Quote: When my eight year old son received a bound diary as a gift he was mystified. "Mum, what am I supposed to do with this? The pages are blank".
"You write down interesting stuff that happens to you" I said.
"So it's like a blog.... on paper"
Bella: When I read the above quote recently in a magazine, I had to laugh. I thought it was perfectly representative of the way of life and attitude of the youth of today. Not that it's a bad thing. It's just that I can't help but feel so much has changed even in the short 15 or so years since the time I was considered a youth.
The technological advances that have occurred within the last 10 years are amazing to me but to children growing up through these times....it's just the way of life for them.
Children of today are exposed to so much more, have so many things to do and experience and it seems more things are accepted now as well. I can't help but worry sometimes and wonder if amongst all these great new advances we are forgetting to teach or instill some basic values in the youth of today??? Discipline, respect, compassion, sympathy and empathy just to name a few.
The other day I read an article in my local paper about a car accident which consisted of two vehicles. The vehicle responsible for the accident was a high performance vehicle with 5 teenagers in the car, with the driver being recently disqualified for reckless driving. The occupants in the other car were an 87 year old man and his wife. In the impact of the crash, the 87 year old man was thrown from his vehicle and lay dying on the road. Not one teenager came to his aid. They stood around and watched while other neighbours and motorists turned the car upright and helped the passengers. Shortly later, someone dropped of McDonalds to the five teenagers who then sat around and ate it! The man later died in hospital.
I was absolutely mortified while reading this story and couldn't help but think what has happened to the youth of today?? And I'm trying not to generalise here but you tend to see and hear things in our society more and more like this??
Is it just me or is anyone else worried about this generation of youth that will one day represent our country?
Frankie: It is concerning to think that the moral compass of a lot of youth today are going astray. I don't think it's acceptable to say, "they're just kids"... which happens more than often and allow these incidents to keep happening. Let them take responsibility for what they do. I was young once and I knew the difference between right and wrong.
Thursday, November 27, 2008
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5 comments:
I am with you 100%! Technology is a wonderful thing, but I do think that kids having access to information so quickly and at such young ages is dangerous. Everything is geared to desensitizing our youth recently. Look at the TV shows, movies, video games, etc., that are popular today. Even for adults - I love crime dramas. But when watching these sorts of shows even from the 90's, they were not so focused on being "edgy" and "graphic." When kids see dead bodies & bloody images fictionally on a constant basis... it does shape them.
It's not a matter of blaming the technology. Just because things are out there does not mean they are appropriate for all age groups. It's PARENTS' responsibility to monitor what their kids are watching or playing. Video games and movies - even Television shows now - have ratings for a reason.
Sorry to write a novel in your comments, this is just a topic that has been very close to me for a couple years now! I'm happy to know I'm not the only one having these thoughts!
Carrie
Hi Carrie,
Don't worry about the novel I appreciate the comment :)
Yes, I also think that at a young age it's a parents' responsibility to monitor the things their children are exposed too.
But sometimes no amount of good parenting can stop someone from doing the things they do? That's the scary thing.
Bella
As a teacher, I am concerned with the lack of respect and responsiblity that I see in children and in their parents!
I agree with everything you all have said.. and then some. However, as easy as it is to be worried for the changes and lack of "this" and "that" when it comes to a younger generation - We have to remember who's responsibility it is to teach these kids what is right and wrong.
It is ours as the adults.. but do WE know what we are even doing?
Because of the technology of the media today and the freedom of how the media is served to gain audiences, there is no shock anymore. I grew up mostly with black and white TV, but the first time I watched a movie on television in color I received a shock. It was a western and a man was shot in the back at the end of the movie and blood poured from the exit wound of the man’s chest. Seeing so much blood in color, even though it was a movie, was a shocking experience to me.
Since then, movies on TV and theaters have become even more graphic. From blood and gore to porn and filthy language. It’s all out there for kids to view, read, and listen to, because our media wants a larger audience. Movie makers has convinced our government to lower restrictions so that kids can watch this stuff. With, or without parental guidance. Now, just like the killings of kids and teachers in Jonesboro, Arkansas by two students, and other school shootings around the world, the only ones that are shocked are the victims and relatives of the victims. The shooters just seem to take it in stride, like in the movies.
I could talk about the new types music and lyrics on the markets today that are attractive to our kids. I could talk about the magazines that are freely accessible to kids also, but I believe I made my point. There’s no shock anymore!
One more thing I want to mention are the TV shows that are directed mainly toward teens and preteens. I grew up with “Leave it To Beaver,” and “Father Knows Best” and “The Andy Griffin Show.” I don’t remember too many, if any, of those kids treating their parents and teachers with disrespect or being rebellious toward them. I remember pretending to be Superman, Roy Rogers, or some other heroes. Nowadays, kids don’t pretend, they portray themselves to be like the rebellious teens they see on TV. They identify themselves with the latest trends that are most popular with kids. In the way they dress, talk, act and hardly any of them are very good examples to set for kids.
Frankie: It is concerning to think that the moral compass of a lot of youth today are going astray. I don't think it's acceptable to say, "they're just kids"...
You’re right Frankie, It shouldn’t be acceptable, so what should we do as parents, teachers and grandparents? I saw a commercial on TV yesterday, begging for money to help a certain organization to seek out and recover abused animals. Why shouldn’t we start a movement to remove bad influences that the media has on our children? There’s enough money out there to fight the TV shows, movie and music industry and all other industries that sat bad examples for our children and even adults. I’d rather watch Huckleberry Hound than The Rugrats, or Simpson’s.
Roger D Riney
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