I have heard the lament of many an adult about the state of young america today
and what end they may be coming to.  A certain person with whom some of you may
be familiar seems merely content on pointing out how screwed up the younger
counterparts of our generation seems to be, but doesn't seem to want to talk
about (or waves away) the reasons for the current turn of events. What are 
your thoughts on the state of young america today?  No issue is too touchy to
talk about as far as I'm concerened. . .so let's have at it!

127 responses total.

Well, being a part of young america I am honored to speak to this topic.  
However, I cannot seem to think of anything wonderful to say.  Well, how
about this:  I seem to hear a lot about how kids these days are immorel and
don't have values(oops, immoral, not immorel).  Well, I think that we do have
values and morals, just not necessarily the same ones that people used to have.
 For instance,  in the past, when guys would ask girls out, they were expecting
a date.  Then, after a few or more dates, they would ask to go steady.  It was
only at that poinrt that they expected monogamy and a commitment.  (at least,
this is the idea that i get  from tv and movies and nancy drew etc.) Nowadays,
it seems that asking soemone to go out with oyu means that there is an
automatic commitment and stuff.  What happened to the freedom to date as many
or as few people as we anted?  Well, we now ask  people if they want to see a
movie, but don't call it a date.  We go and hang out with groups of friends,
but don't look at them as prospective mates (well sometimes, maybe). Okay this
is getting pretty long, but I do think that this is an important topic, but
maybe that's just 'cause I'm involved.

when something effects you, it usually is makes you very interested in it
but the problems i see are that the wrong morals are being instilled in the
new generation.  wrong as in that there is no personal responsibility
no idea of just doing something 'cause it is right
<sigh>

Actually I see it as at times parents don't even sit and talk with their kids
about certain issues. If they just let them get it from anywhere, kids are
presented all sides of an issue. The less one discusses things with their kids,
the more apt kids are to find out about it either the hard way, or simply make
uninformed decisions.

well, i missed half of that, due to lack of word-wrap.

but here's my thing...parents seem to forget what they did when they were 
children...they had all the natural impulses that we do now!

Aye to #3.  My parents don't talk to me about anything important.  I can 
remember when my mother said to me "If you have any questions aobut anything, 
I'm here."  Yeah, i'll really go and talk to her, sure, uh-huh.  I don't
remember where I learned about sex etc.  It sure wasn't from Health class.

chuckle
what about dr. hacker?

Well she is very interesting, but most of what she says, I managed to at least
think of on my own or already knew form somewhere else.  Except for the
nutritional value of semen.

Nutritional value...........uhhhh.....okay........right.......:)?

yes, the exact fat, calorie, and protien count.

I't tastes like salt so I've heard.

hmmmmmm
<phenix wonders>
last i heard there was no NaCl in it.
mostly protien, sugars (mainly fruktose[no, i am not makeing the name up] and
glucose).

It does not taste like table salt.  However, some guys' taste slightly salty.
I believe it depends on one's diet.  i suppose if one drank enough alcohol,
someone could get a buzz off of it.  Umm, perhaps this conversation is an
indication of how far society is going now...Hmmmmmmm.

in witch direction

It actually does depend on the diet. It can taste salty though. But adanis's
right  er right, it doesn't have table salt in it.

phenix:  Actually, you *did* make the name "fruktose" up--the actual
spelling is "fructose."  ;)  Sorry, my dictionary tendencies are 
reasserting themselves!  
Does anyone else find it mildly amusing/disturbing that this item
started off as a conversation about youth in America and almost
immediately began on the nutritional value of semen?
Btw, I think most strongly ionic compounds would tend to have a salty
taste...just my two cents!

yes, ionic componds are usually salts.......
and can i halp the kind of useless knowledge in my brain.....

KNow actually, talking about sex in a humorous way is a way of relieving
tention. It's a lot better than being afraid to talk about it. And not talking
about it is what gets kids in trouble.

the problem is, that so many kids don't know exactly what it is that gets 
them in trouble with sex.  and parents these days don't know, either, and
are afraid to tel them, or sit down with their kids at all!

Re 17: Doesn't not talking about  (to children) cause children in
the first place? Not to mention all the freaks out there.
Waiting, brooding, watching eager for a cheap thrill (people in general
can't be taken for discrete for there are way too many that
are the reason for mistrust. It's better to play it the save way,
instead of bouncing your head into walls everytime).

Umm. . .that's what I said, Rick.  If one doesn't talk about sex at all,
whethewhether in a humorous manner or no, it will remain taboo. Humans
naturally love doing stuff do demystify things.  If sex were talked about, we
would be more comfortable talking about something that was perfectly natural to
engage in before society became burdened down with organized religion shell I
go on with this explaniation, or does everyone understand where I'm goigoing
with this?

i think the victorian era also may have had something to do with it as well

There are a lot of puritanical aspect left in our lifestyles in this country
but we are learning what of our taboos do not really need to be taboo. I 
personally see many of the social codes that exist in these times to be
cumbersome and annoying.  That may be why I might be percieved as I am...
but I don't exactly know how I am percieved.  Perhaps someone can enlighten
me?  Greg? 

you are percived as a slightly strange, thougholy unique, and compleatley 
gorgous.
plus your nice and sweet.
<hugs>
i do not see why people would have a problem with you.
personally, i think women who know what they want a turn on.

i think that most of the social codes that exist now-a-days are highly
hypocritical.  i really don't know of many people that can follow all the
moral codes that we are supposed to follow...people saying "no sex before
marrige" are all fine and good, but how many people these days can actually say
that they followed that addage?i think that i'm going to finish my tirade when
there aren't quite so many people messaging me all at once....:)

meg is getting massages?? no fair:(

i wish i was getting massages!!!  no, messsages!!!!  (pout!)

well, tireade continues:  there seems to be a serious double-standerd...
parents tell us what is proper, when they most likely never followed that in 
their own lives.  (i've seen my father yelling at my brother not to lean
on the counter while leaning on the counter...a minor example, but none-the
less..)  also, we are not supposed to smoke, which is why all the cool people
on t.v. smoke, and drink, etc.  we are not supposed to have wild sex with
everybody we meet, which is why soap-opera's were invented.  the herro's of
today's children are all out doing drugs and beating and killing people.

WHY THE HELL CA N'T ALL THESE PEOPLE SEE SOMEBODY ELSE'S NEEDS BEFORE
THEIR OWN GODDAMN WANTS?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?

I would like to give oyu what it is you need.  What is it?

yha, what?
/

stable emotions would be nice...

but what i'm trying to say, is that the role-modles of today's children
are horrible!  it's al fine and good for parents to teach their children
things, but it's not going to do much good if they spend their time watching
t.v., which tells them about how all of their favorite people are smoking,
drinking, having wild sex indiscrimately, doing drugs, killing people, and just
plain old being obnoxious, JUST BECAUSE THEY ARE RICH AND FAMOUS AND THEY CAN
FEEL THAT THEY CAN GET AWAY WITH IT!!!!  if o.j. had been anybody else, the
trial would have beeen over by now, and sure, there would be some mention of it
in the local papers, and myabe some in the not-so-local papers, but it wouldn't
be on t.v. and corrupting our kids!!!!!!!!!!!
        not only that, but how many parents have sat down and actually talked
to their kids these days?  so far, i've had to give "this is sex" lecture to 
two people so far, and both were before i turned 19!!!!!  why in hell 
couldn't somebody else have given them these lectures?  somebody like their
parents?  i once had a couple of kids that i was babysitting for tell me to\
"get my dirty deester out of the house"  (for those of you who don't recognize
the line, it's from home alone...a movie that the kids had seen many times... i
think that was the first time i actually told the parents just what their kids
had been up top.....)(eerr...it's supposed to be keester)  anyway,  the point
is, that they were young and impressionable, and since their parents had
allowed them to watch home alone SEVERAL TIMES A DAY, they  started to pick upo
ummm...interesting things....one of them (they were from two sepperate
families) one day wanted to watch terminatorr, which was on t.v...i explained
that he was just a bit too young (first grade!).  he promptly explained that he
had already seen it several times.
        gods, i love parents who train their childeren right.
        and they wonder what's wrong with society today?

(set pissy lecturing mood=off

well, i could not have said it better my self meg.

Who defines what 'raising children right'? is?  I don't think tv is evil,
I really don't.  I admit that I watched a lot of tv as a child, and that
I still do watch a fair ammount of tv- I don't think I'm a bad person...
Are my values twisted?  I admit that tv is an influence, but with parents
who care, and pay attention to their children it isn't the largest 
influence.  I don't agree with parents who always use the tv as a
'babysitter' of sorts.  TV is not evil, it can be harmful if that's all
the child is exposed to, but it isn't the only thing there.  School is
also a major influence.  I know that I learned a lot of the stuff
that's similar to the "Home Alone" stuff from school mates.  
I agree that our society has many problems, but let's NOT blame tv for
it.  Okay?  Thanks

yha, blame your parents.......
sorry, song i know.
but it really is the parents fault for not supervising the kiddies

When parents decide to have children, they have decided to take responsibility
for one or more lives and their development.  If they fick it up, it is
everyone else's responsibility to try to correct their errors.  And if I type
i's instead of u's it is  my own buisness.  Umm...I mean that when I babysit,
if the kids are doing something that i think is immoral, then i have the right
and responsibility to tell them to stop buggering the dog.  At least while I am
in the house.  If kids are swearing their  mouths off and we are around to
listen, we can explain to them that it is impolite.  i have worked enough with
kids to have a few that have latched onto me as a sort of mentor or "cool"
older person.  That means that what i say has sway with them.  They listen to
what i say and watch what I do.  That gives me the responsibility to be a good
person when i am around them and set an exampole.  In hebrew, that's called
"dugma".Setting a good example.

i'm not saying that you are a bad person for watching t.v, anne.  i just
think that more parents need to keep their children from watching
soem of the things that they put on t..v.  also, the movie ratings
are MUCH different then they used to be.  today's p.g. movies are borderline
late 10's movies r.  it's pathetic. and now the kids are ALLOWED to watch
the rated r!  it's not so much the fault of t.v. (they are giving us what
we, the society, wnats) but of the parents that don't just simply]
moniter what their kids are watching.  i will also admidt that alto of it
is based on each individual child.

Yes, that is why kids need a lot of atteniton, 'cause each one of thenm is
differ3nt.

yha, i watched a TON of tv, and look how i truned out....:)

yeah...you can't spell to save your life!  :)
i really never watched much t.v., but that's mostly becaus3e
there was never anything on that i wanted to watcvh.

hey, spelling has nothing to do with that!

i know...i just have to tease you about it whenevr i get the chance!@  :)

- Backtalk version 1.3.30 - Copyright 1996-2006, Jan Wolter and Steve Weiss