If you could be a kid again, would you look up to adults your age?

Question

When I was a kid, I looked up to adults. In my own life I did ok and didn't think it was that hard to be successful.

Now that I'm in my 30's, I am disgusted by most of my so called "peers" around me. I wouldn't respect any adults today if I were a kid.

I turn on the TV and see most adults act worse than my fifth grade class.

There are so many businesses out there waiting to make money off adults for their own incompetence, everything from rehab to payday loans to debt consolidation.

And the biggest joke is that people think it's okay to live at home after they get out of school, forever.

How would you teach a kid to respect their elders when their elders need grown up supervision?

Does anyone else here feel this way?

Yeah I agree I was taught to always respect elders, too.. and I will probably be saying Sir and Ma'am until I die, which is good.. however, those are titles I find hard to attribute to anyone my own age, especially when I just sit back and watch people in public.

Answer 1

When I read the first part of your Q I was ready to answer after I read the rest I had to pause a minute,and your right I don't think I could look up to our generation(a little older than you) there is no responsibility for ones actions anymore people do what ever they want without regard for anyone else,everybody is out for themselves,all the time.manners are a thing of the past .I do my best with my wife's help to raise our boys with respect and manners but it is hard to fight what they see and hear everyday when they are not with us.having said all that there are alot of decent successful people out there so don't give up yet don't go quietly into that goodnight.

Answer 2

Whew! Do you feel better now that you got that off your chest? When you were around 18, I was a pizza guy in my 40s. One of the things I hated most about that job was all the foul mouth young guys I had to work with, who had no respect for us older folks. I was taught the yes sir and no sir stuff when I was young. And I at least expected them to talk to me in a decent way. And hearing about your peers really doesn't surprise me.
I remember one time I went back to the town where I was reared. And to hear the teenagers around there say yes sir and no sir to me kind of freaked me out.
I know this fellow that never moved out of his parents house and he is 42 now. I wonder what he will do when his folks pass on? Anyway, hang in there.

Answer 3

If I were a kid again, I'd be afraid to grow up! I know too much now.

On the positive side, I do know some good adults with some positive wisdom. They are the minority, but they are there; most are over fifty. So if I were a kid again, I would look up to the 50+
group to help me learn about life. When I really was a kid, I thought most 50-somethings were old fogeys. Funny how you change with experience.

Answer 4

I'd respect most of them. Yup. Was taught that way, and this teaching (when I was very young) dies hard.

There are a few, tho... Like once, we were in a very crowded casino. This one old lady was tying up a whole bank of slot machines. She didn't care that others couldn't find even one machine to play. I told her she was rude, and my son was shocked that I'd do that.

I don't like those who brush right past other customers who've been waiting, and demand to be waited on first.

I don't like to see rudeness, thoughtless, or downright mean behavior in an elderly person. I tell them they're not behaving.

Some day, someone is gonna punch me.

Answer 5

TV aims for the bad boy / excitement factor . . .
But many people lack ethics .
Schools got confused , the ban on religion did not mean they couldn't teach ethics but out of fear , they dropped it and too few parents teach it to their kids.
Kids are moving home because their parents are destined to 'reap what they have sown ' - looser seeds.
Kids should be taught to be courteous and civil to everyone
( not just elders ) and
Respect is earned - It is bad to teach them to respect someone just because they are an elder .
Many elders are felons, pedophiles & other ilk .
Teach children civility and to evaluate moral qualities before they render respect .