Why is society the way it is ???

[302 XC]

Just a bit of a spin from another thread

So why is society the way it is ???

Selfish nature
Im better than you attitude
Gotta have everything now
People cant handle blame and responsibility,so blame someone else

There are many things i suppose
But how did we get this way ???
Surely not natural progression

[fmc351]

A little from column A and a little from column B, C, D and theres likely to columns E F G too

[JG34JA]

I don't honestly know.

Humility is the greatest teacher.

[Spitfire 6.2]

I don't think its anything new, people have been like this forever.

[fmc351]

Bring back the switch!

The older generation, Im talking near dead now, when they up stuffed up as kids, they didnt just get a clip over the ears or a stiff talking to, or even more trivial, the x box taken away and only left with TV, PC, DS iPod and a room full of toys. They had to go out back and cut their own switch off a tree and gave it to their parents to whack em with. And woe betide you if you if the branch you picked wasnt flexible enough. Cause now the old man is going to cut the one he likes, and you can bet its going to very flexible, rounder than the one you could have picked and will have a few more swings with it.

The point is not the belting, its the thought process, the time to understand your stuff up on the way out there to cut the branch knowing full well whats comin'. Reflection time.




Im only half serious.

[XR_6falcon]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

Just a bit of a spin from another thread

So why is society the way it is ???

Selfish nature
Im better than you attitude
Gotta have everything now
People cant handle blame and responsibility,so blame someone else

There are many things i suppose
But how did we get this way ???
Surely not natural progression

Its more progressive degridation

[TheInterceptor]

Well most people i see are as you describe, but theres others who are simply NORMAL. As in polite, curteos, willing to help, excersise common sense etc.

I reckon the kids with rotten parents have their rotteness rubbed off onto their kids, then their rotteness rub off onto other kids....ive see good people turn to the dark side. People dont seem to care anymore (here in the city at least).
Kids arent being punished, they know they can get away with anything, no one can stop them. If little jhonny is being threatened by daddy with a belt, one simple "he beats me" to the cops sends daddy off to gaol for 5 years...

Other people may be turned "bad" through a different way. Like, everytime i let sombody in infront of me. Or if sombody quickly jumps infront, i dont get a thank you wave. This s....t's me. Alot. So i wont bother letting anyone in.

Bad bad mindset....

Hmm, i don't really get where it went wrong? I have been around for 17 years only so i wouldn't know what went on beforehand. I have heard things like leaving your car unlocked and keys in the ignition, no worries, nobody will nick it. Leaving your house unlocked also...people being happy and having with a kite...things like that..

What the heck happened?

[Ford_The_Win]

I think maybe in the last 50 years, people have become more isolated from each other and the care factor has reduced somewhat, but really it's nothing new. People have always been horrible to each other. Just look at the way people were in mediaeval times - crowds would gather to watch someone be put to death, tortured, burned at the stake, punished etc, they relished it. Deep down, most people are capable of doing awful things to one another, there's a lot of psychological research that supports this.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by mick_1010

I think maybe in the last 50 years, people have become more isolated from each other and the care factor has reduced somewhat, but really it's nothing new. People have always been horrible to each other. Just look at the way people were in mediaeval times - crowds would gather to watch someone be put to death, tortured, burned at the stake, punished etc, they relished it. Deep down, most people are capable of doing awful things to one another, there's a lot of psychological research that supports this.

Thats true, but I think we have gone downwards from say last 100 or so years.

One reason could be, school used to be a luxury, people needed their older (say12 yrs) kids on the property or home, things were done by hand and required a lot more effort. Kids appreciated the need for hard work, the value of a quid etc. There was less instant entertainment, it had to be earned by hard graft and took effort. If you wanted a toy boat, you built one, or used off cuts. Nowadays, as valuable as education is, its part daycare. Parent forced, or at least encouraged to work longer hours, and thus dont have the same amount of time with the kids to teach them themselves. Its hard to see what kids are learning when you only see them a few hours a day, and part of a weekend.

Teachers knew the kids, and the parents, schools were smaller.

Note: Im not blaming kids, we were all kids, and we grow into the adults that are in question.

[74_XB_Ute]

Originally Posted by fmc351

Thats true, but I think we have gone downwards from say last 100 or so years.

One reason could be, school used to be a luxury, people needed their older (say12 yrs) kids on the property or home, things were done by hand and required a lot more effort. Kids appreciated the need for hard work, the value of a quid etc. There was less instant entertainment, it had to be earned by hard graft and took effort. If you wanted a toy boat, you built one, or used off cuts. Nowadays, as valuable as education is, its part daycare. Parent forced, or at least encouraged to work longer hours, and thus dont have the same amount of time with the kids to teach them themselves. Its hard to see what kids are learning when you only see them a few hours a day, and part of a weekend.

Couldnt have said it better myself fmc351.
Families were a tighter unit and everyone worked together to acheive common goals in generations gone by. It didnt just stop at families too but also included the surrounding community.
These days families are further spread out and we tend to build our castles (our homes) so we can entertain ourselves and have less interaction with the surrounding community.
For example....In days gone by in rural Japan...the traditional home had interwoven grass roofs that would have a useable life of around ten years. As homes were due for a roof replacement the whole community would pitch in and re-roof a families home. It would create a community spirit while the work was being done. And you helped because when it was your roofs turn for replacement the community would help. This process even happens today but not in such large numbers as modern roofing is now used.
Another example would be Italian families bottling their own tomato sauce or making wine. Even though it was for the benefit of everyone in the family it would bring a family together and cement good relations amongst the family.
Of course these are general examples and wouldnt apply to all families of that day. But its a good way to roll I reckon.

[JimNiki]

a simple example: my mate tells me that years ago, when catching a tram to the city for work, it was a pleasant process... If you're 30 seconds late and you wave to the driver, it was understood and he waited an extra few seconds for you.
Now, he tells me that the tram driver sees you running your guts off to make it and he laughs as he closes the doors and takes off just as you reach it.

I tell him it's because eg: Melbourne has grown as a city and everything is now on a much tighter scedule for things to work properly.

The tram company doesn't want to be late because they get fined.
The tram driver wants to be on time so he won't be seen upon negatively, as he has a big mortgage now and can't afford mistakes...
More and more people are pushing things to the limit to make ends meet, hence more people rushing for the tram in the first place.
All this "hard to make ends meet" lifestyle is what kills the old country atmosphere.
America and England are many years in front of us and that is what we will become one day ... guaranteed.

So what it to blame? Pressure to survive in an over populated/ over competitive world.
No-one's to blame, it's just "progress"! The benefits are cheap iphones and ps3's.

I hope they were worth it!

[GreenR]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

Gotta have everything now

My media teacher once talked about this and I found in really interesting. Basically in today's world ,and more common in the younger generation, we expect instant gratification. Which is we want it and we want it now. The advancement of technology is mainly to blame for this.

All around us everybody is trying to make things faster
-cars
-computers
-internet
-downloading movies/music
-make meals prepared (microwave meals)
-phones, text messages, facebook app, sending your friends photos etc
-fast food restaurants
-public transport
-basically any service that the public use
-the list is endless.....

It is all based around making things a quicker process so it takes less time.

Due to this ever evolving fascination in making things faster which is supposedly better ( or so we are encouraged to think) we expect it to be.

Perfect example of wanting instant gratification - was at Mcdonalds drive thru last night and they told us there would be a 2 and a half minute wait on fries. So parked in the waiting bay I was happy just to sit. However my friend next to me started complaining after about 1 minute.

[Ford_The_Win]

Originally Posted by plarazza

My media teacher once talked about this and I found in really interesting. Basically in today's world ,and more common in the younger generation, we expect instant gratification. Which is we want it and we want it now. The advancement of technology is mainly to blame for this.

Another thing that's changed in recent years is the number of options that we're presented with day-to-day as consumers. Try and pick out a tooth brush in a supermarket. Ever find the one you had before? Or some paper towel - how can I possibly choose between floral print, sea print or plain??!!! I was watching TV last night (something I rarely do these days) and that Brand Power advert came on, and the old bag was talking about gormet cat food, and how it comes in Seventeen delicious flavours! This is a perfect demonstration of what's wrong with our society. Gormet cat food. 17 flavours. Is the cat going to complain if it has to eat salmon flavour instead of liver and kidney?!!

[Mr Hardware]

I don't think society is any worse than it ever was, on the whole.

My nana (87 next month) tells the story of when she was about 2, her parents moved house. Her father was saying hello to the new next door neighbours, and the neighbour took one look at my nana and said to her father 'oh did you have to get married did you' (my nana was born over a year after they were married) - consequently her father jumped the fence and punched this guy.

1. People don't say things like that anymore
2. People don't punch people over petty stuff like that anymore either.


Society isn't better or worse, it's just different.

[Yaw]

I once heard that someone once said (or words to this affect) "If the young of today keep going the way they are I am truly worried about tommorow"

I was then asked if I knew who said that.....I figured it was someone from the last 20 years......only to get told it was Socrates


EDIT
I just found the actual quote:
"Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers."

[Franco Cozzo]

I try to be nice, go out of my way by trying to engage in conversations with people and being polite and courteous, went out of my way to help people out. All I got out of it was getting treated like ****, pushed around, backstabbed once which nearly cost me my first real job and taken for granted, used, would be a better word.

I only look out for family now, even then only certain members who I am close with.

Especially when it comes to employers and or work collegues, trust no one, its all lies and they'll backstab you at any chance possible to gain some sort of advantage.

[Mr Hardware]

"Those who criticize this generation forget who raised it"

[XB GS 351 Coupe]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

I don't think society is any worse than it ever was, on the whole.

My nana (87 next month) tells the story of when she was about 2, her parents moved house. Her father was saying hello to the new next door neighbours, and the neighbour took one look at my nana and said to her father 'oh did you have to get married did you' (my nana was born over a year after they were married) - consequently her father jumped the fence and punched this guy.

1. People don't say things like that anymore
2. People don't punch people over petty stuff like that anymore either.


Society isn't better or worse, it's just different.

These days they will just stab the neighbour instead, or kill his dog, or vandalise his car...

[sly_ba]

In short, lack of respect... for both themselves and other people.

[74_XB_Ute]

Originally Posted by XB GS 351 Coupe

These days they will just stab the neighbour instead, or kill his dog, or vandalise his car...

Yep!

Few years ago a kid was left to die on the street here in Brissy. Apparently his attackers just wanted his shoes.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

"Those who criticize this generation forget who raised it"

Not so, I recognise we are the parents of the current youth. And my generation of kids were almost equally messed up. Doesnt change the fact some are pretty messed up in what they see as their prerogative.

If we simply say its the parents fault, we raised them, then we were raised too, so its our parents fault, but they were raised too, so its their parents fault. Seems this is got a long way to go till we reach Adam and Eve, so maybe we should just be saying, "hey, youre old enough to know better." And wake up ourselves.

Originally Posted by Yaw

I once heard that someone once said (or words to this affect) "If the young of today keep going the way they are I am truly worried about tommorow"

I was then asked if I knew who said that.....I figured it was someone from the last 20 years......only to get told it was Socrates


EDIT
I just found the actual quote:
"Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers."

I wonder what happened to the ancient Greek civilisation, wonder if I could find some significant history about that? While there is a nation there and for the most part they are descendants of that earlier time, it is not the same civilisation that it was. Its is interesting to hear that disrespect and a decay of societies isnt new, it hardly says there is nothing to be concerned about. Its not so much the world will end, but somewhere our own descendants may be living in a period between civilisations, or at least a society I wouldnt wish on my worst enemy.

History repeats, and its not a good idea to miss the deeper meaning, and instead focus on a short-sighted interpretation. We could be the next dead Greek civilisation.

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by 74_XB_Ute

Couldnt have said it better myself fmc351.
Families were a tighter unit and everyone worked together to acheive common goals in generations gone by. It didnt just stop at families too but also included the surrounding community.
These days families are further spread out and we tend to build our castles (our homes) so we can entertain ourselves and have less interaction with the surrounding community.
For example....In days gone by in rural Japan...the traditional home had interwoven grass roofs that would have a useable life of around ten years. As homes were due for a roof replacement the whole community would pitch in and re-roof a families home. It would create a community spirit while the work was being done. And you helped because when it was your roofs turn for replacement the community would help. This process even happens today but not in such large numbers as modern roofing is now used.
Another example would be Italian families bottling their own tomato sauce or making wine. Even though it was for the benefit of everyone in the family it would bring a family together and cement good relations amongst the family.
Of course these are general examples and wouldnt apply to all families of that day. But its a good way to roll I reckon.

44 gal drum full of bottles layered with hessian bags.


The Chinese do similar with the terraced rice fields.

[Yellow_Festiva]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

Just a bit of a spin from another thread

So why is society the way it is ???

Selfish nature
Im better than you attitude
Gotta have everything now
People cant handle blame and responsibility,so blame someone else

There are many things i suppose
But how did we get this way ???
Surely not natural progression

Why are we the way we are??

We are human. We are imperfect beings who have been conditioned over several generations to behave in such a way through no fault of our own.

If we did not have these traits our world would be a boring place ala the boring sods in Demolition Man.

Greetings and salutations ;)

[Bent8]

Watch this vid (4 parts), should help answer some of your questions...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LL4M-HhXLs

[ST]

This has to be about thread number 5,000,000 on this subject on AFF alone. All I can say is humans are selfish, curious and overindulgent creatures. When they are given more freedom to pursue these unflattering attributes they develop them more readily and on a far larger scale.

Animals evolve to survive, when an animal evolves beyond its struggle to survive it begins to destroy itself.

In other words we are buggered.

[onfire]

Lets lock the thread and agree to blame Generation Y. Because thats were this is going to go.

[wrongwaynorris]

Originally Posted by 302 XC

Just a bit of a spin from another thread

So why is society the way it is ???

Selfish nature
Im better than you attitude
Gotta have everything now
People cant handle blame and responsibility,so blame someone else

There are many things i suppose
But how did we get this way ???
Surely not natural progression

The lunatic Left holding sway .

[GK]

A few thoughts.

People are essentially selfish. Being otherwise is a battle against this is an ongoing process that not too many parents thesedays encourage. Selfish kids without some intervention usually turn into selfish adults.

The lie of tolerance. E.g. teenagers are taught that being rude, disrespectful, lazy etc, etc are all normal due to adolescence. I say that adolescence explains such behaviour, but certainly shouldn't pardon it.

Common sense is becoming less and less common.

Society has strayed from a common morality.

GK

[glavas]

I blame the internet and mobile phones. Life was so much Easier and quite before them. All this access to information at the drop of a hat is messing with peoples heads. Being in contact no matter were you are it's more of a hassle then anything else. And kids don't even call people they message them so there losing there social skills. And why would a school kid even need a mobile phone anyway? It's not like they have clients ringing them up all day...

[Jim Goose]

Parents have become more lazy and rarey interact with their kids.
Everyone is running around like made because they so much debt and must work 24/7 to pay it off.
People overspend and MUST have the latest in TVs, computers, car, the biggest house on the block etc etc etc.... (they buy all this crap to make themselves feel happy)
The media constantly tells everyone how to act and what to buy....

Then we look at the justice system, courts, governments in general....
People know that if you do something illegally the chances of being caught is low and if you are caught, youll get a slap on the wrist.
Governments at all level lie to us and rip us off... therefor if our leaders show no restraint, we wont either.
Good enough for them, its good enough for us.