Printable View
No doubt most of us will have whinges about today's young people at some time or another, some may have direct experience of their feckless disregard for anyone and anything. So it's heartening to hear the story of L/Cpl Kylie Watson who has been awarded the Military Cross. Here is her story.
Whatever you think of the war in Afghanistan here is an example of one person's selfless courage and devotion to her collegues.
Kylie deserves enormous respect and gratitude. The Armed Forces contain more than one of Kylie's kind. They are simply the best. I worked alongside HM Forces across the world for over 30 years, and I reckon they're as good now as they were then. Which rather begs the question - what happened to the rest of society?
They joined Caithness.OrgQuote:
Originally Posted by pmcd
Sorry, but I don't understand what you mean by, "what happened to the rest of society?" Are you saying there are only good people in the armed forces, and none in society in general?Quote:
Originally Posted by pmcd
I don't think that's what pmcd meant at all. However there is a case for arguing that we should be encouraging our young people to be a little less obsessed with what society (in the broadest sense) can do for them and their worship of consumerism and celebrity.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shabbychic
Stacey Dooley's story could be an example here
I'm confident there are lots of young people in our society who do wonderful work in their communities. Young Carers particularly. But no government or national institution is going to give them the recognition they deserve since it would be an admission that the administration was not up to the job.
Shabbychic -
Of course there are many more civilised people (and indeed organisations) well represented in society. But sorry, I refuse to include those lie, cheat, steal and defraud - from government to bankers, from "customer care" centres to insurance companies, from the utility cartels to those educrats who have ruined so many childrens' education.
And, there's a lot of 'em about!
Luckily, I remain optimistic that the Man in the White Hat will always contrive to win........
I think we undersell the majority of 'yoof' today. I sometimes think that a lot of adults have a real downer on them and media don't help. I'm glad sometimes that I'm not growing up these days.
Reading through history the "youth of today" - whatever the era - were a Bad Lot and would Never Amount To Anything. Of course, many of them grew up to be Solid Citizens who would then repeat the mantra about the "youth of today", having conveniently forgotten all of their own transgressions and cock-ups. I worked for a few years quite recently with "the youth of today" at a FE college, and was delighted to watch more than a few "written off" kids getting good jobs with solid companies, having worked their hearts out......eventually!
I think what they are suggesting is that the high standards of the military have remained constant whilst the average standards elsewhere in society have dropped.Quote:
Originally Posted by Shabbychic
I do think nostalgia has a way of tinting ones views on things though.
People always seem to notice the decline in standards since "their" day.
That came out of the mouth of Hesoid in 700 B.C.Quote:
"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on the frivolous youth of today"
I agree with all of the above. The yoof of today are pretty cool. They'll surprise you every time.
But I wonder if young Kylie saw any irony in being sent to risk her life to save that of someone who'd probably have stopped her getting educated, had she been a native.
Since time immemorial the previous/current generation has complained about the current/next generation. I'm not saying that in some situation there isn't a slight decline, but its gets blown out of proportion. Here's some more quotes from history:
Socrates, 4th Century BCE:
Plato, 4th Century BCE:Quote:
The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in places of exercise. Children are tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties [food] at the table, cross their legs and tyrannise their teachers
Seneca, 1st Century CE:Quote:
What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?
Lots, lots more.Quote:
Our young men have grown slothful. There is not a single honourable occupation for which they will toil night and day. They sing and dance and grow effeminate and curl their hair and learn womanish tricks of speech; They are as languid as women and deck themselves out with unbecoming ornaments. Without strength, without energy, they add nothing during life to the gifts with which they were born - then they complain of their lot