Society down the drain.

[Arthur55]

Why is society going down the drain. We now live in a time where being a criminal is fashionable. We now live in a time where almost everyone is a lawbreaker to some degree. We now live in a time where people choose which laws they can break and which laws they cannot.

We are not law breakers I here you cry. We will even give perfectly reasonable excuses why we break the law.

How many of you deny being criminals. How many of you speed or litter or do not own a tax disc or do not own a tv licence or download music off the net. How many of you have bought copied dvds or smoke in places you are not allowed. How many of you allow your dogs to foul in public and do not clean it up. The list is endless yet every one of the above is breaking the law and breaking the law makes you a criminal.

When did society go down the drain.

[Bangkok]

BDW - Rudi Guiliani's zero tolerance campaign in New York reduced major crime by cracking down on minor crime,  including traffic offences.  So there would be no pirate DVDs on the streets.  You say buying hooky DVDs is ok, but it is theft of intellectual property.  Someone else says smoking in a restricted area is ok, and soon everyone's at it. If the law is a ass, then ignore it.  Isn't that what other people are doing, only we are saying their law breaking doesn't fit with our law breaking and is therefore wrong?

Rudi advised on the zero tolerance in Mexico City and it was an absolute disaster!  I do sympathise with the sentiments people are expressing, but at the same time everyone picks and chooses which rules they will follow.  All we can do is hope that the majority are in agreement with our own views, and that the minority are not encountered in every day life.

[THFCUK]

i beleive it's a psychology thing called expressing freewill because we all have freewill but things stop us expressing it to the max.

[BigDogsWang]

There is a line between what state law says you can't do, and what you know is just plain wrong. Arthur55 mentions 'allowing your dog to foul in public' etc. If it wasn�t against the law, you would hope most dog owners would clean it up anyway. However, a lot of them don't, which is why it was necessary to bring in a law against it. If respect and morals are instilled from an early age, there wouldn�t be the need for as many laws as we currently have.

[maximo]

As I said above, we are lucky to live in a democracy, where we are able to use our freedom of speech and act as we please, only to face the consequences if what we do breaks the rules. A democracy is based on the belief that people are responsible enough to follow the rules they have set for themselves, as opposed to a dictatorship, where people are considered to be like children that need to be guided, and therefore where every aspect of social and even private life is regulated. You are free to believe in anything you wish, and to teach your children what you believe is good, but that also means some people will not, because they are free not to as well. And that will lead to antisocial behaviour, and even crime. You cannot avoid that. All you can do is teach your children what you believe is good, and hope they will teach their children in return, etc...There is a downside to every system, none is perfect. But democracy is the one I would still rather live in, and is the one I want my kids to live in, because I want them to be free. And if that means free to act badly as well, then so be it. It's all down to being responsible in the end.

[Octavius]

IT IS THE NATURE OF MAN TO BEHAVE BADLY

 

According to Rune - 'Any given person, at any given time, will be behaving as badly as he or she is able to get away with'.  We are born behaving badly, we enter the world, kicking screaming and pooing ourselves, then we are taught where the line is drawn and what will happen if we step over it.  This continues throughout our lives, at school, in the workplace, in relationships and in marriage.  We behave as badly as we can get away with, stepping across a particular line at our peril.

 

Exactly how badly we are able to behave depends entirely on our circumstances.  The poor often behave very badly as can be witnissed in football hooliganism, holidays abroad and wearing shell suits and burberry baseball caps.  But if you wish to see real bad behaviour, bad behaviour taken to the extreme and exhibited (privately for the most part) as an art form, you must visit either the haunts of the very rich and priveleged, or a long term institution.

 

It is something of a cliche to state that wealth and bad behaviour go together.  We have all heard the stories of best-selling authors who demand kumquats and chardonnay from harassed sales staff at signing sessions, of the antics of rock stars and cabinet ministers, Hollywood stars and members of the Royal Family.  We know it goes on and we tut-tut-tut, but if our roles in life were reversed, we would do the same.

 

 

[bernardo]

How many of you speed

Not me

 

or litter

Not me

 

or do not own a tax disc

I don't need one because I have no car

 

or do not own a tv licence

Not me

 

or download music off the net.

Not me

 

How many of you have bought copied dvds

Not me

 

or smoke in places you are not allowed.

Not me

 

How many of you allow your dogs to foul in public and do not clean it up.

Not me

 

 

[FP]

Society generally is better now than it ever has been.  People are more thoughtful of each other, especially the young.  Why are more and more laws and rules and regulations coming about these days, such as 'drink and drive' 'smoking in public places', etc.  When I was young the footpaths were full of dog excretia and no-one cared at damn.  I could go on forever (as usual) but I won't.

 

Today's youth are much more informed and caring about others than our generation were in the 60's. 

 

There will always be the minority who have no respect for others and  these are the people that we notice.  We notice them because they are the minority and because the press love them!

 

Lighten up Arthur, look for the good things out there - you may be surprised at how many things you find!

[natalie_1982]

Ditto FP!

 

I think you're talking tripe Arthur.  There are far worse things going on that the tragic events that overtook your day trip to the market.

 

To me, guns, drugs, pimps, knives, drink drivers, paedophiles, muggers, burglars and violence cause society to "go down the drain", not dog poo, nose picking, speeding, dropping litter, arse scratching, etc.

 

Besides, society hasn't changed, in my opinion people are just more aware/ feel more able to speak out now.  Years ago, as I understand, people turned a blind eye to things that weren't any of their business. 

 

When you talk about speeding, my grandad's sister was killed in a hit and runn accident in 1937!

[Octavius]

guns don't kill people, wobbers do

 

 

[jenstar]

Oh, so you *don't* need a tax disc if you don't have a car? Phew, that's me in the clear again.

[saffstar]

It sounds like you've had an absolutely awful day Arthur, and I really feel for you.  The points that I would've made to counter your argument have already been made by my esteemed AB associates, so I'll just say please remember that there are more good people in the world than bad, generally people just want to be decent to each other and, most importantly, don't let the b******s get you down!

[Arthur55]

Maybe I should lighten up. Not everyone is that bad. Very true. Thank you all for your views. Perhaps I should try to take deep breaths and relax. A little hard at the moment as a very close relative of mine died last week. She died of lung cancer brought on through passive smoking. She had always worked in bars and enjoyed it very much. She suffered the ultimate price for earning an honest penny to feed her family.

 

I worry about society and how it will affect my children when they grow up. No matter how much good I instill into them society will also have an effect on them. There is only so much a parent can do. I guess I am screwed up in the head wanting to wrap my children up in cotton wool. I am 25 now and not 10 years ago I lost a leg in a car accident. My mother was driving me and my sister home from school when a driver came out of nowhere at high speed and plowed into our car. My sister died at the scene. I lost my leg later in hospital and my mother was left a nervous wreck. She still gets headaches and back pains and nightmares and has hardly left the house since. The driver of the other car was only 16 was high on pot and got pampered for being a bad boy.

 

He had a free choice as many of you point out and he excercised that right to the full.

[smudge]

Arthur - that is such a very sad story. After reading it, I can fully understand why you are feeling the way you do & am only glad that I didn't add to your frustrations. You are obviously a very sensitive, but caring person (like myself) & believe me there are many of us around. :D)

[Lindy Loo]

Having just read your story, I can understand why you feel as angry and upset you do...... You have had a lot to cope with to cope with.   

As others have said, there are alot of good, kind and thoughtful people around but those who break the law are the ones who get the publicity and are often treated better than those who are victims of the crimes.

 

It's about time that the punishment fitted the crime, and a prison sentence was just that, not 5 years with 2 off for good behaviour or parole after 3 years. What deterent is that? 

 

I could rant on forever about the 'softly softly' approach.. but I won't! My views could get me banned!!!

 

Take care

[FP]

Take care Arthur.  You have had a really bad time and I am truly sorry.  Look to the future.  Your kids will make it bright for you and you seem to be a really caring dad.    I know how you feel 'cos I wanted to wrap my only child in cotton wool as well, but they have to face the world with its good and bad things - and most of them are good.

[karabulut]

Blimey Arthur...no wonder you're going off on one....don't blame you at all mate....You seem to be coping with it a lot better than I would...what a sad chain of events,and my heart goes out to you bruv'....But as Fakeplastis,Lindyloo and Smudge (amongst others) said,there's still a lot more good people around than bad...trust me....easy to say I know but think positive mate,and the very best of luck to you and your family for the future....Oz.