A little background:

- Born and raised in Northern Virginia and in my mid-30s
- Software developer
- Attended McLean High School
- Born poor. Lived in apts off King Street.
- Had a pretty wild youth: suspended from school, clubbing at young age, Molly & Mary J during teen years

I've been here my whole life, and spent a considerable amount of time skipping school and hanging out at Tysons (Tilt, Hot Shoppes, palm tree area) and Springfield (Time-Out, Another Universe, Hong Kong, food court) Mall. I remember when 7 Corners was an indoor mall and Tysons only had one level (the current second floor). I also recall a larger variety of lifestyles, fashion, social groups regardless of income bracket. This phenomenon has also spread to DC and Montgomery County.

Teens back then hung out at the mall, went to house parties, hooked up, and actually had face-to-face interaction. Now everyone is staying home more and living vicariously through each other's Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat accounts. All my nieces and nephews who are 16+ do not own a car or have a license and really could care less. Somehow you would think that young adults eschewing a lifestyle of play would get higher achievement marks, but lower test scores and overall academic performance indicates otherwise.

Everyone wears khacki (even on off days) and a polo shirt, and almost everyone works in govt-related joba. Anyone making over 60k is driving the same BMW or Audi models. Even DC nightlife is the same kind of situation. The clubs in DC during my late teens and early 20s were fun...people actually danced, it felt like a New York underground club, it was sort of gritty. Now everyone parties at lounges with bottle service like its Miami lol. There is no dancing, people are just standing around with drinks in their hands socializing. Even the bars here are sanitized or a generic version of a frat party.

What the hell happened? Fairfax is really trying to become a mix of Boston and Orange County, except Boston has better bars and Orange County has the beaches and a bohemian/art history.

Also, I met numerous people who have never watched a baseball game 3 years ago are now decked out in Nationals gear almost daily....and are unable to name more than 2 players on the team.

Liberalism.

Dumbass libturdz. Wrote:
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> Liberalism.

Both sides of the spectrum are like Ned Flanders lol

You whiny cocksucker. GTFO.

Miliarism.

Every other commercial on news radio is to build a long fence, set up ground-to-air missile defense systems for your frontyard, or to get a state-of-the-art fighter jet for your backyard.

Diversity is the opposite of community. More diversity means more social isolation, avoidance of interacting with strangers, neighbors, coworkers and people in general.

Public spaces around here are unpleasant and unwelcoming.

Yes, yes dat racist, I know.

This area is one of the most diverse areas in terms of ethnicity. However, everyone self-segregates no matter how much income you have. Working professional blacks hang out with blacks, whites with whites, asians with asians, etc..Back in the 90s, I've seen diverse groups of friends hanging out.

Also, can someone explain the trend of young people to hold off on getting a car until they are like 25? lol, they ever get bored at home?

The reason young people don't get bored at home is that they can talk to all their friends over the internet while gaming. They all "get together" on the game and it's cheap entertainment . . . much cheaper than buying a car, insurance, gas, and going out to spend more money at public venues. When you have student loans or you are looking at a future of those, it's better to save your money. Plus parents don't have the money to buy their kids a car anymore. Plus the kids don't have jobs or the jobs just don't pay enough since minimum wage is the same as it was years ago. None of this makes them want to buy a car.

^ Plus lots more single parents so that means even less money for parents to help out.

^plus there are no more arcades, since everyone now has a console or PC to play on and don't even need to leave their house to get their game on.

^plus too many security guards/police everywhere so random field parties/chilling on the top deck of a garage drinking and carousing with friends/even partying at someone's house are a thing of the past since older people are so quick to call the cops if you have your music past "5"- used to be able to turn it up to 11 all day, not anymore!!!. Not to mention the overzealous police- riding in a car with 3 friends drinking just won't work anymore.

If drinking is down, house parties are nonexistent, drug use is down, sex among young adults is down, less people are getting licenses, wild behavior is down, etc....then why are test scores and academic achievement is also down?!!

Hmmmmm Wrote:
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> If drinking is down, house parties are
> nonexistent, drug use is down, sex among young
> adults is down, less people are getting licenses,
> wild behavior is down, etc....then why are test
> scores and academic achievement is also down?!!


HINT: Illegals

Every reason here is a result of liberalism.

The Internet and smart phones killed off face to face interaction.

Teens use to gather in parks. Somehow we'd know which one. Eventually the police would come break it up. by then, we'd have the next place planned. Same way with Fri/Sat night parties. "Where's the party at?" No cell phones. Can you imagine? At that time, not even fax machines. Damn! How'd we manage? 4 wheels and enough for gas. Get people's numbers. Phone around (from home or a pay phone) until you reach someone. Also, cigarettes $.50 - $.75 a pack. Hahaha.

The majority of the house parties I went to during the 90s were open to anyone. They were packed, and the 90% of the time I never met the person who threw the party. There was plenty of alcohol and loud music and plenty of girls. That would never happen nowadays.

The 1980s

the 1970's

FdLwv Wrote:
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> Hmmmmm Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If drinking is down, house parties are
> > nonexistent, drug use is down, sex among young
> > adults is down, less people are getting
> licenses,
> > wild behavior is down, etc....then why are test
> > scores and academic achievement is also down?!!
>
>
> HINT: Illegals

http://fortune.com/2015/03/10/american-millennials-are-among-the-worlds-least-skilled/

Young American millennials rank close to last in problem-solving in technology-rich environments, literacy, and practical math in the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC). I really doubt illegals are taking these assessments lol. Math and literacy...sure I get it, but using technology? ALmost all millennials spend practically all their time on facebook, instagram, snapchat, etc.

You're much older than mid-30's given the background you state in your header post.

giveaway Wrote:
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> You're much older than mid-30's given the
> background you state in your header post.


I'm 35, born in 1980. 7 Corners was still around in the 80s. Tysons I didn't build the lower levels until 1987-88. Time-Out and Tilt were still happening when I was 15-17 back in 95-97 (Killer Instinct, Street Fighter alpha, etc...). People currently in their 40s never experienced Molly. I think cocaine was their drug of choice lol!!

It's been toast here for a long time, it was dying when I came up according to older friends... But we ran wild and had places to do it throughout the eighties, LEOs mad you dump beers and herb if u had it, if you weren't a wasted ass they'd let you go... Used to road race a lot too no worries, less LEOs... Enjoy 2015.
So glad my kids ain't running around like I did!

Liberalism destroys...

...these were the days.

I actually kinda feel bad my kids can't party like I could.

UDNNN Wrote:
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> The majority of the house parties I went to during
> the 90s were open to anyone. They were packed, and
> the 90% of the time I never met the person who
> threw the party. There was plenty of alcohol and
> loud music and plenty of girls. That would never
> happen nowadays.


There has to still be house parties. If not, I feel sorry for my kids.

If you hang out in a park today smoking a blunt they would call in the Helicopter.

Vote Trump. He will re-arrange their schedule so 85% of their days are spent disposing of illegals and and other undesirables, like libtards.

over policing Wrote:
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> If you hang out in a park today smoking a blunt
> they would call in the Helicopter.


If you walk down the street in a group of 3 or more, they find a reason to stop you and harass you with 50 questions.

Fairfax county has become a nazi county.

Hispanics can stand around at the 7-11 all day drinking and they don't do a thing about it, yet a group of friends walking down the street together from their house talking on their way for coffee is an emergency to them and they must break it up immediately.

I also blame the bored housewives and older people yelling get off my lawn and calling the cops on people even though it's a PUBLIC sidewalk and anyone can walk down the street at any time. Saying they were "suspicious". And we are a mixed group- white, black, asian. All walking together. Any "youths" in the area are not welcome.

The land of the almost-free.