Respect|What is Wrong with Young People
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Posted By: Bryan Jones on May 08, 2012 There is always a danger in generalizations and for the purpose of this post, I'll ignore that rationale and state unequivocally that as a nation of people, we have become less respectful of one another and of our societal institutions. That statement does have some factual basis and the notion of disrespect has caused sweeping changes in our cultural attitudes, such as how we treat our elderly, the unraveling of decency, especially the vitriolic tone of our political debate and an us against them mentality that has led to divisive ideological encampments, which is threatening to tear this country a part, which all are generalizations. As a child, I was taught to respect my elders. This idea was ingrained in the community in which I grew up. It went without saying that the elderly were due respect and it was common among most children of my age to address adults as Mr. or Miss and to say “yes ma’am or no sir.” This blog post was inspired by a conversation that my wife and I had recently. She was rather discouraged by the behavior of a young lady that she encountered in a public place, explaining to me that it should have been obvious to the young woman that my wife was an older adult and as such, the young woman should have been more respectful in her presence and not display the loud and vulgar behavior, including offensive language, while speaking on the phone. It was so upsetting to my wife that she asked me, “What is wrong with young people today?” Now, that is a generalization that is becoming all too common in the minds of many older people and whether it is true or not, there does appear to be a trend that “respect for your elders,” isn’t emphasized in homes like it was in my home and the homes of others in my age group. But that is not the fault of young people, that is the fault of those charged with instilling in young people the principles of respect. Are young people more disrespectful today than they were at any other period in American history? The answer to that question may depend on what age group you currently find yourself a member of. In all likelihood, some adults and parents who witnessed the cultural revolution of the 1960’s would probably say that generation of young people was every bit as disrespectful as the young people of today and maybe more. The rigidness of society prior to the decade of “free love,” experimental drug use, “anti-war protests,” Hippies, a Civil Rights Movement, “Rock and Roll” music and liberalism, came under assault by a counter-culture that was not only disrespectful of the mores and norms of that period, there was a mindset to totally destroy an America symbolized by the fictional parents of “Beaver Clever.” Disrespect in the 1960’s led to movements and a change in the cultural and political dichotomy of this nation. The oppressed engaged in civil disobedience, no longer willing to abide by restrictive laws that didn’t respect the humanity in the downtrodden. The Women Liberation movement led to the creation of the term “feminist and public “bra burning,” an act that if it was done today by young women would be seen as incorrigible behavior and further burnish that idea of “what the hell is wrong with these young people?”[youtube]http://youtu.be/Lbhs6pIaVDI[/youtube] Labor movements and labor leaders, like Cesar Chavez, who co-founded what, would become the United Farm Workers Union, had an abundance of respect for laborers who toiled for their employers under sometimes inhumane conditions, but Mr. Chavez had no respect for the situation that created those conditions and because he didn’t, he led a movement to change those conditions. The “Greatest Generation,” the World War Two era adults, who are given credit for setting this nation on its path of global supremacy had to witness a generation of “draft dodgers” and “deferment seekers,” who wanted all that America had to offer, but were unwilling as most of the previous generation was, patriotic enough to defend it. To those that fought against power hungry dictator, an evasive action to get out of service is the highest form of disrespect. And when it comes to what appears to be unhinged rhetoric in our political debate, there are those that calls for civility and more respect or else America will sink in to the abyss of the uncivilized. But if we look back at the 1960’s, we would see that it was a decade of violence, highlighted by political assassinations and riots in our streets, all actions that if they were to occur today, we would certainly have many saying it is the “end of days.” My wife’s question of “what is wrong with young people today,” prompted an initial response from me that they were more disrespectful than we were. That was before I began to think seriously about the question and when I climbed down off of my high horse, I realized that my perception of young people today was generational and when I was their age, I’m sure those of the previous generation asked the same about my generation or those from the wild Sixties. Generalizations are often unfair, as the majority of young people are conscientious, studious and respectful, plus they are future alarmists, as my generation has become. Maybe there is hope for them and a way not to become so judgmental, the farther they get away from the days of their youth, when being young is usually involved in doing some pretty irrational things and hopefully, they won't make wild accusations of insanity when referring to the generation that follows them. Those of us that have gained perfection with the passage of time shouldn’t be so quick to write off young people. The older we get, the bigger the eraser used to cleansed the record of our lives and place us in positions of critical analysis of those who have not had the chance to equal our mistakes and maybe they won’t, because maybe they will come to the conclusion sooner than many of us have, that there is much work to be done and that the struggles and legacy of those who had the courage to disrespect racism, sexism, corrupt servitude and evil are worthy of respect and should serve as a reminder that anyone’s perception of them is just that, a perception. So now, when I ponder the question, “what’s wrong with young people? My answer will be, “nothing that time won’t cure.” thaddeustruth.com If you enjoyed this article, Join HBCU CONNECT today for similar content and opportunities via email! |
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Bryan Jones
Digital Publisher, Umoja Publishing Grambling State University class of 1979 Member Since April 2012 |
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