posted on May, 17 2005 @ 05:33 PM
As a parent, I often find myself overwhelmed and concerned about the current generation of children and teens. Coming from a generation of people who
were raised with respect for others and their property and beliefs, I often find myself aghast at the level of disrespect, violence and impropriety
that we are all subjected to in the name of "creativity" and "individuality". What creative urge is being nurtured by the disrespect the younger
generation show others? What individuality or self esteem is being fostered by a generation that seeks to merely imitate th e dress and fashion of
the rock, rap or hip hop artists that they view on MTV? In an effort to make school "fun", basic educational skills are being sacrificed. At one
time, there was a theory that America was being "dumbed down" intellectually. Is this "dumbing down" also aimed at social skills such as the
acceptance of other races , nationalities, faiths and sexual orientations? Of course, these are issues that my generation (I'm in my fifties) had to
deal with. It wasn't easy, but we made great inroads. Yes, issues that were controversial were debated but, essentially, principle and tolerance
had been the norm. Is all this going out the window with the new generation?