The Darkness is Rising
Isn’t it strange that when I was a kid, parents smacked their children, policemen would belt you round the ear if you stepped out of line or back-chatted them, teachers would take the belt or the cane to you if you didn’t behave and yet the levels of violence in society, the real nasties, were few and far between?
Today it is non-PC to smack, the police are virtually powerless to deal with under 18’s, teachers wouldn’t dare lay a finger on a pupil and yet the levels of violence in society, the real nasties, are spiralling out of control.
In my day a “gang fight” involved fists and possibly the odd stick picked up on the way. Today it’s machetes and firearms.
In my day anyone dealing drugs was hated, beaten and driven from the location. Not by the police, but by the locals. Their potential customers.
So what went wrong?
Just my opinion, you understand, but I think we did. Us and our parents.
We looked at how things were run and we said “No don’t hit the poor little soul”. They said “you mustn’t punish the poor little soul. Look at his upbringing. It’s not his fault”.
Garbage! He did it. It’s his fault.
Consequences are what kept my world as a child a fairly safe one.
Today there are very few consequences for actions.
That, in my opinion is the reason the violence in society spirals out of control.
No consequences in early life lead to a belief that there will never be any.
Can we change this? Yes, but not with the namby pamby politicians we have in power.
So in conclusion, I despair of any improvement and am, for once, glad that I probably won’t be here for the final act. When it all goes to chit and chaos reigns.
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Couldn’t agree with you more way. Good Post, thank you
I entirely agree with you Way – the worst thing to happen to mankind was the pediatrician Dr. Benjamin Spock who advocated permissiveness when bringing up children. He coined phrases that still make my teeth itch like “Give them room to grow,” and “Let them find their own way.” What a load of cobblers.
I don’t advocate beating the crap out of children. But a good smack across a well padded bottom when said child is misbehaving, or is being disrespectful, never harmed anyone. There is a fine line between child abuse and discipline, and unfortunately this line has been obliterated by society, and yes, it results in chaos and anarchy.
I too am glad I won’t be around when we slide into the pit to which we are heading. I feel desperately sorry for policemen whose hands are tied, and even sorrier for parents who have no means of disciplining a child or instilling values, rules and responsibility for their actions in them.
I think the media depicts whats right and wrong today, as opposed to the family, and they go too far, glamorizing kids who are rude and obnoxious to their parents and society. Also, there seems to be no line between right and wrong – everything goes. I do believe there still are a lot of good kids out there. I can remember growing up hearing older people say the same thing about our generation.
I agree entirely also Way – underage kids know that no-one can touch them and they run rampant. We read in the newspapers and see it on TV that juveniles have been arrested for break and enter, vandalism, etc, but they get a reprimand and are at it again in no time. They should be named and shamed, and made responsible for their actions. A policeman in a country town (a father of 6) was fatally shot when pulling over a car yesterday. How do we stop the guns????? I am also glad that I wont be around to see the darkness that is arising.
I agree with you Way. A slap never did us any harm. There is a difference between a short sharp slap round the butt and the out and out violence some people infer on their kids. The latter are the ones the law should be looking at and leave the ordinary, law abiding, caring parents alone to raise their kids with the discipline they determine to be suitable. These kids who are living in this permissive society now will one day run our countries….. heaven help everyone living at that time and I hope Im not around to see it. My own children are raising their children in the same way I raised them….punishment when it is deserved and if nessessary a barehanded slap around the butt or thigh and if touching something they have been continually taught not to touch (electrical outlets for example) its a slap on the hand. After all, as parents or carers, we are responsible for their safety and well being, yet the law takes a very dim view on doing even this. If children are maimed or killed, or even maim and kill others, the finger is pointed at the parents and carers amid murmers of “they didnt bring their kids up with enough discipline” or “where were the parents when these youngsters were out committing crimes.” Most parents in this case would be at home wondering what more they could do to stop these young people from just doing as they wish because there were no consequences for their actions….well none that would leave a lasting impression anyway because they go out and do it all over again.
Well said, Waylander, you’re right and society is in a bad way. Every day there are horrific storiies in the media and it’s becoming quite frightening. Teaching changed over the years-once when you rang parents and told them of a problem-their child was in trouble, no homework, whatever, they were eager to support school. Things changed, and now the parental reaction is ‘That’s your problem. Sort it!’
I must admit, as a young teacher I saw the cane used by sometimes sadistic teachers and felt I could never hurt a kid like that. I never caned,but I admit that society has gone badly wrong-but what can we do about it?