Over last 30 years, Britain has gradually turned into a 'me first/greedy/morally constipated' society. Or that is what is being expounded in the media.
I think it goes further back than that, the 60's with its rise of feminism, civil rights issues, brought about many changes but even though the Government still rejected things like the Wolfenden report, it was during the sixties that the Counterculture developed.
No one would argue I'm sure that change wasn't needed, especially in the area of discrimination be it against race, handicapped people and certain other minority groups. But gradually through the subsequent decades have we gone to far?
When a prisoner can complain that his prison bunk being too hard contravenes his Human Rights , and gets compensation, My mind boggles. Hello! your there to be punished, you broke the Law!
I came across this in the DerbyGripe today, I leave you to draw your own conclusions.
Take also into account the ending of Corporal Punishment in Schools, the stance on punishment within the home, the access to often violent reality play-station games by young children, add in parents who just don't monitor or really care what children watch.........or where they are, or what they are doing at any given time.
Consumerism Does being out of work or being one of those who never intend to work [ as the state keeps me very well thank you }have any link to consumerism, does buying or in some cases the appropriation of goods through nefarious mean, make people feel better, give them the feel good factor? We've all felt I'm sure the benefits of Retail therapy at some time or other, I sometimes indulge in it myself.......:0) Though never at someone else's expense. Watch the television or read a magazine and notice that a huge section of advertising is primarily aimed at the young. No one I am sure would have failed to notice that those 'Poor' youths involved in last weeks London Riots were sporting designer trainers and hoodies, using Blackberries and Smart Phones, yet the Media still in some cases referred to them as the underprivileged poor.
How different then when compared to what we had as children back in the 40's/50's, for a start we didn't have a democracy in our homes, more like a dictatorship with Dad as top dog Mum as nurturer and us kids as an add-on. We didn't have 'Rights' only 'Rules' the breaking of which had dire consequences. 'Getting away with it' was viewed as when the local Bobby caught you Scrumping apples, and said "what's it to be a clip around the ear or shall I take you to your parents" you always opted for the clip round the ear, as being less of a punishment. .Bring the cops to your parents door ? Shock Horror! Oh the dreadful consequences..............No we weren't perfect little goodies, as kids we tried to get away with what we could, as all children will, but we did know if caught there would be punishment.
And of course we when we became adults we wanted better for our children, but we lost the plot, most children left to their own devises will entertain themselves, but no, having been deprived in certain areas ourselves [you try eating bread and Dripping every day for your lunch] ;0) We tried to compensate by trying to give our children everything we could afford. And so have subsequent generations. So children now expect more from their parents in terms of material things.We made this rod for our backs and now reap what we have sown, of course other factor come into play here as well, slack policies by Government, to many do-gooders, no respect for authority, powers taken away from parents, teachers and Police.
Of course there will always be some people who will never conform to what I call the social niceties....But that has always been the case. And we don't and wont bear any responsibility for them.
And as for examples from high up ? Well watch this Keisler Report. Not that any examples were in.the minds of the rioters, they rioted and looted because the could !
As for the rest ! I shall ask the question again. Shouldn't we bear some of the responsibility?
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