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I think it's the Me Generation combined with a lack of respect. Of course I have said I don't care what others think - but that doesn't mean I am not respectful of others, of their place in space, of their rights to be, safe, doing their own thing.....I raised my children to call people Mr. & Mrs. No first names were allowed for adults. Adults who insisted on being called by their first names were told, by me, that it was the way they were to address adults and to please respect that. Most did, some thought I was hopelessly old fashioned. Sorry, teaching respect starts early, and with what some think are insignificant things.
The lack of respect is pervasive. I heard a great (or terrible) example of it the other day. There's a new law here in MA, first offense speeding under 18, you lose your license. Period. Then you have to take a course and pay a hefty fine. There were four young offenders in the courtroom and when they heard they were losing their licenses they went crazy, swearing at everyone, screaming, telling them all how stupid they were, how stupid it was, using words I can't put on this forum. In a courtroom! With their own parents sitting right there with them! And do you think any of those parents stopped their offspring from being complete jack*ss*s? Not a chance. That is one huge part of what's wrong today. Parents who don't parent.
Parents think they should be their kids' friends. Sorry, parents, that's not your job, it's to be a parent. If I had been in court acting up like that you'd bet your bottom dollar my father would have had plenty to say to me - but then again, I'd never do that in a court, it wouldn't even occur to me. For that matter, I've had one speeding ticket my whole life, when I was 19 and the speedo was broken on my car - it actually wasn't a ticket, but a warning. But I digress.
If one of my boys had acted like that I'd tell the judge to lock him up for awhile. But I wasn't a parent in that courtroom. I guess there really weren't any real parents there.....
I'm too tired to keep a thread going in my head. Great discussions going on in here! Night, night!