Youths aspirations to do worse

bluesman · 19-01-2006, 08:55

Why do the youth of today look up to gangsters and criminals and aspire to do worse than their peers or parents. the standard of education is terrible, but it can only be effective if the student WANTS to learn. i wonder where it will all end.

GazB · 19-01-2006, 09:24

Here we go with another "youth of today" speech.

When you were a youth, I'm sure you were getting the same lecture from the generation who fought in the war whilst you got high and took part in the hippy and disco era's.

Times change, live with it.

nick2 · 19-01-2006, 09:26

Quote:

Originally posted by bluesman
Why do the youth of today look up to gangsters and criminals and aspire to do worse than their peers or parents.(

None of the young people I know are like this.

hmr44 · 19-01-2006, 09:35

I'm 17, I don't look up to gangsters! I want to do well and learn, and do better than my peers and parents.

Maybe you're thinking of the 'chavs' of today, not all younger people are how you judge them.

price · 19-01-2006, 11:16

Because the types you mention are held up as role models by the pop industry and other scources of the media (the media of course say they are only reprting the news) .The kids are constantly bombared on how this rapper behaves or the scrapes that footballer has got into or who's been caught taking what ,and /or selling drugs and so on and so forth.
FORTUNATELY,(my capitals),most of the "youth of today" are a bit more savvy than they get credit for. It's the minority who are MONUMENTALY thick, that believe that this is how they should behave. Couple that with laws that allow them to get away with unsociable behaviour and BINGO!!It's they who get in the news for being a pain i the**** so it gives a false indicator as to the aspirations of the majority of young 'uns.
The standard of education is o.k. it's the thicko's (and thier parents ) who don't take advantage of it.By thicko's I'm not speaking of genuine people who have learning difficultiies, but those who KNOW they'r doing wrong but want to appear "cool"in front of their equally thick peers.
By heck,that were a good rant,weren't it

I enjoyed that

RegularJohn · 19-01-2006, 11:35

Im 21 and never looked 'up' to gangsters....never did when i was younger either, not that the money and all the ladies didnt appeal to me!

I dont think its all of todays youth, i thinks its just a small group that have slipped through the sensible net.

Adam

JoeP · 19-01-2006, 11:42

Quote:

Originally posted by bluesman
Why do the youth of today look up to gangsters and criminals and aspire to do worse than their peers or parents. the standard of education is terrible, but it can only be effective if the student WANTS to learn. i wonder where it will all end.

Education is only EVER effective is folks want to learn - that's always been the case. When I was at school 30 years ago there were always the idiots who didn't want to learn, and who typically ended up with kids by the age of 18 and jobs where the main requirement was to bring your muscles to work and leave your brains at home. (Back then McJobs didn't exist!!)

Most teenagers don't look to the low-lifes as role models - just a minority who are pre-disposed that way because of their background.

What does seem to eb teh case, though, is that many people of all ages seem to aspire to a lifestyle that they feel they have a right to without wanting to actually work for it. Hence the interest in 'reality TV' type celebs and gambling like the lottery. There is always the hope that they can get the Beckham lifestyle without any work at all.

Of course, it's ********, but they're happy to hope and dream their lives away.

Joe

chickmonk · 19-01-2006, 11:51

Quote:

Originally posted by bluesman
Why do the youth of today look up to gangsters and criminals and aspire to do worse than their peers or parents. the standard of education is terrible, but it can only be effective if the student WANTS to learn. i wonder where it will all end.

Do we really need yet another thread about the 'youth of today'? If another section of society was singled out in this manner it would be called discrimination.

Yeah some are prats, but so are a hell of a lot of adults.

Chicken Monkey x

JoeP · 19-01-2006, 12:24

Quote:

Originally posted by chickmonk
Do we really need yet another thread about the 'youth of today'? If another section of society was singled out in this manner it would be called discrimination.

Yeah some are prats, but so are a hell of a lot of adults.

Chicken Monkey x

Why not?

It should be possible to criticise the behaviour of any members of society based upon facts.

If people perceive that a lot of younger people are looking up to the wrong role models, then it should be possible to either destroy that perception by pointing to facts, or support it.

AtticusFinch · 19-01-2006, 12:36

I think you're making some pretty big generalisations about young people here bluesman.

With the new "antisocial behaviour" campaign, teenagers seem to have become the latest tabloid bogeyman. It's all fits in perfectly with their constant portrayal of a society in decline, where "kids today have no respect compared to 30 years ago". If you think about it from a neutral viewpoint, it's a well-planned and well-executed tabloid strategy. Whereas previous bogeyman groups such as asylum seekers, paedophiles and football hooligans are in the minority in society, there are teenagers everywhere. What better way to scare people than by telling them that their own children are up to no good?

Agent Gypo · 19-01-2006, 12:47

It's a known fact that all kids want to do is smash windows, deal drugs, mug pensioners, shoot crack and freebase scag.

chickmonk · 19-01-2006, 12:50

Quote:

Originally posted by JoeP
Why not?

It should be possible to criticise the behaviour of any members of society based upon facts.

If people perceive that a lot of younger people are looking up to the wrong role models, then it should be possible to either destroy that perception by pointing to facts, or support it.

Young people are an easy target.

I agree there is lack of positive role models for youngsters, especially boys. There have been an great increase in the number of children growing up with an absent father and what with all the furore about paedophiles, a drop in male teachers - especially at primary school level.

Many young people do look up to popstars and currently the fashion is r&b music ('gangsters and criminals'??). But then many also look up to football players, sports people or other musicians. Maybe it is the adults providing a less than positive role-model who should be critisised.

I am very happy to discuss the matter of role models for young people. What I dislike is the tone of OP. The 'youth of today look up to gangsters and criminals' line is a gross generalisation. And blaming the education system's failures on students is a cop-out.

I dislike the way that it is acceptable to lump all young people together and blame them for the ills in society. Especially when, I believe, adults should be taking much more responsibilty for young people in this country.

Where will it all end? I don't know, but if everyone is so bothered about young people's behaviour, why have we hardly any youth clubs, a disgraceful lack of accommodation provision for them and services and resources for them that is pitiful.

Yes, it should be possible to critisise based upon FACTS, but all I see is prejudicial comments and sweeping generalisations.

Chicken Monkey x

donkey · 19-01-2006, 14:51

This is a very complex problem, and it's stupid to blame teenagers alone.
Crime and gangsterism has flourished in ther USA because of the entrenched determination of successive governments there to co-exist with a massive underclass, rather than spend some of their vast reseources sorting it out.
To a much lesser extent, the same thing happened here. What's worsening the situation is the way gangsterism has now become a major seller for the media multi-nationals.

A sizeable proportion of teenagers have always taken their lead about how to act and what's cool, from what's being pushed at them by the media.

And what's being promoted a lot these days, is that it's cool to be the worst mutha in the ghetto.

This is even prompting kids from well to do suburbia to gang up in violence and vandalism, so it's not suprising some of our council estates have gone the way they are.

Of course, ultimately we're all responsible for our actions, but how many older people can seriously say they never did anything stupid as a result of trying to live up to the expectations of what you're supposed to be as a teenager - which is often what the mass media money making machine is promoting, and a lot of very respectible people are doing nicely out of it thank you very much.

I think the government is right to take strong action to protect people from anyone who would threaten them or their property, but in the long run, they're going to have to look at the roots of the problem if they want it to go away.

Abdul · 19-01-2006, 15:35

Quote:

Originally posted by Agent Gypo
It's a known fact that all kids want to do is ...freebase scag.

Isn't freebasing another word for jumping off a tall building in the middle of a city with a parachute?

And scag? Is that a hill or a building in town or something?

Eey by 'eck, when I were a lad...

kirky_s2 · 19-01-2006, 19:35

Quote:

Originally posted by bluesman
Why do the youth of today look up to gangsters and criminals and aspire to do worse than their peers or parents. the standard of education is terrible, but it can only be effective if the student WANTS to learn. i wonder where it will all end.

Why discriminate youth just because you have seen a group of young people on the streets in nike tracksuits and hats etc.
Do you not think to yourself that there are some youths out there that want to do well? Such as my self i still go out and have fun and the youths i know (my friends) go out of the way to have fun such as ice skating just to keep all the morbid old uns satisfied but why should we go out of the way! you get out of the way after all we are the future !

spyro2000 · 19-01-2006, 19:36

Quote:

Originally posted by kirky_s2
Why discriminate youth just because you have seen a group of young people on the streets in nike tracksuits and hats etc.
Do you not think to yourself that there are some youths out there that want to do well? Such as my self i still go out and have fun and the youths i know (my friends) go out of the way to have fun such as ice skating just to keep all the morbid old uns satisfied but why should we go out of the way! you get out of the way after all we are the future !

Dont wind the old man up Kirky_S2

kirky_s2 · 19-01-2006, 19:52

Quote:

Originally posted by spyro2000
Dont wind the old man up Kirky_S2

Sorry but im just stating the obvious people get me mad talking about youths this that and other .....ave some of your "non youths" seen yourselfs the way you go of?? very immature indeed

willdervish · 19-01-2006, 21:30

I'm 18 years old and I must admit, I really look up to gangsters, and I really can't wait to do worse than my peers. When I grow up, I'm going to shoot people and disrespect my elders.

Abdul · 19-01-2006, 21:43

Quote:

Originally posted by willdervish
I'm 18 years old and I must admit, I really look up to gangsters, and I really can't wait to do worse than my peers. When I grow up, I'm going to shoot people and disrespect my elders.

Eighteen eh?

Then get down to Argos, buy Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas for 20 British dollars and shoot your way to the top.

Diss those wrinkly coffin-dodgers, shoot innocent pedestrians and steal motor vehicles as much as you like without risk of arrest / police beatings.

Don_Kiddick · 20-01-2006, 06:04

It's black cultcha innit?

Glamorising ileegal stuff by brandishing bling n that innit

Bo! Keep it real