That’s the Al Murray (Pub Landlord) routine!
“Where would we be if we didn’t have rules?” “France!”
“And where would we be if we had too many rules?” “Germany!”…
6 Likes
My sister taught school for the “bottom end” teenagers and said she started the year with the following:
“Hands up if you’re an off-duty policeman.”
“Hands up if you’re an on-call fireman.”
“Hands up if you’re an EMT.”
“Right, the rest of you take out your phones and switch them off! If I hear a phone in my class it becomes mine for the year…”
7 Likes
“Everything is forbidden which isn’t expressly allowed.”
And how I loved all that when I was posted to Germany; it appealed to my orderly military mind I suppose - the Ordentlichkeit of it all.
Upon visiting Berlin around 10 years ago, what a surprise (though I fully appreciate that one shouldn’t judge a country by its capital): graffiti everywhere, I mean really everywhere, and fat, scruffy, shambolic policemen. This wasn’t the Germany I knew and loved!
I’d previously visited Berlin in 1980; I think I preferred it as it was then. Sigh
6 Likes
As a student, I totally understand. I don’t understand the constant obsession with the latest person in society, the latest outfit, or the latest tech. I understand liking video games, I think they’re cool, but phones have gone too far. The amount of kids I know who can’t go anywhere without their phone is astonishing. I have friends, even family who, the second nothing is happening, out comes the phone, instead of finding someone to talk to and engage with other humans.
People often wonder why we have so many messed up kids; I believe that phones play a major role in this. The amount of questionable content on Tik Tok, YouTube, etc. is abounding; it’s everywhere, all the time. I could go on but I think that Greg nailed it for all that really needs to be said.
I am disappointed with my generation, to say the least.
Also, thank you for still pressing forward to try to teach these kids; it’s very honorable that you haven’t just hung up the hat and gone home. I’d be fed up if I were you, and I don’t know that I could keep teaching.
10 Likes
1950’s to 1970’s - kids raised by TV
1970’s to 1990’s - kids raised by TV, VHS & video games
1990’s to 2010’s - kids raised by Internet, DVD, Blu-ray & video games
2010’s to current - kids raised by cellphones, tik-tok, facebook, insta-gram & video games etc
Current to 2035 - kids raised by cellphone & AI
2035 - 2045 no kids - AI implements Control, Alt, Delete for Humanity and the future generations were good with it.
2045 - 2055 Humanity version 2.0 is Beta tested by The Machines
2055 - 2065 Humanity version 3.0 is Beta tested by The Machines and released back into the environment on a limited basis.
Really if parents can’t be bothered to raise their kids, the AI software of the future will just have to do the best it can with the rug rats.
Cheers 
8 Likes
Did you say you played Post-Apocalyptic Wargames?
Cheers,
M
3 Likes
We really need a break from all this. Let’s go have a nice dinner somewhere…
…
10 Likes
Hah! Etiquette for today - 'love it!
Funnily enough, my kids, on occasion, ask me if I want to go out to dinner; when I reply in the affirmative but stress “The moment I see anyone reach for their phone I walk”, suddenly I’m the Bad Guy.
8 Likes
I won’t dispute the effect of today’s readily accessible technology has had on modern culture but I, and this is just my personal opinion mind you, feel like it falls on the parents, it’s the evolution of our species, parenting has become more and more lax as each generation evolves and ages, youngsters are always going to be irresponsible and unruly until the parent steps in and says “okay that’s enough” and takes some type of disciplinary action. Back in the times when livestock had to be tended and crops brought in everybody in the family had to work, work was the only thing our grandparents knew, our parents had to work hard but life was changing, society was being influenced by cinema then television, what was taboo and unacceptable in marriages was now chic and commonplace and began eroding the family unit, today’s kids are raised in a single parent home usually lacking the father figure, stability is non-existent due to the mother having to work irregular hours and the child unmanaged, now days in American society at least, parents are pressured to keep up with the Jonses kids, why else would a 12 year old have a cell phone, put a quarter in their shoe for an emergency phone call, if you can find a pay phone. In the end it’s all part of a bigger plan and we’re not in control.
Cajun 
5 Likes
…usually the Dungeon Master in our old AD&D, or Game Master in other games like Gamma World, Space Oprea etc plus designed a home brew version inspired by Tekumel customized to suit our gaming group…
Human history in a screen shot?
…and the shape of things to come…
8 Likes
Maybe this will all shake out in the end because of no continuation of the species . I can’t tell you the number of times I have seen a young male in the company of an attractive female and instead of gawking at what she may have to offer later on in the evening he has his face buried in his phone - not a hint of burying it somewhere else later on . Sad .
8 Likes
The ladies will just have to learn a new role as active “hunters”.
4 Likes
AKA “stalkers.” They have fake hair, fake body parts, ten-inch painted claws and they demand their food for FREE. 
3 Likes
A stalker is someone whose attention is not wanted.
Before I got married I would have slowed down to allow an attractive woman to catch up.
I did have to outrun a few unattractive ones though …
4 Likes
Sad thing is they’ve already figured it out, todays woman will tell you flat out she don’t need no man, they prefer the company of a woman.
Cajun
2 Likes
Nah, you have just met the wrong ones.
Just wait until the floor drain needs cleaning or some heavy sh!t needs lifting …
Spiders and anything small that flies also needs a man …
7 Likes
BT in the UK, once had an advert, probably about 15- 20 years ago,
were kids walked to the bus stop in silence,
on the bus in silence,
then once in the house,
picked up the landline phone , and phoned all there mates, to chat about today schools gossiping,
my how times have changed.
3 Likes
Nope, they got that covered: girlfriends with shaved heads, lots of ink, assorted piercings and their own truck.
Q: Why do Sumo wrestlers shave their legs?
A: So they won’t be mistaken for Diesel Dykes…
Cheers,
M
8 Likes
3 Likes
