There's a constant stream of media reports these days about yobs, chavs and the general disintegration of anything approaching decent behaviour from "young people".
Like everything else, it's not as big a problem as it's made out to be. That said, for anyone on the receiving end of a gang of Burberry decked morons, that's little comfort.
The thing that interests me is why this sort of thing has become so prevalent. I put it down to Health and Safety rules.
Back when I was a kid, all kinds of dangerous things could be done and we had fun.
Parks are a prime example of this:
Slides were 12-15 ft tall (maybe even taller); shiny metal you could cook an egg on in the heat of summer; jump from progressively higher steps onto the grass (or more likely concrete below).
Swings were tall too; slippery plastic seats you would stand on when wet; swing standing up and jump off letting the chain wrap itself around the top bar; climb up the side poles and get it down and start all over again.
Roundabouts that would make you sick or maybe get your foot caught under it and wreck your shoes; jump on and off it as fast as you'd dare
See-saws that sent you flying when they went up and tried to crack your pelvis when they went down.
Everything was surrounding by concrete and when you went over it bloody hurt and your trousers got ripped.
Now it's bark chippings, safety rails, and nothing taller than six feet.
The danger has been taken away in the name of protecting the children and the children have gone and found even more dangerous things to do that often involve vandalism or abusing people.
Children want to take risks and test the limits. Dangerous things taught us a lesson by themselves. Jumping over your mates on a bike using a piece of wood on bricks as a ramp; falling off and breaking his collar-bone in the process definitely taught my mate.
All the natural life lessons have been removed. The little dangers have gone and only big stakes remain. We can no longer work our way up the steps on the slide until we find our limit. We're suddenly left with the 20ft drop or stepping off the pavement. You grow up and find yourself in a No Limit Texas Hold 'Em with your life savings at stake when you'd only ever played for pennies against your granny.
All that's left is being told not to do something. Physical injury (or some other equivalent painful outcome) is a great way of learning not to do something. It's not inhumane. It's just natural. We're physical beings way before we become mental beings. Something hurts, you don't do it again.
We like risks. We seek them out. It's called growing and discovering our capabilities. Adult life is about playing for keeps. Let's give our kids a chance to find that out. Actions do have consequences.
Despite all that, I'm still human and would like to beat the crap out of some of the little shits.
