Where does this attitude from young people come from?

[Rali_hates_Mondays]

It is disheartening and also a nuisance to see a lot of young people with this heavy, aggressive, obnoxious attitude, saying "I'm better than you.... I can shout, swear as much as I like I don't care who has to listen to me... you better not fuck with me cos I'll dash your fucking head off!"

I was on the bus the other day and there were these chavs (British slang for lower class, rude, aggressive people who tend to wear sportwear, a cap and maybe a fake gold necklace if they're feeling creative) and they were just bouncing off walls of the bus, shouting, insulting each other, started smoking, having an argument... it sounded as if their own company kept making them unhappy in some way cos they kept shouting all the time. There was this brave passenger who told them to be quiet only to have snide comments about him whispered in the chavs' corner. It's not just them either- in the local shopping centre I see packs of them screeching their heads off!

Where do they get this attitude? Where did they find it? Did they get it from their parents? Did they get it from their friends? Did their friends get it from mainstream culture? It's like there's no harm in being civil, polite or nice even. Already I'm feeling old and I'm only 18- I sound like I'm one of those people who always say "well in my day... this and that was so much better..."

 

[lapafrax]

It's bad parenting, more often than not.

There should be a licence to have children!

 

[slobone]

One word -- testosterone. It seems to come out of nowhere during adolescence, and it takes years to learn how to handle it properly.

It's the main cause of crime, wars, gangs, rapes, and just generally obnoxious behavior.

Gay men of course have just as much of it, but we're socialized differently, so we tend to take ours out in dancing at clubs, figure skating, and of course fucking our brains out.

 

[Rali_hates_Mondays]

I think there's only so much that a parent can do and it seems like whenever anything goes bad for children, they become scapecoats in the media.

 

[Rali_hates_Mondays]

One word -- testosterone. It seems to come out of nowhere during adolescence, and it takes years to learn how to handle it properly.

It's the main cause of crime, wars, gangs, rapes, and just generally obnoxious behavior.

Gay men of course have just as much of it, but we're socialized differently, so we tend to take ours out in dancing at clubs, figure skating, and of course fucking our brains out.

But it's not just guys who are aggressive- it's girls as well (young teenage girls actually)

 

[The_Aviator]

Chavs really do irritate me as well. In some areas you just seem them hanging round street corners and shouting and cursing at people! The worst ones are the ones who ride there bikes in the middle of the street and randomly walk in the street and jump out infront of cars (as a joke (not very funny I know))...they are stupid because they could get killed!

Never happened in my day...(I'm only 20 lol)

 

[slobone]

But it's not just guys who are aggressive- it's girls as well (young teenage girls actually)

True, and that seems to be on the increase. But I think they're mostly taking their cues from the guys.

But you're right, the youngsters don't seem to be brought up as well as they used to be. It's especially disheartening to see this kind of thing happening in England, which always used to be known for good manners in every class.

 

[The_Aviator]

. It's especially disheartening to see this kind of thing happening in England, which always used to be known for good manners in every class.

I agree, it's very disheartening! The times are changing in the UK! Where is it all going wrong? Surely teenagers had testosterone in the 60's, 70's, 80's when behaviour was better! V.Odd.

Hey Rali_hates_Mondays...

I don't think that Chavs would look good on the dance floor - Arctic Monkeys lol

 

[slobone]

Although I don't have anything to argue against testosterone being a factor in rowdy behavior, I'm unclear on the connection to causing wars.

I thought most wars were caused by old men deciding it was time for some more of the young men, full of testosterone, to go off and kill some of the young men under the opposition's old men's influence.

Well that's what I meant, really. Young guys don't start the war, but if they weren't so ready and willing to slaughter each other, wars wouldn't get very far. Remember the Iraq "war" is being fought entirely by volunteers.

 

[slobone]

I agree, it's very disheartening! The times are changing in the UK! Where is it all going wrong? Surely teenagers had testosterone in the 60's, 70's, 80's when behaviour was better! V.Odd.

Well, remember the Mods and the Rockers in the 60's. But that was probably pretty mild stuff compared to what's going on today.

I hate to be one of those people who blames the media. But. Every teenager today, worldwide, seems to be listening to gangsta music and playing violent video games. Surely that must have some effect somewhere in their tiny brains?

 

[The_Aviator]

Bring back the cane in schools!

 

[treanir]

Yes, chavs are annoying to the extreme. There are many subgroups these days that just seem to exist solely to irritate and cause a nuisance. Sometimes I just want to take out a cane and whip them with it.

For the record: I'm 21.

 

[Paws]

I moved from my hometown to a bigger city 3 years ago. It seems the school kids of all ages this year are more stupid than ever before.

I was walking down a fairly busy street looking at the shop windows when I turned my head into the other direction and saw some school kids kicking another kid that was lying on the ground. An old lady just came along and raised her walking stick to warn them. That's when the kids stopped and the one on the ground just stood up like nothing happened, all of them grinning.

If they had been right next to me I would have grabbed one of the kids and thrown him into the tables and seats of the restaurant that was next to them, to show him what pain is.

But I guess they want to end up as wrestling-stars.

 

[lapafrax]

True, and that seems to be on the increase. But I think they're mostly taking their cues from the guys.

But you're right, the youngsters don't seem to be brought up as well as they used to be. It's especially disheartening to see this kind of thing happening in England, which always used to be known for good manners in every class.

Stereotypes ahoy! All Americans are fat. All Asian men have tiny dicks and all black men have huge dicks.

I'm British, and I wouldn't say that British people are necessarily "more mannerly" than other nationalities.

 

[lapafrax]

I was in England in 2002, and I remember seeing the terrible amount of graffiti painted onto train stations and even clock towers, but there was also loads of trash dumped over the embankments into the train's right of way. It made America look a little less uncouth in comparison.

Don't see how that means young people are more unruly.

 

[dynk]

I find that here Stateside if we see groups of young guys behaving like that, they are usually high on something or have been drinking. They are releasing pent up pressures and anger. It is really too bad because the same guys I see sober and they are well behaved teens.

 

[Ramindra]

If Croynan was around, he would probably be quoting that 1950's English musical about the 1950's version of todays chavs, "Fings Ain't What They Used To Be". "Spivs" they wos called in them days. (I would have loved to have quoted it but I cannot find the lyrics. I actually had to read it as part of a study into adolescent group behaviour in the 20th century...along with the Hitler youth movement and Maxwell Anderson's 1936 play "Winterset".)

Some 19th century German philosophers were predicting the end of the world, basing their predictions as they did on the unruly and profligate behaviour of German teenagers at the time.

Somehow, the next generation is always worse than the one which came before it and yet somehow the world still spins and the sun continues to rise.

 

[spooger]

it's nothing more than poor, emotionally neglected young people crying out for help in the only manner they know.....

when parents and adults in their lives either don't communicate with them at all, or are abusive .....what do you expect?

poor adolescents and young adults these days are just misunderstood.....if adults "in charge" would only TRY to see life from the poor chav's point of view.....

life everywhere would improve....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.NOT.........

 

[JayHew]

It is a combo of factors but the main one is lack of parenting and teaching proper manners and being able to deal with frustrations in a constructive manner. The PC crap over the years has taken its toll for sure. Overall too, society has changed a great deal and the idea of anyone else saying anything is taboo. As a kid, I know I had to mind what I did otherwise some total stranger would tell me to knock it off and would do something, now that is discouraged. Seems to be ok for someone to act out badly, but not for someone to demand proper behavior. It is ok to "do your own thing" even to the discomfort of anothers, but to expect proper social behavior is discrimination, suppression and flat out wrong. Something is totally screwed up here. Again goes back to proper parenting, we do what we are taught from a young age.

 

[lapafrax]

Perhaps not these days but go back historically to the 60's and 70's and the quaintessential English man was mild mannered, polite, spoke correctly, always pulled the chair out for ladies, always opened doors etc. Took his hat off when entering a house. Children were to be seen and not heard. Its all true - 40 years ago, England WAS factually more polite and mannerly than it is today.

I don't believe that was ever the case . Stereotypical bullshit.