Tonight I witnessed a prime example of what is wrong with modern society
 

So, I am on the train into central London to go out for a meal to celebrate a friends birthday. It is a 6pm train so it is really packed. Two families with young kids get on. One sits in one groups of chairs and their kids are maybe six and three. They are lively but under control. The other family brings their stroller with a very big looking kid for a stroller but I am guessing also aroung 3ish through the crowded aisles being sure to ram into people's legs (never once saying sorry) and sits down on the seats across the aisle from the other family.

With in a minute or so into their journey the woman in the second family has a call on her mobile. I have no idea what the call was about but her reply was a steam of swear words the most common being 'fuck'. She is saying these very loudly. Her son starts to cry and she hangs up the phone, looks at him directly and shouts 'for fuck sake Jason!'.

Now the other family with young kids are getting a bit uncomfortable at this point. You can tell they don't really want to say something but they also don't want their kids exposed to that extended a period of extreme swearing (much less at a child). So, the mother of the first family very calmly asks the second mother if she would please not swear in front of her kids.

Now the polite thing to do would have been to have said sorry and stopped swearing. Instead, the swearing mom shouted 'fuck off and mind your own buisness.' Not only is this uncalled for but she showed up the mother in front of her child which is an extra level of rudness in my book.

The first parents got off at the next stop which was probably best for them at that stage.

In that one 15 minute episode there were so many examples of what is wrong with modern society. They all essentially boil down to manners. Talking loudly on your phone in public - manners. Swearing loudly in public - manners. Swearing at your young child at all let alone in public - manners and bad parenting. Yelling back at someone who calmly asked you not to be vulgar in front of their kids - manners.

It has nothing to do with politcal views, if you are religious, your wealth, your social standing or any other socio-economic reasons. Having decent manners and being polite surely has to be something that all can agree should be vauled.

Very true. See scenes like that way too often.

i am just going to go the easy route on this one and blame muslims.

yeah sarah, sadly many people these days are self-absorbed and they don't give two hoots about what anyone else thinks or how they affect other people.

I agree, having good manners shouldn't be the exception, it should definitely be the rule, it makes for a nicer world!

society is going downhill. I miss the good ole days.

People these days are very uncouth.

great word

It gets worse with each passing day. Boorish, profane and uncouth people are like dandelions.

Hope you had a good time at your friend's birthday party despite the rather unpleasant episode you witnessed enroute.

Yep things are getting worse and worse. What kind of lesson is that mother teaching her youngsters? It's frightening to think how the world will be in say 20 years time with kids being brought up to swear vulgarity at strangers simply because they were politely asked to show some respect. There seems to be no respect nowadays and it's so wrong.

Yup, very nice meal. I have a degree in sociology (and about to start in on my masters on it) so I often can't reist watching these episodes from afar and trying to work out what they mean, etc. A curse, really.

im with you...down with religion

I fear the UK is going faster than most.

You bring up some good points Sarah and sadly this seems to be common place today. I know many people that consider themselves to have perfect manners but still talk loudly on their phones so that everyone knows they have a phone call.

I see many people with children that have no desire to be parents.

But something that frustrates me is that many people often seem to want to bring others down as a way of making themselves feel better. It's sad but we're raising our children to not give a fuck about others and it shows.

It's the unfortunate result of the "Me Generation" being allowed to reproduce. They need to realize that when they bring children into the world it's no longer about "me". There are more important things in the world than them.

so far i have seen english society is divided into two groups:

- snobs with manners

and

- proletarian scum


unfortunately i meet always just the second group in my holidays :Oh crap

Me and the wife have a rule once we enter public areas and are walking about amongst the people: ** Turn off the cell phone **

As far as the swearing mother... try talking that way with my wife to her face, you'll get the shit knocked out of you by her.....

As if those kids haven't heard the word already and they won't be saying it 10x a day by the time they are 12... but I see your point.

Why didn't you bitch slap her?

Now, thats what's wrong with society, apathy.

This story is bad, I cant believe that someone would sit there and scream naughty words in front of their child and someone else's children.

I dont have any kids and not sure if I will ever feel the need too, I'm scared I wouldnt do a good job...but I am a great uncle! =0)

"And the way Elvis shakes his pelvis, it's horrible!"




But honestly, although I know this is a topic brought up by every generation, I would have to agree that we continually lower the bar in several areas that is disturbing.

However, let's not forget some of the advances we've made in others areas.

england is going to shit

Perhaps only because people are rude around them?

that is one clear example of how parents pose as the greatest danger to their kids.


fucking shame of that fucking woman! I hope she gets fucked in hell!

I totaly agree :Oh crap

Ask Belinda, I would have gone off on that woman. Big time. I'd have made her feel 2 inches tall and enjoyed doing so. I hate people who curse in front of children....

We should either blame Bush or the Muslims. I'm not sure which. Will report back shortly with additional findings.

Yet how many people here wear their gofuckyourself.com shirt in public? I agree 100% with Sarah, but there are many other "uncouth" ways of being rude w/o having yell "fuck" into a cell phone ;)

I've got another example of what is wrong with society from the scenario you gave. You sat there, and watched the whole thing unfold. You didn't get up and politely back up the mother who was in the right, but instead sat still like a scared rabbit. I hate people who walk past others getting bashed, robbed, abused, it's such a scummy thing to do. No offense to you I guess (95% of people are like that now), but really, don't you think you should of got up and said something when the woman told her to fuck off and mind her own business?

it boils down to people today are inconsiderate assholes. you'll see it in every aspect of your day from driving to work to waiting in line at 711. people want what they want when they want it and fuck anyone who might interfere with it. i suggest you buy an air horn and next time someone pisses you off you blow it in their face until they go away.

Exactly why I would have gone off on the woman, probably before the parent of the other children did so. And for sure if I witnessed that incident. I've done it many many times, which is why I said, "Ask Belinda".

Oh for sure but it was just such and out and out example. I never even use my Porncity pens in mixed public.

You are right. We should have reacted. I suppose one of the other things that is wrong with society is people afraid to voice up incase someone has a weapon, etc. Though, that is a very British thing to keep your head down and not get involved in other's buisness I agree we should have been more brave.

Sadly enough, she was probably censoring herself in public in reprimanding her son. Imagine what she says to the baby behind closed doors when she's really aggravated?

RESPECT,,
can save your life.

You never know where a stranger has come from,
or what they have attained in life just by there appearance.

The most dangerous people appear to be harmless.

People have been raising children without teaching them RESPECT
for several decades now.

and here i thought this thread would be about Blue Collar TV.