AIBU to think children are now in charge

[Itsmeagainandagain]

The school kids protesting in London, how things have changed when we were children we done what we were told, now the kids are laying down the law and dictating to adults.

We already know children know they are above the law and untouchable, we had Greta Thunburg blame the older generation for all the faults of planet earth.

AIBU to think that children are being disrespectful and have no idea how the real world works? These are the same children who would be in floods of tears screaming if you changed the WiFi password to their gadgets, WiFi that us adults work to pay for!!

[CandyLeBonBon]

Bloody sick of hearing about "ageism"

Easy to say when you're the right side of ageing!

[marigoldflower]

I'm actively raising my kids not to blindly follow authority

Critical thinking is a desirable skill. But an unceasing oppositional attitude is likely to be counterproductive for them in the long term.

When the time comes to enter the job market, for instance, they will be expected to follow rules. Employers will not always be so patient and accommodating. Or when it comes to social interactions, if you encounter someone who is constantly defiant, at some point you will find it easier to disengage (even if it's just for the sake of self-preservation)

I don't think one would want to set up one's children for that kind of life.

[jessstan2]

@P999

I'm actively raising my kids not to blindly follow authority. Not to be difficult for the sake of it, but to question and think for themselves. They're neither rude, disrespectful or rebelling just for the sake of it. I'm not allowed to buy the wrong food (must be fairtrade, no unnecessary packaging etc). And I will let them protest their hearts out, if they want. Did the same myself at their age. I would be disappointed, tobe honest, if they were unquestioning rule followers.

Quite right P999. I did the same with mine.

[AuntieStella]

@CandyLeBonBon

Bloody sick of hearing about "ageism"

Easy to say when you're the right side of ageing!

You won't have to hear about it when people stop doing it

[CoffeeandCakeEqualsLove]

@marigoldflower Did you actually read @P999 full post? No where do they suggest an unceasing oppositional attitude.

@P999 I completely agree with you, to be clear

[CandyLeBonBon]

Indeed @AuntieStella - sadly I fear we're quite a distance from that goal

[UsedUpUsername]

I'm not allowed to buy the wrong food (must be fairtrade, no unnecessary packaging etc)

Imagine if you were married to someone like this. Nightmare

[lynsey91]

@P999

I'm actively raising my kids not to blindly follow authority. Not to be difficult for the sake of it, but to question and think for themselves. They're neither rude, disrespectful or rebelling just for the sake of it. I'm not allowed to buy the wrong food (must be fairtrade, no unnecessary packaging etc). And I will let them protest their hearts out, if they want. Did the same myself at their age. I would be disappointed, tobe honest, if they were unquestioning rule followers.

You are "not allowed" to buy the wrong food!! So dictated to by your children.

Yes they can suggest foods but it is surely down to you what you buy? What if you could not afford fairtrade but your children demanded that you did?

[Daphnise]

When you're young, you're stupid.
When you are old you're wise.
Then you go senile and die.

[Fimofriend]

Greta travelled to USA in a sail boat. How the h is that bad for the environment?

[derxa]

@Fimofriend

Greta travelled to USA in a sail boat. How the h is that bad for the environment?

It was a load of old nonsense.

[Badoingbadoing]

Important to deal in facts when having discussions like these... I’ve never actually seen anything about Greta travelling by aeroplane. She went on a boat to the UN general assembly in New York (and back again). Goes by train throughout Europe. I think it’s hard to brand her a hypocrite.

I’m delighted young people care about things. One of the greatest things my parents did for me was to encourage me in acting on the causes I cared about as a kid (even if they weren’t always the same things my parents cared about). Let’s hope we all do the same for our kids.

[UrAWizHarry]

@UsedUpUsername

I'm not allowed to buy the wrong food (must be fairtrade, no unnecessary packaging etc)

Imagine if you were married to someone like this. Nightmare

Seems pretty reasonable to me if we are actually going to have a shift in attitudes. My eldest won't tolerate my youngest picking out those shitty magazines with crap toys/kindereggs etc.

[ddl1]

That's EXACTLY what the grown-ups were saying about our lot in the 70s and 80s! All those undisciplined young women protesting at Greenham Common and the like. Tut tut. And even more about those slightly older than us in the 60s! All a bunch of long-haired hippies smoking pot and protesting against war instead of getting down to a proper job of work!

From the kids' point of view:

People try to put us down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Yeah, I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

(The Who, 1965)

And most of their generation - a much higher percentage than in any previous generation - fortunately did NOT die before they got old. Instead, they are now fuming and tutting about the Youth of Today, just as older people once did about them!

[Gilead]

You need to read a bit of history, there have always been school strikes and protests. I attended many a school sit in back in the seventies.
As for respecting elders, only if they earn it and racist attitudes to hair are not respectful.

[UsedUpUsername]

@Badoingbadoing

Important to deal in facts when having discussions like these... I’ve never actually seen anything about Greta travelling by aeroplane. She went on a boat to the UN general assembly in New York (and back again). Goes by train throughout Europe. I think it’s hard to brand her a hypocrite.

I’m delighted young people care about things. One of the greatest things my parents did for me was to encourage me in acting on the causes I cared about as a kid (even if they weren’t always the same things my parents cared about). Let’s hope we all do the same for our kids.

I linked to it earlier but basically her sailboat crew was flying around on airplanes and created a load of extra emissions. It was a stupid stunt, she’d have had far lower emissions flying economy.

[feellikeanalien]

@Tartyflette

I'm now just an aging lefty but i well remember going on demos at university in the 70s and even took part in an occupation of the university Senate building. (Can't remember what about, though.😊 It seemed important at the time....)
Of course, we thought we knew it all and wanted to change the world for the better. I clearly remember feeling strongly that we could and would change things. Just like today's students.
Sadly we didn't, or not as much as we'd have liked.
So yes, some of today's protests might be wrong headed or damaging to women. But they are still needed. I just hope the baby doesn't get chucked out with the bathwater.

Totally agree. I remember being a member of CND and supporting Rock Against Racism in the 70s and thinking that the older generation didn't have a clue.

What I find slightly concerning these days is that there always seems to be an attempt to divide people by race, class, sex, age or other characteristics. There does also seem to be more intolerance to other people's opinions and a lack of willingness to enter into discussion.

[kurentovanje]

@Itsmeagainandagain no idea how the real world works

I'm late to this thread but what struck me in your OP was a glaring sense of intransigence. What is this 'real world'? Is there a set way of doing things? Why shouldn't the status quo be challenged? Are you happy with the 'way the world works'? If so, do you think others may not be? Why might this be?

[SofiaMichelle]

@tangerinelollipop

Greta doesn't fly

Do you believe those behind her 'phenomenon' don't fly either? How ridiculously naïve!

Sadly, people do believe the bollocks.

Having a captain flown to the US to sail her back across the Atlantic so that she could claim to be carbon neutral is hypocritical to say the least.