Shameful policies?

This sure has gotten mixed up in these days.

I was taught that it was shameful to take something that didn't belong to you, e.g. steal someone else's property. Today it has become shameful not to help the person use that thing that has been stolen?

Sorry, I don't get it.

Some people call me an old fart who still shows respect to some basic policies/behaviors explained to me by my parents and grandparents.
( Thou shall not steal and other goodies... )

it is indeed sad to see how some of the fundamantal behaviors are changing/disappearing and this makes me wonder what the future might look like.

I know it is a grazy world after all, but I try to teach my children some of the groundrules and be good people.

My 2 cents

Cheers
McBie

Kids these days, sheesh!

bobtomay said:

This sure has gotten mixed up in these days.

I was taught that it was shameful to take something that didn't belong to you, e.g. steal someone else's property. Today it has become shameful not to help the person use that thing that has been stolen?

Sorry, I don't get it.

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I do!

A friend, upon telling of a couple who were priced out of their business due to exorbitant rental increases, commented, "I don't know how the perpetrators can sleep at night knowing what they've done to decent, hard working people."

To which I replied, "Well, I do! They're psychopaths."

Mike.

It seems there has been a generational shift somewhere after the 60's. Apparently, nothing is WRONG anymore and being "closed-minded" is one of the worst crime a person can commit. I just don't get it either. At the very least the old standby "Do unto others as you would have done to you." would seem like a pretty basic tenet of society. I often think people are more worried about getting caught, or how far they can go and get away with something rather than what's right. With no morals, a person's really accountable to no one. Sad and dangerous if you ask me. Praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition, it's going to be a long ride.
-Dave

In my opinion, every generation says the same things about the generation before it.

Now, I will say that I have noticed that the phrase "excuse me" seems to have become dormant from the American vocabulary. I can't tell you how many times I had to introduce someone to the phrase when they shoved my pregnant wife out of their way to get a free sample at Costco. THAT is what I call shameless.

cwa107 said:

In my opinion, every generation says the same things about the generation before it.

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This is true to some extent... but this most recent generation has really upped the ante on being rude, unapologetic, crass, demanding, self-centered and having an overall unwarranted feeling of entitlement.

I've explained this all before here:

The Microwave Mentality of the Burger King Generation's Priceline/Price Match Plus Slacker Brigade

cwa107 said:

In my opinion, every generation says the same things about the generation before it.

Now, I will say that I have noticed that the phrase "excuse me" seems to have become dormant from the American vocabulary. I can't tell you how many times I had to introduce someone to the phrase when they shoved my pregnant wife out of their way to get a free sample at Costco. THAT is what I call shameless.

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Oh man.

If somebody did that to my fiance (will be wife) while she was pregnant I would be taking somebody "outside"

cwa107 said:

In my opinion, every generation says the same things about the generation before it.

Now, I will say that I have noticed that the phrase "excuse me" seems to have become dormant from the American vocabulary. I can't tell you how many times I had to introduce someone to the phrase when they shoved my pregnant wife out of their way to get a free sample at Costco. THAT is what I call shameless.

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Around here it's the retirees that seem to pull that at Costco. I've had a couple almost run over my children when they were younger (like 3) with their cart (kid was holding my hand) and then look at me like I'd transgressed. This amazed me because these same people were the ones who would have let into me like there was no tomorrow for similar things as a kid..

people are fundamentally self centered IMO, always have been and always will be. the only difference is that now it's more OK to be so, so there's less pressure to act decently.

cwa107 said:

In my opinion, every generation says the same things about the generation before it.

Now, I will say that I have noticed that the phrase "excuse me" seems to have become dormant from the American vocabulary. I can't tell you how many times I had to introduce someone to the phrase when they shoved my pregnant wife out of their way to get a free sample at Costco. THAT is what I call shameless.

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That is shameful. Because they shoved aside another human being. The pregnant part . . . . well her choice to become pregnant. Have to live with the consequences of the choices you make in life. You shouldn't shove aside anyone like that, pregnant or not.

It's just like the store in the UK I think it was, the crowd trampled and killed the store worker who opened the doors tot he shop sale of the day. It's just plain and simple human greed. And every generation has it in their own differing forms.

the8thark said:

That is shameful. Because they shoved aside another human being. The pregnant part . . . . well her choice to become pregnant. Have to live with the consequences of the choices you make in life. You shouldn't shove aside anyone like that, pregnant or not.

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You're right, but you're obviously either unaware of some of the issues pregnancy can cause physically.. or don't care. The latter being shameful in and of itself

the8thark said:

The pregnant part . . . . well her choice to become pregnant. Have to live with the consequences of the choices you make in life.

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See, that's the generational thing. Even as recently as the 70's, your surly butt would have been stomped for saying something like that. Pregnancy, advanced age and other situations were respected as institutions by society at large and we honored the institution, if not the person. Now it's hip to be flip and dismissive. Seems every day I find more reasons to move further out of the city, generate my own electricity, and leave the "civilized" world to it's own devices.

I find the "senior citizen" crowd to be just as guilty of being rude, impatient, whiny brats as the teenagers they claim to be so disrespectful and rude, and often times moreso.

In reference to DB's Price Match comment, I get that more often at my store than I care to think about. "THESE LINT TRAPS ARE $1.39? GET ME YOUR MANAGER THAT'S RIDICULOUS". And God forbid I try to explain that I don't set the prices, because the magical computer box I put money into can change that, or at least that's what they assume.

I'm not going to be the first one to say it, but I honestly could not care less that you're 65 years old. Congratulations on not dying, what do you want? A medal?

I honestly don't think it's a generational thing. I think it's a sign of the times, and everyone, regardless of age, is guilty.

Everyone in this day and age has a false sense of entitlement because of "achievements" that really mean nothing.

"I'm old. Respect me while I treat you like crap."

"I'm a minority. Your ancestors were mean to my ancestors which means you have to make up for it."

"My daddy is rich. You have to be nice to me, even though I treat you as inferior."

The list goes on and on and on.

And I say "So *blanking* what? I'm sorry, but you've climbed no obstacle here. Your hardships are unfounded. Until it's been proven that special treatment is earned, you receive no such special treatment."

If someone's a jerk, and they get cancer, I'm not going to magically stop thinking they're a jerk, because they're probably not going to actually STOP BEING A JERK.

I treat everyone the same, regardless of age, sex, religion, race, or disability. You get my respect until you've given me reason not to, and that's how it should be.

Derek McNelly said:

...you're 65 years old. Congratulations on not dying, what do you want? A medal?

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No, you ungrateful little whippersnapper... I want my AARP discount!!

...and a scooter or power-chair provided to me for no out-of-pocket-cost.

Derek McNelly said:

I treat everyone the same, regardless of age, sex, religion, race, or disability. You get my respect until you've given me reason not to, and that's how it should be.

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Quoted for truth.

Wow, tough crowd...

XJ-linux said:

Wow, tough crowd...

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I think I've just had one to many grumpy old men/women come through and assume that they're deserving of special treatment just because they're old.

I mean, I'm not saying "OH OLD PEOPLE ARE STUPID WE SHOULD HAVE LIMITS ON HOW OLD YOU CAN GET RABBLE RABBLE", because I genuinely enjoy talking with the elderly, especially when they talk about times gone by, but so many of them are bitter. I mean REALLY bitter. And they like to direct it at me because I'm still young.

The city I live in is mostly old, polish people, and whenever they come into my work, they're either extremely friendly or "BAH WHERE ARE YOUR BRILLO PADS I'M NOT PAYING THAT MUCH FOR A DANG BRILLO PAD GET ME YOUR MANAGER", without any inbetween whatsoever.

My disdain is not with the old in general, but specifically the old and demanding.

Derek McNelly said:

Everyone in this day and age has a false sense of entitlement because of "achievements" that really mean nothing.

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This is very generational. Now, I myself am only 23 and am usually, therefore, lumped in with the "gimme-gimme" generation. This is unfortunate. I was raised to work hard and with the notion that if you want something in life, go for it but do so in a way that is respectful and shows you have a will to do what it takes to get it.

A lot of the people in my generation (oh how I hate to be equated with some of these people) look for the easy way out. One of the students of the professor I TA for asked if they could pass the class with no legitimate reason as to why that would be a good decision on the professors part. People wonder why university degrees are becoming devalued to the point where a degree is nothing more than student debt and a piece of paper. Imagine what the teenager generation will be like in 20 years...

The old complain and the young rebel (not very well mind you).

XJ-linux said:

Wow, tough crowd...

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How so?
Derek said, (and I agree with him on this)

Derek McNelly said:

I treat everyone the same, regardless of age, sex, religion, race, or disability. You get my respect...

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Everyone is treated with respect, courtesy, kindess... the whole nine yards....

Derek McNelly said:

until you've given me reason not to

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...and that's how it should be.

I treat others in a fair and dignified manner, regardless of who they are.

However, respect is a two way street and you reap what you sow.
If you treat me like dirt or like I'm scum of the earth, then that is the treatment you should receive in return.

What Derek is describing is what I call the "Entitlement Gnome".
Entitlement Gnomes feel that they have somehow achieved some astral level of greatness and risen above the rest of society.
Be it their salary, job title, number of college degrees, religion, age, gender, ability/disability to do something... it could be anything... but, that thing somehow grants them copious amounts of perks, discounts, special treatment and overall entitlement that surpasses that of the lowly commoner.

Well, I'll stop myself now and step away from finger pointing at any particular group. I'm sure we all have some group(s) that ticks us off. I will agree that it does seem that society is trending towards less civility here in the USA. I'll say once again. I believe that as moral judgment moves closer to becoming a sort of anathema to members of society, and we trend towards the "anything is acceptable" mentality, we move further away from any cohesive binding principals. I'm not for legislating morality per se. I do however believe we would be better off as a whole, with some of the defining and moral based values that helped create our great nation. Rail away now, I B 10-8.

XJ-linux said:

Well, I'll stop myself now and step away from finger pointing at any particular group. I'm sure we all have some group(s) that ticks us off.

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You can go ahead and finger point. It helps make the discussion interesting.