My turn.
What's wrong with the world today? How much time do you have? Let's keep it domestic - the world is too big a place for a short forum post.
We have developed a generation that expects things to be provided by the government as a matter of rote. Just earning an income isn't enough for many - it has to be supplemented at the expense of others, by government benefits. When the benefits are no longer appropriate or affordable for the government, and they try to remove or reduce them, their opponents and the beneficiaries whinge like stuck pigs. The fact that the benefit may not even be justifiable any more doesn't matter.
We have also developed the attitude that someone is going to pay if I suffer ANYTHING I don't like. We laugh at the American habit of suing for minor incidents but we have become just as committed to litigation for trivial matters.
There is a definite lack of respect for authority these days. Young people (and older ones too) laugh at police and taunt them, committing misdemeanors or worse knowing that the justice system will err on the side of caution unless you have an exstensive criminal record. Criminals are released on bail or parole and commit crimes as heinous or worse than those for which they were originally charged.
Our streets are frequently trashed with meaningless, indecipherable scrawl and stupid graffiti on any vertical surface. Fences are kicked in, cars are torched, parties are crashed and properties ruined by drunken scum who have nothing better to do that destroy other people's property. Respect for other people is diminishing.
Children are bred with no manners. My granddaughters were brought up to say please and thank-you and the number of times they are commented on favourably for doing so is because it happens so seldom.
Some members of the community for whom respect once existed at the highest level are being convicted for paedophilia dating back twenty or thirty years. Senior Catholic (and possibly other religions) priests are ending up in gaol after being convicted of multiple offences on minors in their care.
People these days are worried about things they didn't have to concern themselves with until the turn of the century or thereabouts. Terrorism comes readily to mind, particularly in light of recent events on just about every continent. Even the Lindt seige in
Sydney is now classified as linked to Islamic terrorism and at least two states in Australia have suffered murders and shootings involving idiots proclaiming to be connected to Islam in some way. When we see the severe attacks overseas, and experience the small potato attacks here, it still brings home the fact that we are not so far away that it can't happen here.
Overall, I believe that people are becoming disillusioned with our society and its failure to maintain the quality of life and prosperity we once enjoyed. We may well have amongst the best lifestyles and highest living standards in the world but what good are they when so many people are worried, distrustful and angry about what it really means to them?
Rant over, but this is one forum member who remembers times when life was simpler and we treated each other with respect and humility. We didn't have all the modern gadgets and we didn't need them. Life really was simpler. I feel a bit sorry for those of you who never got to experience those times.
