Thank you for this board!

[creekland]

Yesterday my brain got a bit of a jolt and it's still kind of numb, so I suppose, in a way, I'm venting again, but it's really let me know how much I appreciate this board.

 

We all have different ideas about what is important for curricula, courses, schedules, college or post school education, life lessons, and the like. That said, one thing I've noticed as a commonality is the way we all instill the value of caring for each other and caring for others in our community and on this planet.

 

So the ps year is all but over where I work. Yesterday I just had to pick 3 videos to show via Netflix live streaming for 3 different 10th grade classes. In one of those classes I chose to show "God Grew Tired of Us," a documentary about the Lost Boys of Sudan. The kids were absolutely NOT interested. I was able to control behavior (after kicking one young lad out of class), but I couldn't open their minds. Most were blatantly not watching it even though they were quiet. Their yearbooks were far more interesting. One flat out told me, "Why do we care about them? Their life is bad. So it sucks to be them. Who cares?" Only one part of the video naturally caught their attention. It was when the "boys" (now young men) came to the US and had to learn about electricity, toilets, and many things we take for granted. The class laughed.

 

I remain hopeful that they were paying attention a little bit (since they caught that part), but I can't get that, "So it sucks to be them. Who cares?" comment out of my mind. I find myself REALLY wishing we could have an exchange program with Sudan (send ours there to live for a couple of months). Maybe then they could "get it."

 

I want to thank everyone here for taking the time to raise kids who care. I don't care which niche they end up in academically by comparison. I want to know there are kids out there who will care about others.

 

I related the school experience (and the later movie, "To Sir, With Love" that also didn't go over well) with my boys when I returned home. They want to see the movies as they say they sound interesting. ;) We'll have to get them on DVD for home as we don't have the computer ability to live stream.

[8filltheheart]

Yesterday my brain got a bit of a jolt and it's still kind of numb, so I suppose, in a way, I'm venting again, but it's really let me know how much I appreciate this board.

 

We all have different ideas about what is important for curricula, courses, schedules, college or post school education, life lessons, and the like. That said, one thing I've noticed as a commonality is the way we all instill the value of caring for each other and caring for others in our community and on this planet.

 

So the ps year is all but over where I work. Yesterday I just had to pick 3 videos to show via Netflix live streaming for 3 different 10th grade classes. In one of those classes I chose to show "God Grew Tired of Us," a documentary about the Lost Boys of Sudan. The kids were absolutely NOT interested. I was able to control behavior (after kicking one young lad out of class), but I couldn't open their minds. Most were blatantly not watching it even though they were quiet. Their yearbooks were far more interesting. One flat out told me, "Why do we care about them? Their life is bad. So it sucks to be them. Who cares?" Only one part of the video naturally caught their attention. It was when the "boys" (now young men) came to the US and had to learn about electricity, toilets, and many things we take for granted. The class laughed.

 

I remain hopeful that they were paying attention a little bit (since they caught that part), but I can't get that, "So it sucks to be them. Who cares?" comment out of my mind. I find myself REALLY wishing we could have an exchange program with Sudan (send ours there to live for a couple of months). Maybe then they could "get it."

 

I want to thank everyone here for taking the time to raise kids who care. I don't care which niche they end up in academically by comparison. I want to know there are kids out there who will care about others.

 

I related the school experience (and the later movie, "To Sir, With Love" that also didn't go over well) with my boys when I returned home. They want to see the movies as they say they sound interesting. ;) We'll have to get them on DVD for home as we don't have the computer ability to live stream.

 

 

I only have a sec so my thoughts are probably going to be very inarticulate b/c they aren't thoughts that should be expressed quickly and w/o care. :tongue_smilie:

 

However, your description reminds me of a conversation I had with my kids not too long ago. My 7th grader and I spent the school yr studying Narnia and Lewis. One of the things that comes across from Lewis's works is the fact that modernism has evoked a sense of chronological snobbery combined with an elevated view of self and through that we have lost the true humanism (not humanism as defined by moderns) that has always existed and existed "better" in the past. He believed that there was a thread of humanity that connected humans to each other which is being destroyed by that elevated view of self.

 

(If anyone is a SG-1 fan, my kids recognize this idea from the episode about the Nox. ;) )

 

Told you I shouldn't attempt a quick reply b/c it probably makes no sense. Also, I think the constant inundation of visuals kids have destroys appropriate responses.

[Caroline]

I don't want you to think the reaction from your PS kids is universal for PS kids. And maybe it makes a difference that I teach at a school with a number of African refugees. Our entire school read the book Outcasts United this past year. (For summer, the entire school is reading The Immortal Life if Henrietta Lacks.) Keeping in mind that I teach at a school that is 85+% free and reduced lunch, the only meals many of our kids get is those free breakfasts and lunches, our kids started a fund raiser to help African refugee families get started in the Atlanta area. We raised a few thousand dollars, mostly in change, and I am sure some of our families' electricity budgets. (We have many students who have to go without electricity at least part of most months due to lack of funds.)

 

Also, the high school my son attends had a showing of God Grew Tired of Us recently. My son's high school has the opposite demographics of where I teach--mostly upper middle class to wealthy white children. The place was packed. In fact, it was not only shown in the auditorium, but streamed throughout classrooms in the school because not everyone fit in the auditorium. Students chose to be there. The money from this showing was used to help fund African refugee families, too. I am sure it was a lot more money than my school raised.

 

And I don't know if your experience or my experiences are more universal. I just wanted you to know that there are kids in PS out there that do care, and care very much.

[FaithManor]

I think those who have posted have misread Creeland's post or the intent. She expressed general frustration with the attitude of the classes she presented the material to. She did not make any generalizations to 10th graders across the country or even to 10th graders across her entire school. She was just generally upset with the "who cares" attitude evident to the students she worked with that day. I did not read in her post any sweeping generalizations of all high schoolers or an assumption that this is epidemic. Her question was "What's up with this attitude?" In that respect, she has a legitimate grievance. I would also be a little dismayed at the callousness even if I can intellectualize what might be behind it. One of the things that can be particularly frustrating is the inability to inspire compassion in students.

 

I applaud those of you who are living in or teaching in areas in which compassion, community service, "seeing how the other half lives", etc. is a lively part of your educational community. I think it's wonderful and am happy for you that you can see this kind of humanitarian activity or evidence of compassion in the youth of your area. I can honestly say you will not find it here. We are 4-H leaders and as part of our program the club members must be involved in an annual community service project and it can't be a "beautification" type project...it must be a humanitarian effort. We tried to partner with schools in our county. Not one single public school did ANYTHING in this regard. There was literally ZERO attempts to reach out to those in needs through the efforts of students. There is no community service requirement to graduate from high school as there is in some other areas of the state. We do see a small number of teens getting involved in private endeavors. But, I can say that my experiences with the attitude of teens when we have attempted to get them involved, has been more in line with Creekland's..."Who cares?" than with, "What can we do?" But, again, I am not generalizing to all teens, this is just what I see in our locale.

 

So, Creekland...I do get it! I really do and I share your frustration. You and I must live in a similar mini-culture, to coin a Mrs. Mungo term. I am glad others who have responded are experiencing a more compassionate micro-cosmos.

 

Faith

[8filltheheart]

I think those who have posted have misread Creeland's post or the intent. She expressed general frustration with the attitude of the classes she presented the material to. She did not make any generalizations to 10th graders across the country or even to 10th graders across her entire school. She was just generally upset with the "who cares" attitude evident to the students she worked with that day. I did not read in her post any sweeping generalizations of all high schoolers or an assumption that this is epidemic. Her question was "What's up with this attitude?" In that respect, she has a legitimate grievance. I would also be a little dismayed at the callousness even if I can intellectualize what might be behind it. One of the things that can be particularly frustrating is the inability to inspire compassion in students.

 

I applaud those of you who are living in or teaching in areas in which compassion, community service, "seeing how the other half lives", etc. is a lively part of your educational community. I think it's wonderful and am happy for you that you can see this kind of humanitarian activity or evidence of compassion in the youth of your area. I can honestly say you will not find it here. We are 4-H leaders and as part of our program the club members must be involved in an annual community service project and it can't be a "beautification" type project...it must be a humanitarian effort. We tried to partner with schools in our county. Not one single public school did ANYTHING in this regard. There was literally ZERO attempts to reach out to those in needs through the efforts of students. There is no community service requirement to graduate from high school as there is in some other areas of the state. We do see a small number of teens getting involved in private endeavors. But, I can say that my experiences with the attitude of teens when we have attempted to get them involved, has been more in line with Creekland's..."Who cares?" than with, "What can we do?" But, again, I am not generalizing to all teens, this is just what I see in our locale.

 

So, Creekland...I do get it! I really do and I share your frustration. You and I must live in a similar mini-culture, to coin a Mrs. Mungo term. I am glad others who have responded are experiencing a more compassionate micro-cosmos.

 

Faith

 

I also did not find Creekland's post to be a sweeping generalization of her community.

 

I also find it disturbing that somehow empathy and concern is somehow associated or restricted to similar personal experiences and circumstances. I think that actually exemplifies what I was attempting to express about Lewis. Being touched by the circumstances of another person is not bound to our own experience except when the connection with humanity is flawed.

Edited June 2, 2011 by 8FillTheHeart

[cbollin]

Creekland,

 

I'm glad that on this forum you've been encouraged to know that not all high school age kiddos are like what you experienced with this incident yesterday.

 

That has to be frustrating to select a film to share and then have them treat the seriousness of the situation like that.

:grouphug:

 

I know one reason I homeschool is to try to raise children who will be adults who make a positive difference in this world. I'm happy when my children do that before they are adults too.

 

So... I'm glad this board was a place that showed you that you aren't alone in the dream.

 

Maybe the kids were just so tired of school for the year and summer fever had hit and a few vocal fools took over for the moment. some teens laugh at anything with toilets and haven't grown up yet.

 

You never know how the quiet few in the room could have been touched yesterday by what you did. Thank you for showing the film to try.

 

I remember in church a few years ago.. the kids from the "hood" who attended our church because of van ministry sat and watched a film about human trafficking and just sat there and listened. There were a few jokes trying to break the tension of the situation. But for the most part they couldn't believe such a thing existed.

 

 

 

-crystal

[MBM]

A book that touches upon the issue you've mentioned is Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert Cialdini. I don't have time to describe it in detail, but I found the book illuminating and highly recommend it. Occasionally, I use some of the methods on my kids and others, and I can recognize it when it's being used on me as well. Fascinating stuff.

[creekland]

I think those who have posted have misread Creeland's post or the intent. She expressed general frustration with the attitude of the classes she presented the material to.

Faith

 

Absolutely! And reading the posts about how other places are is actually in line with my title for this thread. I've enjoyed reading about the experiences others have had. If I'd had the chance to show this film in one of our high level academic classes, I'd like to think the response would have been different. Driver's Ed is a required course in our school for 10th graders, so the students in each class are a diverse mix of those we have in the school.

 

Demographics? We're almost totally Caucasian with a handful of Hispanic kids. There are more exchange students than African American students (and both total less than a dozen - not each, but both together). The only Asian students were adopted young. We're semi-rural with a farming and manufacturing base. Roughly 75% are on free or reduced lunch, but we're not urban. Most kids have cell phones and TV. Some need to use the internet at school. Academically we're slightly below average for the state of PA and PA as a whole is slightly above average among states. Therefore, I roughly consider our school to be "average" academically, but I know our demographics are different.

 

I do think the kids are ready for the school year to be over and just wanted to be "entertained." Having come from a superb high school myself, I have ethical issues with my tax dollars going to pure entertainment. Therefore, I picked things I thought would be entertaining with a point. I am VERY hopeful that some thoughts sunk in for at least a few. That's why I insisted that the class remain quiet even if they were doing something else (looking at yearbooks). I'll probably never know, but I can hope.

 

Feel free to post more "other" stories. I do enjoy reading them. It gives me hope for our [collective] future.

 

And yes, I don't think people NEED things to be happy. I've never thought that. What Sudan NEEDS is for the war to be stopped. IMO, the US could use more of the values the Sudanese brought with them, but that's another issue.

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

:grouphug:

 

Don't forget, Creekland, that some of those children will mature into responsible and loving adults. They will look back on your attempt as a glimpse into compassion that they chose not to acknowledge when they were uninformed (and unformed) young people.

 

20 years later, I remember high school teachers who really tried to break through our adolescent self-centeredness. I clearly remember watching videos and listening to talks that I did not respond to, partly because I was embarrassed to feel so deeply when those around me were laughing and joking, and partly because I was greatly depressed by the suffering laid out before me in those films and presentations.

 

So the teacher had no idea that I cared.

 

20 years later, I have made a deliberate choice to prepare my children to feel for others. That is part of why we homeschool! We are not frivolous, self-centered people as a rule. We correct each other when we do naturally behave selfishly. Why? We are sober-minded so that we can be open to love.

 

I don't want my kids to only learn that when they grow up. I want that trait to be part of their early remembrance.

 

You will never know it, but probably some of your students will grow up to make the same realizations and decisions. It was *right* to offer a glimpse into another world, even if the seed seemed to be falling on rocky soil.

[4wildberrys]

I think those who have posted have misread Creeland's post or the intent. She expressed general frustration with the attitude of the classes she presented the material to. She did not make any generalizations to 10th graders across the country or even to 10th graders across her entire school. She was just generally upset with the "who cares" attitude evident to the students she worked with that day. I did not read in her post any sweeping generalizations of all high schoolers or an assumption that this is epidemic. Her question was "What's up with this attitude?" In that respect, she has a legitimate grievance. I would also be a little dismayed at the callousness even if I can intellectualize what might be behind it. One of the things that can be particularly frustrating is the inability to inspire compassion in students.

 

I applaud those of you who are living in or teaching in areas in which compassion, community service, "seeing how the other half lives", etc. is a lively part of your educational community. I think it's wonderful and am happy for you that you can see this kind of humanitarian activity or evidence of compassion in the youth of your area. I can honestly say you will not find it here. We are 4-H leaders and as part of our program the club members must be involved in an annual community service project and it can't be a "beautification" type project...it must be a humanitarian effort. We tried to partner with schools in our county. Not one single public school did ANYTHING in this regard. There was literally ZERO attempts to reach out to those in needs through the efforts of students. There is no community service requirement to graduate from high school as there is in some other areas of the state. We do see a small number of teens getting involved in private endeavors. But, I can say that my experiences with the attitude of teens when we have attempted to get them involved, has been more in line with Creekland's..."Who cares?" than with, "What can we do?" But, again, I am not generalizing to all teens, this is just what I see in our locale.

 

So, Creekland...I do get it! I really do and I share your frustration. You and I must live in a similar mini-culture, to coin a Mrs. Mungo term. I am glad others who have responded are experiencing a more compassionate micro-cosmos.

 

Faith

 

:iagree: We live in a similar type area. Around here, it is generational poverty and ignorance that breed this hardened-heart attitude. It's hard to hear and see, but very understandable when the economic pain is so bad at home----it can be hard, especially for youth, to actually care about any other cultures. :001_huh:

[Caroline]

Please know that I wasn't thinking that you were speaking of all PS children or even all children in your school. I just wanted to show you a different outcome of a similar situation. I am betting that the end of the school year had something to do with the attitude.

 

I, too, dislike the entertainment in the classroom stuff that goes on. Thanks for trying to change things.

 

Absolutely! And reading the posts about how other places are is actually in line with my title for this thread. I've enjoyed reading about the experiences others have had. If I'd had the chance to show this film in one of our high level academic classes, I'd like to think the response would have been different. Driver's Ed is a required course in our school for 10th graders, so the students in each class are a diverse mix of those we have in the school.

 

Demographics? We're almost totally Caucasian with a handful of Hispanic kids. There are more exchange students than African American students (and both total less than a dozen - not each, but both together). The only Asian students were adopted young. We're semi-rural with a farming and manufacturing base. Roughly 75% are on free or reduced lunch, but we're not urban. Most kids have cell phones and TV. Some need to use the internet at school. Academically we're slightly below average for the state of PA and PA as a whole is slightly above average among states. Therefore, I roughly consider our school to be "average" academically, but I know our demographics are different.

 

I do think the kids are ready for the school year to be over and just wanted to be "entertained." Having come from a superb high school myself, I have ethical issues with my tax dollars going to pure entertainment. Therefore, I picked things I thought would be entertaining with a point. I am VERY hopeful that some thoughts sunk in for at least a few. That's why I insisted that the class remain quiet even if they were doing something else (looking at yearbooks). I'll probably never know, but I can hope.

 

Feel free to post more "other" stories. I do enjoy reading them. It gives me hope for our [collective] future.

 

And yes, I don't think people NEED things to be happy. I've never thought that. What Sudan NEEDS is for the war to be stopped. IMO, the US could use more of the values the Sudanese brought with them, but that's another issue.

[Guest Dulcimeramy]

:iagree: We live in a similar type area. Around here, it is generational poverty and ignorance that breed this hardened-heart attitude. It's hard to hear and see, but very understandable when the economic pain is so bad at home----it can be hard, especially for youth, to actually care about any other cultures. :001_huh:

 

Except in some cases and in my own experience, hardship should make young people more compassionate toward others who are suffering. Wouldn't empathy be more natural and likely than contempt? I think the disdain is learned.

[4wildberrys]

Except in some cases and in my own experience, hardship should make young people more compassionate toward others who are suffering. Wouldn't empathy be more natural and likely than contempt? I think the disdain is learned.

 

I know---one can only hope. Except around here, disdain is definitely encouraged. It's very sad and disheartening.

[mcconnellboys]

Wow, how incredibly insensitive we've become as a nation. We are brats....

[Tiramisu]

My niece shared a story of when she was in high school and there was a discussion in a class about ways to deal with an aging society. There was a suggestion made to launch older people in wheelchair into outer space. Some students seemed to think this was a great idea. My niece, who was raised in a large part by her grandmother, was horrified about her classmates lack of compassion for older people.

 

I wonder if this is part of moder life everywhere. Americans seem to think that there's a lot of respect for the elderly in Japan, but I really didn't see it. I once saw an old man fall in the middle of a crowded Tokyo intersection and no one moved to help him, though I don't think that would have happen in the countryside. I often heard young people make fun of old people, especially older women. It was a regular joke.

 

When I was living in Japan, here was a lot of talk about the rising rates of child abuse. This was often attributed to the fact that extended families usually don't live together any longer. Young families move to the cities to work and grandparents stay behind in the countryside, so there isn't more closeness and family support, leading to higher stress levels in mothers. Mothers, who moved to the cities, usually don't have the same community connections either. I wonder if the same hypothesis could be applied to our culture.

[mcconnellboys]

Yes, I believe it is. That old saying, "It takes a village," didn't originally mean the government - it was literal.

 

When I was growing up, I knew that no matter where I went in the county, and no matter whether I was reprimanded by some stranger (to me) at the time I was doing something, my family WAS going to find out, LOL. And that person would be thanked by my family, apologized to if I inconvenienced them in any way, etc. - NOT rebuked as people do today when anyone suggests their lovelies might be at fault for any little thing. AND I would be reprimanded by my family. That's a powerful force, especially when you're going through that age when you think your parents are just dumb and crazy. If other adults (of any age) are regularly chiming in saying the exact same things, it tends to sink in better. That's the function extended families used to serve - a ready-made village.

 

Everyone was not hands-off and "it's not my problem" or "I don't want to get involved" in their thinking as are folks now. Everyone joined in for the common good of all. A new generation of rude, crazed upstarts was not good for the community as a whole, so everyone helped make sure that didn't happen.

 

Now, you can't even walk out in public because no one knows the simple rule of "keep right" or seems to be able to observe it when in public places. Theft in workplaces is rampant because everyone wants something for nothing and no one is there to provide sound cues as to what is right and what is not. If you drop something, good luck getting it back because those who find it tend to think it's just a free prize for them (finders keepers). Now, I'm not saying everyone is like this, of course, just saying the behaviour is rather rampant compared to when I was a teen. And there are a thousand other anti-social behaviours we could mention in addition to these....

 

I tend to liken it to a "Lord of the Flies" mentality. When there are no social mores imposed on each generation as they grow up, they tend to grow up thinking anything goes - and our society, in general, tends to reinforce that anything goes mentality....

[creekland]

:grouphug:

 

Don't forget, Creekland, that some of those children will mature into responsible and loving adults. They will look back on your attempt as a glimpse into compassion that they chose not to acknowledge when they were uninformed (and unformed) young people.

 

20 years later, I remember high school teachers who really tried to break through our adolescent self-centeredness. I clearly remember watching videos and listening to talks that I did not respond to, partly because I was embarrassed to feel so deeply when those around me were laughing and joking, and partly because I was greatly depressed by the suffering laid out before me in those films and presentations.

 

So the teacher had no idea that I cared.

 

20 years later, I have made a deliberate choice to prepare my children to feel for others. That is part of why we homeschool! We are not frivolous, self-centered people as a rule. We correct each other when we do naturally behave selfishly. Why? We are sober-minded so that we can be open to love.

 

I don't want my kids to only learn that when they grow up. I want that trait to be part of their early remembrance.

 

You will never know it, but probably some of your students will grow up to make the same realizations and decisions. It was *right* to offer a glimpse into another world, even if the seed seemed to be falling on rocky soil.

 

Thank you for your post. That is what I'm hoping for. I'll likely never know if it made a difference or not, but if it planted a seed somewhere, then it'll have been a success.

[creekland]

:iagree: We live in a similar type area. Around here, it is generational poverty and ignorance that breed this hardened-heart attitude.

 

Unfortunately, this is what it is around here too. I've overheard it being taught from parent to student too many times.

 

Please know that I wasn't thinking that you were speaking of all PS children or even all children in your school. I just wanted to show you a different outcome of a similar situation. I am betting that the end of the school year had something to do with the attitude.

 

I, too, dislike the entertainment in the classroom stuff that goes on. Thanks for trying to change things.

 

And I honestly appreciate your sharing what has gone on in your two schools. Otherwise, if it weren't for this board, I'd REALLY fear for our nation's future. I'm hopeful things can be changed around here at least a little bit.

 

Except in some cases and in my own experience, hardship should make young people more compassionate toward others who are suffering. Wouldn't empathy be more natural and likely than contempt? I think the disdain is learned.

 

I've seen it work both ways. I've seen kids from the worst conditions turn out nicely with a greater than normal amount of maturity. Unfortunately, I've also seen kids follow right along in their parents footsteps - with drug use, abuse, lack of empathy, and everything else that goes along with it. Sadly, there are more of the latter.

 

Wow, how incredibly insensitive we've become as a nation. We are brats....

 

If it were just my school (and those like it) that our nation had, I'd fully agree. I'm hopeful there are more of the "others" out there than of ours. But yes, after yesterday's experiences, I was feeling really drained. I talked about it briefly with one of our English teachers who has had multiple similar experiences. I think it's "learned" behavior locally. Few of these kids have even been out of state except for the beach or maybe Disney World. Most who return from the language trips (Costa Rica or Spain, France) return mocking the society they went to see and all of its differences. It's sad.

 

My niece shared a story of when she was in high school and there was a discussion in a class about ways to deal with an aging society. There was a suggestion made to launch older people in wheelchair into outer space. Some students seemed to think this was a great idea. My niece, who was raised in a large part by her grandmother, was horrified about her classmates lack of compassion for older people.

 

I wonder if this is part of moder life everywhere. Americans seem to think that there's a lot of respect for the elderly in Japan, but I really didn't see it. I once saw an old man fall in the middle of a crowded Tokyo intersection and no one moved to help him, though I don't think that would have happen in the countryside. I often heard young people make fun of old people, especially older women. It was a regular joke.

 

When I was living in Japan, here was a lot of talk about the rising rates of child abuse. This was often attributed to the fact that extended families usually don't live together any longer. Young families move to the cities to work and grandparents stay behind in the countryside, so there isn't more closeness and family support, leading to higher stress levels in mothers. Mothers, who moved to the cities, usually don't have the same community connections either. I wonder if the same hypothesis could be applied to our culture.

 

This is a good, albeit scary, thought to ponder. I think you've brought up a good point.

 

Yes, I believe it is. That old saying, "It takes a village," didn't originally mean the government - it was literal.

 

When I was growing up, I knew that no matter where I went in the county, and no matter whether I was reprimanded by some stranger (to me) at the time I was doing something, my family WAS going to find out, LOL. And that person would be thanked by my family, apologized to if I inconvenienced them in any way, etc. - NOT rebuked as people do today when anyone suggests their lovelies might be at fault for any little thing. AND I would be reprimanded by my family. That's a powerful force, especially when you're going through that age when you think your parents are just dumb and crazy. If other adults (of any age) are regularly chiming in saying the exact same things, it tends to sink in better. That's the function extended families used to serve - a ready-made village.

 

Everyone was not hands-off and "it's not my problem" or "I don't want to get involved" in their thinking as are folks now. Everyone joined in for the common good of all. A new generation of rude, crazed upstarts was not good for the community as a whole, so everyone helped make sure that didn't happen.

 

Now, you can't even walk out in public because no one knows the simple rule of "keep right" or seems to be able to observe it when in public places. Theft in workplaces is rampant because everyone wants something for nothing and no one is there to provide sound cues as to what is right and what is not. If you drop something, good luck getting it back because those who find it tend to think it's just a free prize for them (finders keepers). Now, I'm not saying everyone is like this, of course, just saying the behaviour is rather rampant compared to when I was a teen. And there are a thousand other anti-social behaviours we could mention in addition to these....

 

I tend to liken it to a "Lord of the Flies" mentality. When there are no social mores imposed on each generation as they grow up, they tend to grow up thinking anything goes - and our society, in general, tends to reinforce that anything goes mentality....

 

Did you grow up in my hometown? It sounds eerily similar. My sister and I knew to NEVER step out of line! Yet we still had fun. :tongue_smilie: I think you're "Lord of the Flies" mentality is right on for our area.