Why are today's kids so spoiled?

[Hubert]

Part of the problem is, and I'm dead serious about this, a lot of people out there actually feel that it's completely acceptable for kids to swear after kindergarten. I am not lying, sometimes those kids are ENCOURAGED to swear; when I was in middle school, yes, if teachers or faculty heard us swearing, we got in trouble for it (in grade 6, I got in the worst trouble ever for accidentally dropping the frog-bomb loud enough for people to hear me), but those kids willingly sweared as much as they liked when teachers weren't listening. First four weeks I was in public high school, one time in class, the teacher dismissed a student for disruptive behavior, and she actually had the gaul to stand up in front of his desk and exclaim, "You want me to take my s--- with me?!"

There are basically three parent cases with swearing (I've seen examples of all 3):
1. The parent swears constantly around their kids and don't care whatsoever if their kids pick it up.
2. The parent's opinion is "I understand kids, as soon as their parents aren't watching, they swear and swear. I did that and I accept that inevitable fact of life."
3. The parent would die if they knew how their children spoke, but their children hide it from them.

Now, I've never really seen people who see it acceptable for kids to swear at a very early age, but I'm sure they're out there.

I've said it before, and I'll keep saying it until people finally decide to do something about it: we live today in a constant and ongoing moral decay in today's modern, comtemporary society. We have the power to make things right again, but people don't want to because they view doing the right then as being a wimp, or a pantywaist, or "uptight"... heck, apparently even some Christians out there now feel that things like not swearing, staying virgin till marriage, or anything like that is "insane".

Amen! Amen! Amen! I've been saying that forever.

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Entertainment is the key. Entertainment has done a ton of bad for the world. So why can't it do good? The thing people's lives center around these days is entertainment. What is needed is good quality entertainment, positive, appropriate entertainment. Humor. Clean humor. We don't need preaching and teaching. We need good entertainment. It is the key. And I'm wanting to get into that industry to get some good entertainment out there.

Think about it: where did kids learn all the bad they know? 95% of the time it's entertainment. So if it can corrupt people, why can't it save them?

 

[D'Snowth]

I've said it before and I'll say it again: Entertainment is the key. Entertainment has done a ton of bad for the world. So why can't it do good? The thing people's lives center around these days is entertainment. What is needed is good quality entertainment, positive, appropriate entertainment. Humor. Clean humor. We don't need preaching and teaching. We need good entertainment. It is the key. And I'm wanting to get into that industry to get some good entertainment out there.

Think about it: where did kids learn all the bad they know? 95% of the time it's entertainment. So if it can corrupt people, why can't it save them?

Yes! Yes, yes, yes! You have hit the nail on the head!

How many times have I said it? The public ALWAYS looks to the media for guidance anymore, and what is the entertainment industry polluted with? All the things that have contributed to the moral decay in our society, especially sex; everytime you turn on TV anymore, what do you see? Reckless, selfish, irresponsible, and immoral sexual behavior... and we wonder why we have such problems with teenaged pregnancies and b@$+@rd children, because people think it's okay to just engage in sexual activities anywhere, anytime, with anyone, under any circumstances, without any consequences... then they're faced with the consequences and don't know what to do about it because, gee, they didn't have consequences on TV or in the movies. Then, of course, like with the swearing issue, there are some people out there who encourage this kind of stuff, like someone once said about Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23, "Sex is a part of life, and sitcoms are about life, if sitcoms were about married couples having sex, they would be boring."

 

[Hubert]

Yes! Yes, yes, yes! You have hit the nail on the head!

How many times have I said it? The public ALWAYS looks to the media for guidance anymore, and what is the entertainment industry polluted with? All the things that have contributed to the moral decay in our society, especially sex; everytime you turn on TV anymore, what do you see? Reckless, selfish, irresponsible, and immoral sexual behavior... and we wonder why we have such problems with teenaged pregnancies and b@$+@rd children, because people think it's okay to just engage in sexual activities anywhere, anytime, with anyone, under any circumstances, without any consequences... then they're faced with the consequences and don't know what to do about it because, gee, they didn't have consequences on TV or in the movies. Then, of course, like with the swearing issue, there are some people out there who encourage this kind of stuff, like someone once said about Don't Trust the B---- in Apt. 23, "Sex is a part of life, and sitcoms are about life, if sitcoms were about married couples having sex, they would be boring."

Exactly. And the only reason that this stuff is on TV is because it sells. It sells. It makes people watch a TV station, go to a movie, download a song. There are a bunchy of greedy moneymakers behind the scenes, who don't care who they're messing up. It's all about the money for them.

Clean Humor. Clean Comedy. Clean Puns. Clean Fun. That's what the world needs.
This quote from Jim Henson pretty much summarizes what I believe best. I've been saying this exact thing even before I knew Jim had ever said it:

I believe that we can use television and film to be an influence for good; that we can help to shape the thoughts of children and adults in a positive way.

It made me smile to see you saying I've hit the nail on the head. It's nice to know someone else out there has the same mindset as I do.

 

[D'Snowth]

It made me smile to see you saying I've hit the nail on the head. It's nice to know someone else out there has the same mindset as I do.

You've seen my work obviously, you'll notice I don't rely on any kind of raunchy, vulgar, or inappropriate content that almost all TV shows use without care today to be entertaining... heck, even on occasions where I may get a little edgy, it's never off-color or in bad taste... and let me tell you something, I know I've said this before, but as someone who writes most of his own work, it is NOT hard at all to write something genuinely funny without having to throw in the bad stuff for cheap laughs.

 

[Hubert]

You've seen my work obviously, you'll notice I don't rely on any kind of raunchy, vulgar, or inappropriate content that almost all TV shows use without care today to be entertaining... heck, even on occasions where I may get a little edgy, it's never off-color or in bad taste... and let me tell you something, I know I've said this before, but as someone who writes most of his own work, it is NOT hard at all to write something genuinely funny without having to throw in the bad stuff for cheap laughs.

Yes, I have seen your work. It's wonderful. Perfect example of what the world needs. And it's true: it's not hard to write something funny without bad stuff. You've done it, the Muppets have done it, some others have done it...What more proof do you need? It can be done.

 

[D'Snowth]

Well, that was a goal of mine, to try and bring that kind of entertainment back to the television landscape, like the sitcoms of the 60s, where they were genuinely funny, with likable characters, solid writing, wonderful direction, etc. Apparently, the creator of Glee said that's what he was trying to accomplish with the show, but he's failed miserably, because Glee isn't too different from other shows on TV right now, with the exception of the show-stopping and pre-orchestrated numbers.

I even spoke with an actual television historian once, Ben Glenn II, and even he has said that he thinks the world needs decent wholesome entertainment right now (especially if it involves puppets, as it turns out, he too has a love of puppets).

 

[Hubert]

Well, that was a goal of mine, to try and bring that kind of entertainment back to the television landscape, like the sitcoms of the 60s, where they were genuinely funny, with likable characters, solid writing, wonderful direction, etc. Apparently, the creator of Glee said that's what he was trying to accomplish with the show, but he's failed miserably, because Glee isn't too different from other shows on TV right now, with the exception of the show-stopping and pre-orchestrated numbers.

I even spoke with an actual television historian once, Ben Glenn II, and even he has said that he thinks the world needs decent wholesome entertainment right now (especially if it involves puppets, as it turns out, he too has a love of puppets).

Yes, the sitcoms of the 50s and 60s falls in that category. If that kind of thing filled up TV, that would really help out the world. I love those old shows, I could spend all day watching them. I've never really seen Glee, I always thought I might like it. (At least compared to the other stuff out there right now.)

So Ben Glenn II joins the little boat we're on, that houses about 1% of the population. Welcome to the boat Ben!

I have a feeling that something big is going to be happening in the entertainment industry soon. Just read the "What do you/did you want to do when you grow up" thread. By reading that, it makes you confident that us at MC can walk in and make some good stuff for TV. And really, I don't see a reason why not. Who better than to do it than the followers of one of the great entertainment pioneers?

 

[CensoredAlso]

heck, apparently even some Christians out there now feel that things like not swearing, staying virgin till marriage, or anything like that is "insane".

Well while I think swearing is largely unnecessary and uncreative, I don't find it immoral. Immoral is seeing someone being bullied and not doing anything. Things like that.

I don't think children are ruined by watching R rated films. They're ruined if their parents don't make it clear what they should and should not imitate in real life.

 

[meepmuppaphones]

I think the main cause of this is parenting. If you don't get rid of a habit at a young age then you'll never get rid of it. I used to swear when I was 9 but my mom said she'll throw my video games away if I utter a single swear. Since then, I wouldn't even whisper a minor swear (or type it for that matter). Some parents just go with the floe and regret it later. I also find that the people who prefer shootting games with gore swear more than the people who like Nintendo. It looks like preferences are influenced by habits. It's like dominoes. Knock one over and it grows from there.

 

[CensoredAlso]

I think the main cause of this is parenting. If you don't get rid of a habit at a young age then you'll never get rid of it. I used to swear when I was 9 but my mom said she'll throw my video games away if I utter a single swear. Since then, I wouldn't even whisper a minor swear (or type it for that matter).

Exactly it's the kind of thing you really have to follow through with.

I also find that the people who prefer shootting games with gore swear more than the people who like Nintendo. It looks like preferences are influenced by habits.

I just don't like pointing at movies or games to explain kids' behavior. Children have liked playing rough and rebelling since the dawn of time.