Is there just more "trashy people" in America today-- than ever before?

[skyegirl]

Originally Posted by dataman1

LeavingFlorida hit it on the nose above. I am 30 years old and here is my
take on the whole thing. I have said the same thing about society going
down hill. I asked myself the same question...is it just me getting older?
While that will always play a part in a persons life as they get older, I believe we are on a much faster decline than usual. Without pointing fingers at specific races, or generations etc. the main problem is people have a lack
of values. In my opinion that is parallel with religion which I will explain later.
There are too many dumb, lazy, useless people making babies they have no
business having, and then they don't raise them to be decent members of society, then that process repeats!!! Them along with people who have no business being in this country who are also having babies. They are taking up state and federal aid from people who might actually need it and "deserve it". They are raising our interest rates, health care costs etc. while making overall quality of life less and less, and day to day more stressful on good people who are out there trying to do the right things. People have become more materialistic, and self centered which can be blamed on bad parenting as well as media for putting Puff Daddy and Paris HIlton on the top of the list for people kids will look up to as heroes!! Gluttony and ingnorance at its finest!! I have told people to rent the movie Idiocracy by Mike judge, because it is hilarious and mirrors exactly what we are talking about as far as
where society is now and where it will end up on it's current heading!

My parents always told me "the bad ones ruin it for the good ones". That can apply to so many things. Another big factor is obviously greed by politicians and business people. If they believed in God and had any honor, or morals at all they would go about life with some dignity !! We are seeing
less and less of that and as corruption spreads it gets more common. Some people don't have a concience. This goes for everyone from the president,
who obviously has screwed us over on many things for the wrong reasons, all
the way down the line to car salesmen who will do anything to decieve and
make an extra buck even if it could financially ruin someone for years. Then you have all kinds of schemes and scams in the mortgage industry leading to
all kinds of problems with housing and real estate market. Here is the answer to the problem.... spread the word.

-A hard days work is when you get off your lazy behind and work hard for at
least 8+ hours per day for at least 5 days a week. That will earn you money
for things you will then deserve, and give you a sense of worth. That work you do is all you are so do it right and have some dignity. You will likely never be rich, you may see less qualified, less deserving, less talented people making more than you, suck it up. You get out what you put in, work hard and focus more on being happy than rich.

-Don't have kids if you are too young, broke, lazy etc. to raise them. There is birth control out there for all needs, and now even the morning after pill for accidents. If you are someone who shouldn't make babies and you do by accident, have the decency to grow up and work hard to be responsable and teach said kids not to make the same mistake. (this process will weed out many of society's losers and bottomfeeders). If you are a parent you will need to spend time with your kids, show them love, take them to church, teach them respect for elders/women/fellow man, teach them about taking responsibility for their actions, help them in school, give up your own life to be there to shape theirs. Then we will have less people taking up space making garbage etc, and the ones we do have will have some sense!!

From here on it is going to sound like the 10 commandments so encourage people to get a bible or something. The majority of people are locked in
the matrix of ignorance, they believe what they hear and see, and are
swayed by media and advertising. Ignorance is bliss and the majority of
people have very low standards.

* I believe that the people on this board are mostly decent people so even this post won't do much good. On the bright side I think we have several hundred years before we self destruct. Also in any one persons life of say 80 years I think you will for the most part be able to deal with the decline during
your time, you may have to move around to avoid it but it will be possible for
the next several generations to have a semi-tolerable existence (maybe?).

Sorry this is long and running on all over the place ....but in closing.

-respect your elders.

-love your kids and raise them!

-be responsable.

-If you are on public aid you shouldnt have a new car or designer clothes!!

-NO MORE EBONICS USAGE BY OLD WHITE PEOPLE OR IN COMMERCIALS


Basically people just need to treat others how they want to be treated, and
stop being soooo shallow!!!

I agree with your last line, treat others how you would like to be treated. I think the rest was rather judgemental, preachy and overtly religious. Just my 2 cents.

[windflower]

Well, I think the word "trashy" is way too subjective. What's trashy to one person might be perfectly acceptable to another.

Anyway, every single generation since the dawn of recorded history has at some point been certain that the younger generation is "going to h*** in a handbasket." Yet despite that perception, the human race has not only survived but and actually even managed to make some progress. How about that!

[JerZ]

Originally Posted by windflower

Anyway, every single generation since the dawn of recorded history has at some point been certain that the younger generation is "going to h*** in a handbasket."

This is so very true! One well-known example being Plato ranting on the youth of his day and how loose and free they were.

[JerZ]

...Looked it up and here it is, alternately attributed to Plato, Socrates and sometimes even Cicero...but you get the gist timeline-wise.

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for
authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place
of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their
households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They
contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties
at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

Substitute ..."and listen to rap music in their huge pants," and you could stick this into a newspaper editorial in 2007.

[dataman1]

Here is my two cents on Skyegirls two cents on my original two cents. Suggesting people believe in god and maybe pick up a bible isn't overtly religious. Or maybe it is, sorry to try and thrwart you from eternal damnation.
(haha) Did your ears burn?

Anyways seems we are off the subject ...we aren't discussing the youth
of today verses the old fogeys...we are discussing the population in general.
We have more negative factors than ever affecting "the original post" and
an ever increasing amount of evils to make the decline faster. With a higher
number of people of which the percentage of quality people is lesser for the reasons in my post.

[windflower]

Originally Posted by Dingler

I have talked about my feelings with relatives and friends who are teachers at suburban schools. Many have taught for 30 or more years and are convinced that society has really gone down hill and it gets worse each and every year. There are more disturbed kids who reject authority and have no interest in learning or growing as an individuals.

Anyways seems we are off the subject ...we aren't discussing the youth of today verses the old fogeys...we are discussing the population in general.

Actually, dataman1, I think a good portion of the original post did imply that it was a generational (younger versus older) thing in large part (see first quote).

Society (meaning accepted social mores) is such a fluid thing, and it varies so much from country to country and generation to generation, that IMHO it's very hard -- perhaps impossible? -- to categorically state that people in general are or are not "of better character" at one point in time than previously. (I have a problem with the usage of the word "trashy" because, as I said earlier, it's much too open to individual interpretation.)

I'm assuming that what the OP means is that in his opinion, the behaviour of people in general today is "of lower basic moral character" than that of past decades or generations?

Or simply that today's people, for the most part, don't practice good manners or decent social etiquette?

You see, this is why I have a problem with the word "trashy"; it can be construed as so many different things. Sloppy dress? Foul language? Unconcern for their home or local environment? Bad manners toward others? Greed or self-promotion as the motivator of actions? Lack of ethics in personal and business relationships? Disregard for the law or for authority in any form? There's far too wide a range of behaviour covered by that ambiguous word.

[Coyote_Blond]

I'd probably be considered trashy by some peoples standards just because I have a few tattoos & piercings. But I try to keep them on the classier side. Now, my beef is with etiquette. I was raised in Texas. Very RARELY did you come upon a child or teen that did not respond yes mamm or no sir. I INSIST that my son do the same. Teachers & other parents compliment it..yet allow their children to reply with OK or Yeah. All this PC crap has also taken away parental rights. My son knows if he EVER got disrespectful with me the police couldn't make it here on time to save his butt! I witnessed my best friends daughter begin sassing from age 5 and now at 11 puts...her...hand...in...her...mother's...face! OMG kill her! WTH? College kids are taught FREE THINKING. Unfortunately it oversteps the boundries of civility & common sense. And they're our future? Let the hair styles or clothes change. Let there be new music and innovations. But drop the mouthy, disrespectful, anti-society crap. The first WHATEVER attitude I encounter from somebody not only makes them trashy..but worthless. And it's not just here. I encountered in in Spain & London.

[green_mariner]

Originally Posted by dataman1

LeavingFlorida hit it on the nose above. I am 30 years old and here is my
take on the whole thing. I have said the same thing about society going
down hill. I asked myself the same question...is it just me getting older?
While that will always play a part in a persons life as they get older, I believe we are on a much faster decline than usual. Without pointing fingers at specific races, or generations etc. the main problem is people have a lack
of values. In my opinion that is parallel with religion which I will explain later.
There are too many dumb, lazy, useless people making babies they have no
business having, and then they don't raise them to be decent members of society, then that process repeats!!! Them along with people who have no business being in this country who are also having babies. They are taking up state and federal aid from people who might actually need it and "deserve it". They are raising our interest rates, health care costs etc. while making overall quality of life less and less, and day to day more stressful on good people who are out there trying to do the right things. People have become more materialistic, and self centered which can be blamed on bad parenting as well as media for putting Puff Daddy and Paris HIlton on the top of the list for people kids will look up to as heroes!! Gluttony and ingnorance at its finest!! I have told people to rent the movie Idiocracy by Mike judge, because it is hilarious and mirrors exactly what we are talking about as far as
where society is now and where it will end up on it's current heading!

My parents always told me "the bad ones ruin it for the good ones". That can apply to so many things. Another big factor is obviously greed by politicians and business people. If they believed in God and had any honor, or morals at all they would go about life with some dignity !! We are seeing
less and less of that and as corruption spreads it gets more common. Some people don't have a concience. This goes for everyone from the president,
who obviously has screwed us over on many things for the wrong reasons, all
the way down the line to car salesmen who will do anything to decieve and
make an extra buck even if it could financially ruin someone for years. Then you have all kinds of schemes and scams in the mortgage industry leading to
all kinds of problems with housing and real estate market. Here is the answer to the problem.... spread the word.

-A hard days work is when you get off your lazy behind and work hard for at
least 8+ hours per day for at least 5 days a week. That will earn you money
for things you will then deserve, and give you a sense of worth. That work you do is all you are so do it right and have some dignity. You will likely never be rich, you may see less qualified, less deserving, less talented people making more than you, suck it up. You get out what you put in, work hard and focus more on being happy than rich.

-Don't have kids if you are too young, broke, lazy etc. to raise them. There is birth control out there for all needs, and now even the morning after pill for accidents. If you are someone who shouldn't make babies and you do by accident, have the decency to grow up and work hard to be responsable and teach said kids not to make the same mistake. (this process will weed out many of society's losers and bottomfeeders). If you are a parent you will need to spend time with your kids, show them love, take them to church, teach them respect for elders/women/fellow man, teach them about taking responsibility for their actions, help them in school, give up your own life to be there to shape theirs. Then we will have less people taking up space making garbage etc, and the ones we do have will have some sense!!

From here on it is going to sound like the 10 commandments so encourage people to get a bible or something. The majority of people are locked in
the matrix of ignorance, they believe what they hear and see, and are
swayed by media and advertising. Ignorance is bliss and the majority of
people have very low standards.

* I believe that the people on this board are mostly decent people so even this post won't do much good. On the bright side I think we have several hundred years before we self destruct. Also in any one persons life of say 80 years I think you will for the most part be able to deal with the decline during
your time, you may have to move around to avoid it but it will be possible for
the next several generations to have a semi-tolerable existence (maybe?).

Sorry this is long and running on all over the place ....but in closing.

-respect your elders.

-love your kids and raise them!

-be responsable.

-If you are on public aid you shouldnt have a new car or designer clothes!!

-NO MORE EBONICS USAGE BY OLD WHITE PEOPLE OR IN COMMERCIALS


Basically people just need to treat others how they want to be treated, and
stop being soooo shallow!!!

You hit the nail on the hammer when you said "the bad ones ruin it for the good". That rule goes in accordance to multiculturalism. The good persons often look bad because the bad apples in the bunch don't care about anyone but themselves. Groups like Voz de Atitlan, Black Panthers, White Aryan Resistance, etc., don't care about anyone but themselves. Even the ones who aren't affiliated with hate groups who committ crimes don't care. I think about some of the black children who act unbecoming. Not all of the black children are like that, but the ones who act that way make all of the other black children look bad. Sadly, many of the children aren't thinking in terms, will I make the other students who don't misbehave look bad?, but rather, they care only about themselves. In fact(and I have dealt with students like this myself in high school), some persons who do act horrible have the "us vs. them" mentality, so many of them don't care. It's quite sad. If we all followed the golden rule, that could solve half of the world's problems.