why do people think things are the same?

Question

Do not waste your time replying about republican or democrats

Scenario: Jack pulls into school parking lot with rifle in gun rack.

1956 - Vice Principal comes over, takes a look at Jack's rifle, goes to his car and gets his to show Jack.

2006 - School goes into lock down, FBI called, Jack hauled off to jail and never sees his truck or gun again. Counselors called in for traumatized students and teachers.

++++++++++++++++++++++

Scenario: Johnny and Mark get into a fist fight after school.

1956 - Crowd gathers. Mark wins. Johnny and Mark shake hands and end up best friends. Nobody goes to jail, nobody arrested, nobody expelled.

2006 - Police called, SWAT team arrives, arrests Johnny and Mark. Charge them with assault, both expelled even though Johnny started it.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Scenario: Jeffrey won't be still in class, disrupts other students.

1956 - Jeffrey sent to office and given a good paddling by Principal. Sits still in class.

2006 - Jeffrey given huge doses of Ritalin. Becomes a zombie. School gets extra money from state because Jeffrey has a disability.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Scenario: Billy breaks a window in his father's car and his Dad gives him a whipping.

1956 - Billy is more careful next time, grows up normal, goes to College, and becomes a successful businessman.

2006 - Billy's Dad is arrested for child abuse. Billy removed to foster care and joins a gang. Billy's sister is told by state psychologist that she remembers being abused herself and their Dad goes to prison. Billy's mom has affair with psychologist.

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Scenario: Mark gets a headache and takes some headache medicine to school.

1956 - Mark shares headache medicine with Principal out on the smoking dock.

2006 - Police called, Mark expelled from school for drug violations. Car searched for drugs and weapons.

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Scenario: Mary turns up pregnant.

1956 - 5 High School Boys leave town. Mary does her senior year at a special school for expectant mothers.

2006 - Middle School Counselor calls Planned Parenthood, who notifies the ACLU. Mary is driven to the next state over and gets an abortion without her parent's consent or knowledge. Mary given condoms and told to be more careful next time.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Scenario: Pedro fails high school English.

1956: Pedro goes to summer school, passes English, goes to college.

2006: Pedro's cause is taken up by state democratic party. Newspaper articles appear nationally explaining that teaching English as a requirement for graduation is racist. ACLU files class action lawsuit against state school system and Pedro's English teacher. English banned from core curriculum. Pedro given diploma anyway but ends up mowing lawns for a living because he can't speak English.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Scenario: Johnny takes apart leftover firecrackers from the 4th of July, puts them in a model airplane paint bottle, blows up a red ant bed.

1956 - Ants die.

2006 - BATF, Homeland Security, FBI called. Johnny charged with domestic terrorism, FBI investigates parents, siblings removed from home, computers confiscated, Johnny's Dad goes on a terror watch list and is never allowed to fly again.

+++++++++++++++++++++

Scenario: Johnny falls while running during recess and scrapes his knee. He is found crying by his teacher, Mary. Mary, hugs him to comfort him.

1956 - In a short time Johnny feels better and goes on playing.

2006 - Mary is accused of being a sexual predator and loses her job. She faces 3 years in State Prison.

Rick and pretender Good answers

Answer 1

It's the dumbing down of society - everyone is afraid of everything often for no reason at all.

Read The Culture of Fear: Why Americans Are Afraid of the Wrong Things by Barry Glassner

Answer 2

You know, my mom and dad grew up in the 50s, and their stories don't make it sound like this great golden age to me. Sure, we got problems, but from what they tell me most of this "Father Knows Best" and "Leave it to Beaver" stuff only happened on TV. Your scenarios don't sound accurate to me.

This kinda goes along with something I noticed a while back. I'm gonna be 30 this year. I am starting to hear people my own age complain about kids, their attitudes, the horrible stuff, the crime, and how none of this was true when they were a kid. The thing is, I remember kids being just as bratty, crime be as bad or worse, and the music being even more risque in some cases. And when I was in the Army, my fellow Sergeants would moan about how standards were slipping in basic training, when you could hold up training schedules from the two periods and see that it actually got longer and more relevant.

My point? I think as people get older, they have a tendancy to idolize the past, and assume that "now" is the worst time ever. They remember the good, and forget most of the bad. I'll bet there is a psychological term for this.

Answer 3

#1: Columbine didn't happen in th 50's.
#2: Johnny & Mark need to learn the laws of the land.
#3: Medicine has advanced a lot since 1956.
#4: Really reaching, aren't you?
#5: What's the "medicine" called. You don't get arrested for Advil.
#6: Again, reaching. P.P. keeps files confidential.
#7: So much for your first line about not getting into politics.
#8: Again, reaching. Johnny shouldn't play w/ bombs.
#9: Maybe Mary is a predator. Are you advocating that adult-child relationships were OK in the 50's?

Answer 4

That's priceless! You win the prize for best question of the day, my friend!

BTW, when did bullying become the worst thing in the history of mankind? Don't misunderstand, I'm not condoning it...simply saying we were all bullied in school and turned out just fine. Are today's kids somehow less able to bounce back than we were? Just get up, pop the bully in the head, and he'll stop. We learned that lesson, why can't today's kids?


EDIT: Cassandra, what planet are you from?

Answer 5

this is way past politics ,,this deals with ethics,character,pride,responsibility
Truth Justice and the American way
I am not a good writer but I know exactly what you are saying,,,where did it go,,,what happened,,,is there even the slightest chance to get it back,,,do you have the answer
lie to me and tell me yes

Answer 6

A huge part of the problem is that as more and more Americans farm out the raising of their precious children at younger and younger ages, they are hysterical about all the dangers they are exposing them to emotionally. Rather than face this, they try to hyper control the environment. And yes, sorry, it's the law and order knee jerk republicans who've brought us both the drug war hysteria and the homeland security hysteria.

Some of your scenarios are not only exxagerated, but lies. No child has ever been put into foster care because daddy spanked him for doing wrong. It is very difficult to get kids helped through CPS, despite the propaganda from unimaginative brutes who want to spank their kids rather than learn to parent. Kids have to be horribly bruised, bloodied, hospitalized or more for CPS to intervene and put the child in foster care.

The bit about school and graduation is a pathetic and bitterly sad lie, as majorities of minority students continue to drop out before graduation. I know, I know, things were better in the days when my grandma dropped out of school in 3rd grade because she was still trying to learn english after speaking polish at home.

You could also have posited how in the 50s the govt encouraged kids to learn math and science and today we have a president who encourages charlatans who teach kids the earth is 6000 years old.

Bullying was not okay, tho tolerated. The psychological scarring from bullying is real and is significant. I know, boo hoo hoo. Bullies would say that.

Or you have posit how in the 50s black man looks at white woman, gets lynched and how in this century, things are safer and saner.

Answer 7

My Dad age 69, and myself age 47 will often shake our heads at the way things are today and say "This is not the country I was born in to and thank God we will both be dead before it gets totally intolerable!"

Answer 8

I have never heard people say things are the same. The world is different now and there are more people and more problems.
You don't want to get into politics, but it's the politicians who change the laws to meet the needs of society.

Answer 9

Sigh!...I miss the good old days! Life was simpler and saner.

Answer 10

Of course things have changed. The world has changed.