It never used to happen in my day....

[jackthehat]

What is the world coming to?

When I was younger, the senior citizens knew how to behave themselves.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2243575/Pensioner-launched-shocking-harassment-campaign-Army-sergeant-major-neighbour-young-family-football-landed-garden.html

I wonder to what we can attribute the decline in behavioural standards witnessed today?

[ChuckFickens]

That's disgusting, especially against a brave member of our forces.

[chaptazbru]

Nasty old biddy. It would have been so much nicer to get on with the young family and make friends of them - some people are just weird !!!

[anotheoldgit]

On the face of it she is a bitter twisted old woman, who is in need of some mental treatment.

But so far we have only heard one side of the case, so lets see the full fact come out.

/// The trial, which was adjourned to December 18, continues. ///

[emmie]

it did in mine, my Gran was a right old tartar.

[emmie]

sounds like she needs some help..

[anotheoldgit]

It is just the times we live in these days.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2243567/Horrific-pictures-gruesome-injuries-sustained-vulnerable-man-bullied-tortured-humiliated-bigoted-couple-special-needs.html

[emmie]

no it isn't the times we live in, it's bstard people, no matter the era.

[jackthehat]

Certainly seems to be.....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2242209/Elderly-couple-aged-84-71-told-face-prison-continue-harass-neighbours.html

[sp1814]

Something we need to remember - people don't suddenly become lovely old ladies and kindly old gentlemen the minute they reach retirement age. If you've spend 65 years being a nasty piece of work, then you're pretty much going to be a nasty piece of work for the rest of your life.

Elderly people living next door to a young family can be a real boon, but often the relationship can fracture because noisy kids, teenagers and their blaring music etc - all things which to a young family are part of normal life, but to an elderly person must be like hell on earth.

[2sp_]

Exactly, Em. People have been hideous to each other since the dawn of time.

[anotheoldgit]

em10

/// no it isn't the times we live in, it's bstard people, no matter the era. ///

So you don't believe that people are more anti-social, more vicious, less polite, and with little self-respect these days?

[emmie]

2sp so they have and will continue to be so. I don't believe though that a person could be bad all the way through their life, most get there after either some trauma, bad parenting, or indeed some travail which one might not be aware of. That is not excusing what this woman did at all by the way, but i really don't think that you are born bad.

[emmie]

no i don't. There have always been anti social people, i have come across many in my long life, and you don't have to look that far back, say the war years to see what some were like whilst the war was on. looting, black market trading, illicit sex, pregnancies and abortions, and prostitution was rife.

[Gromit]

I blame the parents.

[Zeuhl]

<So you don't believe that people are more anti-social, more vicious, less polite, and with little self-respect these days?>

No

All the statistical evidence suggests that people are broadly nicer and more tolerant than they were 50 years ago

Don't worry aog

Notions such as yours have been recorded throughout history

It's natural for old people to imagine things are deteriorating compared with when they were in their prime.

[zebo]

There have always been older people who think everyone else has to kowtow to them because of their age. In a shop, a young lad was patiently waiting his turn when an old woman pushed in front of him. I pointed out that it was his turn next and she yelled he ought to learn better manners and respect towards his elders! No danger he would learn any from her. This was thirty years or more ago, plus ca change!

[Graham-W]

When I was growing up in the 50's, if our football went into a certain gentleman's garden, it was returned to us, stabbed with a kitchen knife.
If I told my Dad it was, "Serve you right for playing near his garden."
Nowadays, if I told my Dad, the police would be involved and a claim for destruction of property lodged against the old gentleman.
Which is the correct way? Time changes peoples attitudes. Often, what was acceptable in the 50's is no longer acceptable today.