Kids Today

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Jul 3, 2005
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Well, he wasn't a kid, but a twenty something Silicon Valley nerd type. I was at a local fast food type restaurant having lunch. I kept overhearing a conversation between the aforementioned kid and what I would guess was his grandmother (looked to be in her 70's or 80's).

Anyway, the way he talked was very condescending. I don't think it was intentional, but he was just clueless about it. He was reading the dietary information from the little pamphlet thing, telling her all about carbs. I figure, if you get to be that old, you must have been doing something right all those years and for some young kid to be lecturing you about carbs is terrible (alright, it wasn't really a lecture, but still).

If that were it, I wouldn't have thought much about it. But the kid confirmed his obliviousness when they were leaving. He did the obvious kind thing and bused the tray so she wouldn't have to. But despite the floor just being mopped (and visibly wet) he just left her behind to bus the tray. She was clearly hesitant walking through the mopped region, to the point where I was about to get up to help her. She caught up to him after he threw the stuff away and informed her which way they had come in. Then he took off again and waited by the door for twenty seconds for her to catch up again.

So he did the obvious things, busing the tray, holding open the door, but ignored the human touches that make those gestures important. He didn't slow his stride to walk with her, he didn't offer his arm through the slick patch on the floor. He told her things instead of asking or listening.

Although, I have to say I was the same way... When I could count my age on two hands.
 
My son was like eighteen when I told him a great truth about life.

Today you are as smart as you'll ever get.
And from now on you will get a little less smart
and understand less every day
Until one day you'll realize all that stuff I told you was true
At that point you will once again grow smarter.
Only this time you will have wisdom along for the ride.
 
only_more_so said:
Although, I have to say I was the same way... When I could count my age on two hands.
You can go back nearly 2000 years to the Greeks complaining about the same thing, how rude and awful kids "today" are, not like when they were young!

I suspect its the same every generation, there are those kids raised right--or with natural insight--who amaze the parents and grandparents with their maturity and courtesy...and those who are arrogant idiots who will either eventually learn...or never learn. I teach an exercise class frequented by an amazing 80 year old woman. Recently I ran into her and her granddaughter, the granddaughter, about 20-ish, was as proud of and respectful of her grandmother as you could possibly want.

Here's hoping this kid learns to be the same with his grandma before she is gone and he hasn't the chance to do right by her.
 
only_more_so said:
Although, I have to say I was the same way... When I could count my age on two hands.
I was never like that. My mom raised me with manners, and I insist on passing that along to my daughter (both that she have them and that she will expect them from boys). Some women I've dated think I'm old fashioned, but the ones who count appreciate it. Granted, it doesn't make up for all my personality flaws, but I like the expression on strangers faces when I go out of my way to do something nice.
 
I constantly complain how my youngest cousin is the rudest child I had ever met. Of course she got on my bad side one Christmas Eve when she threw my present over her should because it wasn't on the long list of expensive things that I could afford so I might be biased. Every time I would point out how rude she is and how she's getting away with it, my grandmother will point out how I use to be like that. Although when I tell mom what my cousin had done and what grandma told me, mom would deny that I was ever like my youngest cousin.

I would like to say I side with mom, but the honest truth is that I don't remember. So I'll just leave it at "kids will be kids" and grandparent's are a lot more tolerant because they've had a whole lifetime to figure kids out. :D
 
S-Des said:
I was never like that. My mom raised me with manners, and I insist on passing that along to my daughter (both that she have them and that she will expect them from boys). Some women I've dated think I'm old fashioned, but the ones who count appreciate it. Granted, it doesn't make up for all my personality flaws, but I like the expression on strangers faces when I go out of my way to do something nice.

I don't think having manners and teaching others to have them nor expect them is old fashioned. I always thought manners meant you were respectful to others. It always surprises me when a man holds open a door for me. He was considerate enough to do so when so many people just let the door slam in your face after they ran through it.
 
Well, you only saw one side of it. The young man not attending to an older woman. Here are some things you perhaps were unable to witness.

Brittle bones.
A large personal space.
Lost independence.
An unwillingness to be seen on the arm of a young man.

Maybe she had asked him about the carbs.

Maybe, and I only suggest this because it's Lit., maybe they were lovers uncomfortable at being seen too close in public and not a boy and his grandmother. (although being Lit. you can't rule that out either)
 
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