Call me a old man but I just don't get kids these days, or AKA the dead dog incident.

[Murgatroy]

I am certain that every generation looks at a few generations down the road and say similar, "Would you look at them kids with their hair slicked back, and their loud rock and roll music racing their V8s up and down the road, it is a shame, back in my day we only had a horse and buggy, and you were home by dark..."[/quote]




Not sure where you were in the 70's but I was 15 in 1975 and NEVER saw anything close to what is out there now. The malls where I lived were not a place to go and hang out. I NEVER saw someone with purple spiked hair and black makup on. Sorry not buying that this has been going on since the 70's.

Mid Seventies.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_subculture

 

I understand that here in the south we stay a few years behind, but that is no reason to stick our heads in the sand.

 

 

 

 

For the record, I am a tattooed, pierced, educated, white collar, middle management redneck. I sit in an office all day dictating the days of several hundred folks all while saving my company hundreds of thousand dollars. I come home to my wife, my daughter, my dog and my cat. I listen to loud thrash metal at high volumes in my Mustang as I cruise along at 65MPH down the interstate using my indicators on my 70+ mile a day commute. I take my daughter to the shooting range, we are currently working on bringing her groups together at 100yds. In the spring and fall she is a member of the local soccer league, her team was undefeated last season. I didn't miss a game. She is a straight A student in the gifted program and reads a book a day. She wants to be a veterinarian or a writer. She is undecided.

 

My mother was a drug addict, my father was a deadbeat. They both came from strict military families and were raised in the 50s. My father was a Naval Officer and I have seen him twice since I was six years old. My mother beat me on a daily basis until I was removed from the home and placed in the foster system in my teens. I am the oldest of six. Two are in prison, one is dead for all I know and the other two are living a typical white trash life of government assistance.

 

When I was a wee lad I wore my hair in spikes, dyed all sorts of colors, I had more than a pound of metal in my 36 separate piercings, 30 of which were in my face.

 

To this day I have a sleeve, neck tattoos and 3/4" of an inch bone plugs in my ears.

 

Ask anyone that knows me in person, I am a hell of an American, and a Man.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I guess what I am saying is: Be careful with those stereotypes, and don't judge a book by it's cover. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As for the OPs story, yeah, that crap sucks, it is a shame that it happens, but it can happen in the suburbs, the cities, to the white families, to the black families, and it has been happening since the begging of time. It is shame when it happens. However, because of the speed of the trade of information, it appears that it happens more today than it ever has before. It doesn't. We just hear about it more. When a mouse farts and a blogger posts a detailed run down of it on a blog halfway across the world that gets picked up by Reuters and broadcast all over the world via Facebook and Twitter, suddenly the Rampant Mouse Fart Epidemic of 2014 will cause Global Warming to kill a kitten an hour until the icebergs kill us all.

 

 

 

I would have told the kid's parents how their dog died.

[45guy]

Mid Seventies.
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punk_subculture
 
I understand that here in the south we stay a few years behind, but that is no reason to stick our heads in the sand.
 
 
 
 
For the record, I am a tattooed, pierced, educated, white collar, middle management redneck. I sit in an office all day dictating the days of several hundred folks all while saving my company hundreds of thousand dollars. I come home to my wife, my daughter, my dog and my cat. I listen to loud thrash metal at high volumes in my Mustang as I cruise along at 65MPH down the interstate using my indicators on my 70+ mile a day commute. I take my daughter to the shooting range, we are currently working on bringing her groups together at 100yds. In the spring and fall she is a member of the local soccer league, her team was undefeated last season. I didn't miss a game. She is a straight A student in the gifted program and reads a book a day. She wants to be a veterinarian or a writer. She is undecided.
 
My mother was a drug addict, my father was a deadbeat. They both came from strict military families and were raised in the 50s. My father was a Naval Officer and I have seen him twice since I was six years old. My mother beat me on a daily basis until I was removed from the home and placed in the foster system in my teens. I am the oldest of six. Two are in prison, one is dead for all I know and the other two are living a typical white trash life of government assistance.
 
When I was a wee lad I wore my hair in spikes, dyed all sorts of colors, I had more than a pound of metal in my 36 separate piercings, 30 of which were in my face.
 
To this day I have a sleeve, neck tattoos and 3/4" of an inch bone plugs in my ears.
 
Ask anyone that knows me in person, I am a hell of an American, and a Man.
 
 
 
 
 
 
I guess what I am saying is: Be careful with those stereotypes, and don't judge a book by it's cover. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
As for the OPs story, yeah, that crap sucks, it is a shame that it happens, but it can happen in the suburbs, the cities, to the white families, to the black families, and it has been happening since the begging of time. It is shame when it happens. However, because of the speed of the trade of information, it appears that it happens more today than it ever has before. It doesn't. We just hear about it more. When a mouse farts and a blogger posts a detailed run down of it on a blog halfway across the world that gets picked up by Reuters and broadcast all over the world via Facebook and Twitter, suddenly the Rampant Mouse Fart Epidemic of 2014 will cause Global Warming to kill a kitten an hour until the icebergs kill us all.
 
 
 
I would have told the kid's parents how their dog died.

I did not live in the south when I was a teenager. I guess we all assume stereotypes. It may have started in the 70's but it sure was not as popular as it now.

I wonder if you had a different home life if you would have wanted to mutilate your body the way you do/did. We all have challenges in life. My home life growing up was far from what I consider normal. We can allow our past to drag us down or we can us it as motivation to make sure the abuse does not get passed on to our children. It is good to hear about the relationship with your daughter.

[Murgatroy]

I did not live in the south when I was a teenager. I guess we all assume stereotypes. It may have started in the 70's but it sure was not as popular as it now.

I wonder if you had a different home life if you would have wanted to mutilate your body the way you do/did. We all have challenges in life. My home life growing up was far from what I consider normal. We can allow our past to drag us down or we can us it as motivation to make sure the abuse does not get passed on to our children. It is good to hear about the relationship with your daughter.

Tattooing and piercing has been around for over a millennium, I find it a way of celebrating my individuality, not a form of mutilation.There are a multitude of beliefs and ideals behind body modifications, but very few voluntary modifications are considered mutilations in any culture. To be considered mutilation it is usually a mark done by someone else to represent a shame. 

 

But again, we are all entitled to our own opinions, no matter how baseless and ignorant they are.

 

As for how I was raised, I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. It made me who I am, I know how I got here, I know why I feel the way I feel and I know why I make the choices I make. I like who I am, and I am pleased with the life I lead. 

 

 

 

The point that I am making is that it is dangerous to judge a person, much less an entire generation on a brief cut clip of a single moment. You might be seeing a person at their best, or their worst.

[tnguy]

It started in the late 70s early 80s in Tampa with the Rocky Horror picture show crap.  They would be in the mall waiting for it to start and it played every weekend.  Not as widespread, but those people looked like freaks and acted like freaks.

 

It's not easy having a good time...

[RC3]

I had someone steal my dashund and throw him out of their car a few miles from my house. He has a scar on his head and a massive one along his side that required stitches and months of care. He still walks with a limp and is very hostile to other people. I know it was someone from the neighborhood since there is not way he can open a gate with two locks. I cant wait to find out who and make their life extremely unpleasant. 

 

I boil inside every time I look at that scar. 

[MattCary]

It's not easy having a good time...

 

Try Six Flags.

[tnguy]

Even the Magic Mountain Roller Coaster makes my face ache.

[NRA]

As a whole does anyone think this "new" generation could pull off what my grandparents did?  The great depression and WW2?  ................. I doubt it.

[sigmtnman]

As a whole does anyone think this "new" generation could pull off what my grandparents did?  The great depression and WW2?  ................. I doubt it.

 

The emos have the depression part down. 

[TrickyNicky]

The emos have the depression part down.

:rofl:

I don't know, I'm sure there were a lot of stupid weak people who didn't make it out of the depression and a host of good men that didn't make it back from the war. I think this generation could pull through, but its numbers would of course be greatly reduced.

[45guy]

 
 
 
The point that I am making is that it is dangerous to judge a person, much less an entire generation on a brief cut clip of a single moment. You might be seeing a person at their best, or their worst.[/quote]



I never said I was judging someone by a brief clip. More like years of seeing a steady downward spiral. Can't really see how body piercings and such is a form of expression but it's your body can do what you want with it. Glad we still live in a country that we are free to do such things.

[broox]

I read somewhere that "There is nothing new under the sun."  I believe that.  I do not think today is way worse or way better than 50-100 years ago.  I bet 50 years ago, many people saw the hippies and the drugs and the free love and thought "This is the end of the world/America/civilized society/whatever."  There have always been heartless humans who would hurt their animals/children/other people. 

[Dennis1209]

It's a sad state of affairs indeed. Study after secular study confirm people who neglect / abuse animals sooner rather than later progress on to humans.

 

I'm no expert by any means but, I believe children have become desensitized and hardened to compassion and humanity from all the violent music, television, video games, and society in general. It can all be traced back (IMHO) to Federal Government intervention.

 

Our government and society declaring war on God and removing him from our schools, government, currency, etc. in the name of equal rights and not offending anyone but the Christians? I'm not going to rant on but, it's very clear to me how we got here and where we have arrived and where we are going.

 

Our founding documents expressed these truths to be self evident, and we have trashed our Constitution and decided we are our own gods.

 

I pray our nation does a 180 and is healed.

Edited February 27, 2014 by Dennis1209

[Murgatroy]

 
 
I never said I was judging someone by a brief clip. More like years of seeing a steady downward spiral. Can't really see how body piercings and such is a form of expression but it's your body can do what you want with it. Glad we still live in a country that we are free to do such things.

How is it not?

 

It is no different than choosing a color for your car, or what you wear. 

 

I understand that a lot of folks like to blend in with everyone else. I see the mentality of that. The comfort of sameness, the fear of being different. It is the same reason that left handed children were beat until they learned to do things the way the right handed kids did.

 

I am left handed. Maybe that is part of it, but I don't think it is. I think there are a distinct percentage of society that likes to march to the beat of their own drum. I am one of them.

 

I also think that it is a clear path of a leader, versus a follower.

 

It is easier to follow a leader if they look different from everyone else. 

 

 

 

I am not trying to attack you, I am trying to help you see a different point of view. We can all believe different, but true diversity comes from understanding. 

[Erik88]

Hell, I'm 25 and even I don't understand people my age. 

 

I was in Market Square(downtown Knoxville) today and had to shake my head at all the youth that walked by. I'm not even sure what "style" to call it. Granted this is one of the most yuppie places in east TN but it was still much worse than I remember. It looked like every kid there was planning to audition as back up singers for Justin Bieber. That's the only way I can describe it.

 

I don't think I passed a single person who has touched a hammer or screwdriver in their life. 

[NRA]

unfortunately some of todays youth look like they went bobbing for apples in a tackle box :shrug:

[BigK]

Sure this generation has some issues, but I grew up with some scumbags too and that was way longer ago than I care to admit. Maybe they didn't dress as strange as some kids do today, but they weren't any less cruel. At least that's how I remember it.

[Mike.357]

this thread smacks of crap the old man said back in the 60's

[TrickyNicky]

this thread smacks of crap the old man said back in the 60's

Yeah, really not an age related issue so much as one of morals. I've seen plenty of people of all ages and walks with no morals.

[45guy]

How is it not?
 
It is no different than choosing a color for your car, or what you wear. 
 
I understand that a lot of folks like to blend in with everyone else. I see the mentality of that. The comfort of sameness, the fear of being different. It is the same reason that left handed children were beat until they learned to do things the way the right handed kids did.
 
I am left handed. Maybe that is part of it, but I don't think it is. I think there are a distinct percentage of society that likes to march to the beat of their own drum. I am one of them.
 
I also think that it is a clear path of a leader, versus a follower.
 
It is easier to follow a leader if they look different from everyone else. 
 
 
 
I am not trying to attack you, I am trying to help you see a different point of view. We can all believe different, but true diversity comes from understanding.

I do not feel attacked. I do not choose a car based on its color, I could care less. For some reason when I pick out my clothes it does not occur to me what statement I am making or a desire to express myself. It is usually based on weather and what I am doing for the day. If you asked those that I do business with they would tell you that I run my business how I see fit, I have been called a rebel by some. If you think looking different is an advantage you are seriously mistaken. If you are successful it is because of what you do not because you look different.

If one follows someone in part or because they look different I would say they are following for the wrong reason. If one thinks because they look different they are leadership material I wonder why you do not see any Fortune 500 CEO's with body piercing and spiked hear. No need to try and rationalize your look. You have every right to look however you want and I have the right to think some look like a freak show.

I think children that are born left handed and someone choosing to have a certain look are two completely different things, unless you were born with all those body modifications.

[Mike.357]

I know what you are saying Nicky.  It all just reminds me of "turn that garbage down!"

 

Not to belittle the topic

[TMF]

I'm no expert by any means but, I believe children have become desensitized and hardened to compassion and humanity from all the violent music, television, video games, and society in general. It can all be traced back (IMHO) to Federal Government intervention.

If it makes you feel any better, I've seen kids in places where they don't have access to violent music/TV/video games and they were more evil in their actions than any kid I've ever seen in the states; far worse than this story here.

It may be hard to think back, but boys between the ages of 10-14 are some of the evilest little things out there. They are at an age where they're being hit with hormones that are out if control while trying to fit in to a social construct resembling a pack of wild chimpanzees, and their ability for empathy isn't quite developed. Really, if you want to see the true nature of what humans used to be before society was established, observe a group of boys that age who aren't being supervised. It is nothing new.

The key here is having good parents who teach their kids right and wrong so they will make better choices. But peer pressure is a mofo. It ain't easy for a kid that age to overcome that and I think we forget what that was like.




Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Symbolic]

Our values as a society have changed. They continuously change each day but we don't see it until we look at the big picture. It seems that somewhere along my generation and later ones, the ability to take a step back and actually see the forest through the trees is no longer desired or understood. It's almost completely about the here and now for my generation and the current American youth. It's disheartening. TMF is correct, though. Parents are responsible for bringing their kids up right.

 

I'm a few years away from 30 and I see a decline in the traditional values my parents instilled in me among my younger coworkers and colleagues. Some conversations at work just stop me in my tracks. People care about superficial matters, it's no wonder our country is in such social decline (my opinion). Hollywood and hip-hop role models have very little to nothing to teach our youth.

 

A couple of days ago, I saw an article about a poem that's making its rounds through social media. Maybe some of you have seen it, but I'm going to copy and paste it here because I kinda like it. It's by a 14 year old boy and it's about his generation.

 

Our generation will be known for nothing.

Nobody will ever say,

We were the peak of mankind.

That is wrong. The truth is

Our generation was a failure.

Thinking that

We actually succeeded

Is a waste. And we know

Living only for money and power

Is the way to go.

Being loving, respectful, and kind

Is a dumb thing to do.

Forgetting about that time,

Won't be easy, but we will try.

Changing our world for the better

Is something we never did.

Giving up

Was how we handled our problems.

Working hard

Was a joke

We knew that

People thought we couldn't come back

That might be true,

Unless we turn things around

(Now read from bottom to top)

Edited March 8, 2014 by Symbolic

[Dirtshooter]

I am an old fart and right proud of that fact. I like my 60's & 70's rock. I can relate to a lot of what has been said, bout them long haired hippies and such. But when you go to town and half of the population is still in their PJ's it kinda makes you wonder??? Symbolic you are right I work with a 30 something, he is a good guy, but I promise you he doesn't "care" about the job like the rest of us. Pride in your country, pride in your work, people used to sign their work as they were proud of what they had made, pride in your family and how you look does mean something. Hey if you want a tattoo or 20 that is cool, if you want metal stuck everywhere that is cool. I have been thinking about a hairdo and tattoo's like Ragnor on the Vikings. I guarantee you most folks will leave you alone if you look like him. Peace!!

[sigmtnman]

I know what you are saying Nicky.  It all just reminds me of "turn that garbage down!"

 

Not to belittle the topic

 

Well the crap they call music these days is garbage.  :ugh: