disaster or war on our shores. My experience in the last few days tells me, we really won’t be prepared for that. We simply don’t have the strength. We stock up for a few hours of snow and shut down after a few inches.
Even in the places, like Missouri, where they got 15-17 inches with wind blowing the snow around, it’ll all be plowed over in a couple of days. Tomorrow or the day after, things will be back to normal. It’s not the end of the world. Not even close.
The only people I really feel for in this are those who are homeless and freezing, those who drive for a living, and those who have had their flights canceled for days. For everybody else, you’ll live. I wouldn’t want to shovel a whole driveway of this stuff, but if I had to, I would. I feel for those who have to.
We’re a nation of sheep . . . weak sheep. G-d help us when an actual weather disaster really strikes. Sorry, guys, but this wasn’t it.
America needs to grow a pair of cojones. As I learned in the last few days, we’re a castrated nation. A few inches of snow, and we’re closed for business.
Very sad.
If some extra snowfall is “snowmageddon” to you, G-d pity you when there is actually a real armageddon.
Tags: HILARIOUS, hype, Jimmy Kimmel, Jimmy Kimmel Live, nation of wimps, sheeple, snow, snow storm, snowmageddon, snowstorm, video, weak
I’m with youz! Resist the wimpification of America. Buy a pickup truck with 4 wheel drive! I did. It works to liberate youz. Liberate chore selfs my bruduz and sissies!
Paul Marshall on February 2, 2011 at 1:20 pm