The Kidz aren't alright

[Partridge's Love Child]

<Grumbles and shakes walking stick, giving off whiff of piss and whisky at the same time.>

Me and the other half have got into the rather good habit of going to the cinema about once a week.  The irritating thing about our local flicks is that we have to make sure we arrive at least half an hour before the programme starts, because the staff there are so spectacularly hopeless that there's always a queue out of the door and they only seem to be able to serve one person every five minutes.  There's also four tills, buy yet seemingly only two open at any one time.  My girlfriend actaully gave them a pen the other week because they were sharing one between two tills, the hopeless ghets.  Anyway, this is a ranting pre-amble which is getting a little over-long.  The point of it is that on Saturday's jaunt, to see Kill Bill Volume 2, there were a bunch of kids in front of me in the queue - a bunch that swelled as more of their mates arrived and they let them in to pay.  I don't actually mind this particularly.  If you're all together, I don't see much difference between letting someone in and them giving you the money to get the tickets together.  Pisses you off at the time, but really it just makes sense.  However, this bunch then proceeded to faff about trying to get into a 12 certificate film without ID.  As someone who was a regular at the pictures at that age, I know for a fact that if you're going to see a 12 or a 15, you take ID to prevent emabarrassment.  If you have no ID to prove that you're over that age, it's because you're not.  The bird behind the counter said that she wasn't going to sell them the tickets because "you don't look 12", which was fair, because they didn't.  One of the taller boys chipped in immediately with a rather too excitable "I'm 12!", to which I heard the response "Yeah, I'm 27, now fuck off."  A quick look around to see whose mouth this had fallen out of revealed no culprits, until I realised that it had been my own.  The words had just fallen out of me like a guff from a flatulent grandparent.

Now, it has to be said that I have little time for children.  I can't really bear other people's kids, and have no desire to have any of my own.  Admittedly some friends of ours have a three year old who I think is completely adorable, but even when she's around I'm thankfully mindful of the fact that if she gets a bit stroppy or I get bored of Barbie I can take her back to the shop as it were.  Perhaps it is this dislike that breeds my contempt, perhaps I am just getting older and falling into generational/age stereotypes, but, and this is the point of the thread at last, I do find young 'uns these days incredibly rude and disrespectful.

There's a part of me that thinks I'm probably talking drivel.  I imagine that kids/youths (and that's disconcertingly non-age specific, but I'm sure the age of "youth" is increasing as my own hurtles towards and then past 30) have always been thus.  There's probably no marked difference between how we behaved as a general rule than how The Kidz are today, it's maybe just that I was a stayed and polite child, a shy ne'er do wrong who was too scared to climb scaffolding or stick two fingers up at Sir.  However, I definitely remember that when I was young, I would never dream of being rude to an adult - specifically a teacher.  Whilst I think the idea of "respect your elders" is ludicrous just for the sake of it (because if we follow that rule of thumb I should respect Jim Davidson, Joseph Stalin and Wendy Richard), I definitely think that when you're a kid you should have some semblence of  polite reverence of adults, because they've effectively served the apprenticeship of youth that you're going through now.

During my brief life as a teacher, I was chatting to a collegue who said that there was a marked difference in the behaviour of pupils over the past ten, maybe even five years or so.  Concentration is lower and there's a greater number of incidents of misbehaving in the classroom.  Is this the case?  Part of me, as I say, looks at the youth of today, and shakes my head and says that things are getting worse, but another bit of me says that I'm just being an old bastard, falling into the age-old trap of complaining about the bloody youth of today and that in my day you'd have been down 'tpit at your age ee by gum you divn't know yer born, tha nors.  I blame the internet, obviously.

[9]

i agree with you actually. I think kids todayare definitely more lairy and aggressive. I think I blame a decrease in discipline from parents/schools. Also these attitudes are a product of the culture we live in. To be fair these kids are what we have made them, and if we bombard them with garbage 24/7 then what do we expect? Time will tell if things will shake out and turn out ok, but I have a horrible feeling that this is the generation that's going to fuck up really badly.

[smoker]

yep lack of discipline due to human rights legislation and the threat of legal action, plus more time watching tv, internet and computer games. something needs to be done soon before we have a revolution on our hands

[MojoJojo]

Didn't someone a few weeks a go blame the Thatcher generation? Then had to to apologise and say it wasn't a causal relationship?

I think there is some truth in it being a causal relationship, with the death of the street communities.

Not that you can blame maggie really, it would of been pretty hard to spot these problems coming up.

There's no working class anymore either... just the underclass, with no real representation and power. When people lost the unions to give them a voice in society, they not surprisingly turned their backs on society. That's really a general decline of society thing, but you could argue that an increase in anti-social children is one of the more obvious symptons.

[hencole]

I felt rather old the other day when I was driving past two kids who were punching signs that they went past. Nothing major just petty vandalism.

'Stop it you two and get a life' I heard myself say.
'Fuck off Granddad was the response'

Anywya going back to the children disciplin thing. I am sure it is mainly down to poor parenting. The number of kids as young as 8 years old you see lurking on street corners at 11.00pm is startling. Their parents really don't seem to give a fuck at all what they are upto. This isn't a class or poverty issue either, but it seems to me that a lot of people are having kids and then remembering that they actually didn't want kids as they hadn't finished enjoying they're life yet.

[Gazeuse]

Children need to have limits imposed on them or they go a bit mental. There don't seem to be many parents around who are able and willing to say 'NO' to their kids and mean it.

[Timmay]

<monumental generalisations>

It's the Burberry wearing council estate women, with their Helly Hansen bomber jacket-wearing-blokes that I blame for the dip in discipline over the last couple of decades. While most respectable women/couples who are (more) likely to be able to bring up a well behaved and loved child are out making a career for themselves and either not having kids at all or just having them later, the peroxide blonde chavs, with their Slough Facelifts™ from the Jasmine Allen, are on their backs receiving one (or two, or three) in the name of England. Then throwing the product of their sweaty incestious love session out on the street/tracks to play with the other kids.

End result; lots of disrespectful mis-behaved little criminals now, and fewer reasonably behaved kids in the future.

</monumental generalisations>

[elderford]

On Saturday I was with a young man aged eleven who remarked that he didn't like writing with biros and would prefer to use a fountain pen.

Needless to say as I bought him one, I wiped a proud tear from my cheek.

[Partridge's Love Child]

He only wanted it because it's easier to stab pakis with than a bic biro.

[Spiteface]

I once was about to go into my local cornershop last time I was home, to get stuff, When I head some one shout to me:

"Can you get us some fags, but?"

To which I replied,simply: "no"

"Why?"

"Cause i don't want to!"

"You're fucking sick in the 'ead, I swear!"

Apparently, I'm the sick one because I won't buy cigarettes for underage kids.

Kids these days. I do think the Parents are partly at fault here. It is alarming how many kids you see out late at night. As long as they're out of their hair, some parents don't give a toss. and the language as well. I was nowhere near as bad as that, and I still feel uncomfortable swearing in front of my mother even now!

[Partridge's Love Child]

Apparently kids have a lot of problems with E numbers in food these days.  I'm no medic, and I'm too lazy to research it, so I don't know if this is a biological change in recent years - like there's a greater number of people with nut allergies than there used to be - or it it's just a case that there's more E numbers in the average child's diet now.  The latter would make some sense to me, as school canteens are now run by private companies who buy an in-school franchise.  Obviously, they sell burgers and chips.  Now that is Thatcher's fault.

Apparently our friends' three year old has to be careful not to eat too many Smarties as she goes hyper.

[hencole]

In fact that waht they need, E's. That would sort out theyr're aggresive streak and stop them falling asleep in the back of the classroom.

[elderford]

I will say that that the lad I was with and his brother and sister have to be steered well clear of the E numbers, as it makes them hyper-active and generally unstoppable.

[Hairy Chin]

PLC and the rest of you fellow pre-wrinkled wrinklies who've posted already here - I agree with you. Kids today are getting - not cheekier, bu downright fucking rude and unruly. They're pikeys-in-training. I'm only 23, and I'm fed up of these disrespectful little shits.

I see groups of them about a decade younger than me, and already you can see that some of them aren't going to grow up amounting to anything.

Undisciplined little twats.

[bresker]

I imagine the 20-30 something age group in the caveman era were saying this sort of thing about the next generation 40,000 years ago.

Kids today, eh? And aren't policeman getting younger too?

I was a very annoying sweary child and so were most of my peers.We did some nasty things. Most of us grew out of it.

I dounbt very much if we're going to suffer major social revolution because of todays loudmouthed children. By the age of 18, most people have realised that getting a job or going to uni necessatites some sort of wising-up. There's always a minority to whom this doesn't apply. Whether this number is shrinking or growing I have no idea.

[Gazeuse]

I imagine the 20-30 something age group in the caveman era were saying this sort of thing about the next generation 40,000 years ago.

I'm sure they were, but that doesn't alter the fact that lots of kids are being  bought up in a very odd way these days.

I don't remember parents saying 'please don't do that' to their misbehaving kids as they seem to these days. I'm not saying that kids need a good slap either, just the knowledge that they can only take things so far.

[hencole]

If I go shopping I now see parents bending to all demands kids make. I want that, that and that. The parents will almost always say yes. Kids hold the power over a lot of parents and its quite sad really.

[JesusAndYourBush]

I felt rather old the other day when I was driving past two kids who were punching signs that they went past. Nothing major just petty vandalism.

'Stop it you two and get a life' I heard myself say.
'Fuck off Granddad was the response'

You must have been driving VERY slowly.  On the few occasions when someone has attempted to shout something at me from a moving car all I've heard is half a syllable.

Or maybe you were on a bicycle?

[fanny splendid]

Dear Deirdre,

I think the kids nowadays are just getting worse and worse. When I walk to the shops, I have to go past some of these pikey scum, and secretly I'm scared, and not a little pissed off. When I was a kid, I didn't have a go at the bigger kids because I knew I would get hit. The kids nowadays have it easy. Why can't they respect me? I have never done anything for them, so why should they have a go at me? I feel so old.

Yours,

Worried from Milton Keynes.

[hencole]

I felt rather old the other day when I was driving past two kids who were punching signs that they went past. Nothing major just petty vandalism.

'Stop it you two and get a life' I heard myself say.
'Fuck off Granddad was the response'

You must have been driving VERY slowly.  On the few occasions when someone has attempted to shout something at me from a moving car all I've heard is half a syllable.

Or maybe you were on a bicycle?

Scooter actualy. I was filtering past traffic. Wouldn't do it in a car as they might come and start vandalising that next. On a scooter I can shout what I like and people safe in the knowledge I can speed off throught the traffic.

[Krang]

Scooter actualy. I was filtering past traffic. Wouldn't do it in a car as they might come and start vandalising that next. On a scooter I can shout what I like and people safe in the knowledge I can speed off throught the traffic.

Do you mean a moped? or a micro scooter? I cant imagine anyone listening to someone who shouts as they ride past on their micro scooter.

[Partridge's Love Child]

Do you mean a moped? or a micro scooter?

Scooter is the correct term for what I suspect Henry is referring to, ie this type of thing:



And things of exceptional beauty they are too.

A moped is actually a type of motorbike, which is more powerful than the pizza delivery boy vehicles the word seems to be used for.

Anyway, carry on, aren't kids cunts etc.

[Krang]

the 12 certificate is a bit stupid. I bet everyone of those kids had the internet, and all of them went to bed well after the watershed, for fucks sake, let them see a film with boobs in.

I got refused entry for "Shakespear in Love" but it was ok, i got to watch Mighty Joe Young, a cinematic masterpiece. I left after about 20 minutes and went to pizza hut. Still, it was better than Blair Witch 2.

[hencole]

A moped is any 2 wheeled vehicled no more than 50cc in size (often driven by the pizza people). A scooter is of the vespa variety or one of the new 'sporty style' automatic type bikes over 50cc. Mine is a 180cc sporty jobbie.



moped



Scooter



Also a scooter (same as mine)



Motorbike



Christ on a bike.

Back on topic . Kids eh? Who'd 'ave 'em.

[Partridge's Love Child]

the 12 certificate is a bit stupid. I bet everyone of those kids had the internet, and all of them went to bed well after the watershed, for fucks sake, let them see a film with boobs in.

I got refused entry for "Shakespear[e] in Love"

Lucky you.  It's a detestably tacky film.  Stoppard takes the same premise as Rosencrantz & Guildernstern Are Dead, pretends not to, then stirs in some vomit to make it a horrid and cheap version of his far superior work.

The 12 certificate is a good idea if you ask me.  The gulf between the content of a PG and a 15 is too great.  I was actually 12 when the certificate started, so I could see the likes of Batman (which I think I'm right in saying was the first 12 ever), rather than waiting another three years.

And anyway, there's loads of tits in Nuns On The Run, and that was a 12.

[Purple Tentacle]

I was actually 12 when the certificate started, so I could see the likes of Batman (which I think I'm right in saying was the first 12 ever), rather than waiting another three years.

I believe Batman is the REASON for the 12 certificate, there being a broo-ha-ha about not being able to decide what rating to give it (and millions of dollars being at stake over the decision), and so they made up a certification for themselves.


The same happened with Spider-Man, which created the 12A certificate, which weirdly I was against at first, but now it seems to make an awful lot of sense.  

Anything that stops people chopping up films just to squeeze into a "PG" rating without having the bean-counters breathing down your neck is OK by me.

[Krang]

I saw it later on video, wasnt really my sort of film anyway. I dont really go to the cinema anymore, i dont like the multiplex stuff, horrid seats and expensive.

Lord of the Rings is a PG isnt it? thats pretty extreme in places, even though its fantasy. I guess its important that kids dont see female nudity. Seeing american soliders make prisoners do a human pyramid whilst naked it ok though, thats newwwws.

[El Unicornio, mang]

I reckon if Star Wars/Indiana Jones (both PGs) films were released these days they'd have much higher ratings, whilst, oddly, films like The Godfather and Bonnie and Clyde (both 18s) would have much lower ones.

Kids though, I can't stand them, but then I hated kids when I was a kid too. Nasty, rude, cruel, insensitive little fucks they are......
I was an angel, of course...

[thatmuch]

i'm not sure about this. I grew up in the 70s and was quite a shy and polite m/c child (not now, I'm underclass now) in Cambridge, and a lot of the other kids worried and bothered me with their behaviour in pretty much the same way they do now, except I'm bigger.
I don't think it's true that parents don't discipline their children any more - the problem is that the discipline isn't consistent, the children get mixed messages and so thrash around in the moral void of tv, rap crap,
what their mates say and adults don't seem to give a shit anyway.

(Also, didn't other whores try to get into films underage in their youth? I mean I bet that's been going on since Roman times.)

[El Unicornio, mang]

I remember me and my friends, when we were about 13, trying to get in to see Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead (most likely based on the fact it had Christina "phwoooar she's got big boobs!!11" Applegate in it) and the old bag at the counter let us all in, then refused one of the other lads, who looked a LOT older than us. She goes "you look over 12 to me"..."yeah, I'm 13"..."but you don't have id?"..."no, but you said I look over 12"..."I need id"....
We gave up in the end, and it wasn't until a few years later that the reason for his rejection was probably down to the fact he was very smelly. (he was a very poor lad, lived in this awful dark little shithole full of maingy pets)