Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

Now - admittedly no-one likes change forced on them, but don`t you think people like us (of the older persuasion) sometimes view the past through a soft-focus lens?
Yoofs and `ooligans are hardly a modern invention. The medieval apprentices rioted on a regular basis. And I can remember the Razor-gangs, and Teds with bicycle chains - long before todays Hoodies.
The 50s I remember mainly because it caused the 60s. All that `Women should know their place` guff intended to drive women out of the workplace they`d been encouraged to enter when the men went off to war. The problems with immigrants, actively encouraged to come to Britain because they were needed for the more menial, lower paid jobs. Then the resentment fanned by racists and manipulative politicians. That was the 50s. Sound familiar?
And of course all those young people becoming layabouts and taking drugs and refusing to work and having sex all over the place... not like like in our young day. Oh, hang on, though.... Wasn`t that the 60s?
I`m having a rant because TBH I`d rather be old now than in the past. Because I work with youngsters and they`re great. Because I`m getting a bit fed up with the knee-jerk moaning!
Am I alone?
Just asking.

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

you are not alone at all. There have always been scum and good kids.

The other day I gave way to a lad in school uniform and he turned and said "thank you sir" It reminded me of the standards demanded by my old House master.

And as a humble civil servant I was responsible for many training schemes-for sure there was the odd trouble maker/prat but most kids just wanted a chance.

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

Women -know your place.

A tale from a scheme I used to look after and they had a catering scheme-the kids were not the sharpest tools in the tray but they worked hard and did give the odd laugh.

I was invited to lunch one day and over heard this snippet.

Female to male--

If you try to touch my tits once more I`m going to take this knife and cut your bollocks off.

Lunch was not human offal

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

I used to work with a lady who said her husband frequently hit her kids - then one day as she was sticking up for them he turned to her and almost hit her... she looked him straight in the eye and said don't you dare go there, if you do make sure you don't sleep with me again because I will slit your throat while you sleep.

He left them shortly after that! Good riddance!

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

Azz-my tale, although true,was more about the robust banter of kids on training schemes.

Had I been that woman I would have cut his balls off and, if on jury service, acquitted her.

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

All of which reminds me of the case of Lorena Bobbit (apt name! ); it was sensational enough to possibly have made news in the UK. A precis:

In the early '90s, a young couple from Virginia was involved in a story that many people will never forget. In June 1993, 24-year-old Lorena Bobbitt became known as the woman who cut off her husband's penis with a carving knife.

On the night of the infamous assault, Lorena says her husband, John Wayne Bobbitt, came home drunk and sexually assaulted her, a charge he denied and was acquitted of.

Later that night, Lorena went into the kitchen, picked up a knife and returned to the bedroom to cut off her sleeping husband's penis. Then, she got into her car and started driving. Somewhere along the dark highway, she rolled down the window and threw his penis onto the side of the road. Hours later, a search team found the severed penis, and surgeons were able to reattach it.

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

As far as the youth of today, this quote is from the Greek poet Hesiodus in the 8th century BC:

"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words.
When I was a boy, we were taught to be discrete and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise and impatient of restraint."

It was ever thus

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

There is good and bad in everything.

I was a Teddy boy but never went around with bike chains, knuckle duster yes but we did'nt do as todays youth does.
We only fought amongst our own kind, we did not vandalise things, we did not do drugs, we respected elders but I must admit that we did play loud music plus we often helped out at a local jumble sale for the church, (probably my choir boy upbringing).

A lot of todays bad youngsters do not have any self pride and do not respect themselves never mind other people.
They think the world owes them a living and that they have a god given right to other peoples property.

There are some great kids around where we live, as proved by the Coach crash at the end of May. The kids from other school buses were the first to help out those involved in the crash.

I enjoy being older in this age as I would have missed out on some of the best advancement years in history.

Re: Rose Tinted Spectacles: a rant

I`m going to have an `old Git` moment.

When I was young we had youth clubs,we gathered around the circuit and played table tennis,netball(well the girls did) five a side football and generally chatted over a soft drink .

Of course there was the odd fight and plenty of teenage flirting/angst but it went on within a defined area. Then we either walked home or caught a bus.

One change is that everyone seemed to have a future-for me it was going to be University ,for others either the banks,retail or the brick yards,light/medium heavy engineering and even the `village idiot` would get a job with the council.

Today low/semi skilled jobs are fewer and everyone wants the latest gizmo.

A recipe for anger and frustration?