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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2009 21:03:41 GMT
Ok, before I start, I know that starting a thread with this as a title might be asking for trouble. Please do not use this thread for political rantings or for any kind of extreme views of any sort (there are Pro-boards rules about that kind of thing).
I was just wondering, what do you think the little things are that have gone from our society that if they came back would make this country a better place to live and what would you get rid of.
I think that it would be nice if manners made a comeback. For me, they've never gone away and we're teaching our children to say their pleases and thank you's but it seems that we are in a minority and most children these days don't even give it a thought.
I'd also like to see less dumbing-down of tv, magazines, newspapers and all media in general really. We seem to pander to the terminally stupid by making everything almost easy enough for my 4-year-old to understand.
Oh, and PLEASE can we end this damn obsession with "celebrity". I can barely watch GMTV any more because it is so celebrity obsessed and any reality shows with the word "celebrity" in the title are a definite no-no for me (except possibly Celebrity Masterchef which for me is about the food, the cooking and the judging, not seeing some D-list soap star crying because they can't boil an egg).
Your thoughts on this topic are most welcome but please keep it light-hearted. If anyone starts using this as a soapbox for political or extremist views, I will ask Admin to close it immediately.
FA x
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Post by Spruance on Sept 17, 2009 21:51:35 GMT
It is admittedly difficult to be politically neutral on this subject but there are certain things that could/would make a difference. First and foremost it should not be a 'crime' to be proud of our country and its traditions and nor should there be any restriction on flying the national flag or indeed the flags of the four constituent nations. The teaching of British history should be given priority in schools and ideally should be mandatory. I find it shocking that children can spend many years at school and then not know that Sir Winston Churchill actually wasn't the first man to walk on the Moon as has been reported lately. Similarly it was Battle of Britain day on Tuesday 15th September but I don't recall seeing anything about that on TV although to its credit our local council has flown the RAF flag on the town hall all week. Secondly the return of common sense which no-one seems to have any more. There was a report on the news earlier today of a steam railway sited within three miles of an an anthracite producing mine in Wales but having to import their coal from Russia as local planning laws state that they can't have road deliveries from the local pit.  Thirdly, there should be more real police officers on foot patrol, not touring around in cars, and ideally local beat officers who make themselves known to the community instead of just talking to each other on the rare occasion (usually in the town centre) that you happen to see two police officers at once. Finally, how about a day in the stocks instead of fixed penalty tickets for littering and mnor crimes or is that going too far?  In gardening terms the country is like a once verdant and productive patch that has become over run by weeds. It will take a long time to get it back into shape, but it's not impossible if we all do our bit.  |
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Post by Tig on Sept 17, 2009 23:06:45 GMT
If we all cared about our environment, other people and could appreciate 'differences' it would be a start!
There is no 'discipline' in large sections of society these days, and without it there is little respect either.
x Tig
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Post by JennyWrenn on Sept 18, 2009 6:30:02 GMT
I think F-A said most of it really Manners - biking along the canal I give way to walkers, joggers, etc - hardly anyone says "Thank you" Produce - keep buying British - unless Bananas and obvious food i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/wink.gif Stop - all this stupid Health and Safety - which is really saying dont have a good time you may injure yourself and then sue us I used to play on a very "dangerous" council play ground - the swings were an accident about to happen - but we were careful - no one ever got hurt Village - bring back the village shops and post offices - the council push these little shops out of business with their massive rents - "my" village used to have a twee coffee shoppe, police station, bobby that walked round the village, fresh grocery shop, fresh fish shop, hairdressers, beauty shop, boutique, shoe shop, craft shop - I could go on - you could get everything you wanted in our village NOW it has numerous betting shops, off licenses and one supermarket AND THAT's IT i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/cry.gif All the little shops gone for good |
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Post by Barbara on Sept 18, 2009 6:37:17 GMT
Respect.
thats what's missing.
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Post by Jasmine on Sept 18, 2009 6:52:07 GMT
That was just what I was going to say Barbara - Respect. It's gone.
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Post by farmersboy on Sept 18, 2009 7:00:18 GMT
I think Britain is great,the best place in the world to live,its the people thats the problem,parents who dont control their kids,let them run wild,and keep breeding when they cant offord to keep them,BRITAIN IS GREAT
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Post by blodau on Sept 18, 2009 9:37:01 GMT
Could we all just slow down a bit? Everyone is in such a rush all the time these days. Cars are the obvious. You're already getting to your destination faster and in more comfort than our grandparents would have dreamed about. Do you really need to get there two seconds earlier, having carved everyone else up and risked killing or injuring someone? It's spilled over into every day life too. People are far more willing to push you out of their way now. Why? So you can get where you're going a few seconds faster. It makes us all feel crabby and then we're grumpy with the next person we meet and on it goes. Does anyone remember the advert (can't remember what for!) where it was a series of little 'good deeds' which each person carried on to the next? That's what we need. Make someone feel good and they'll be nice to the next person they meet.
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Post by prodigal gardener on Sept 18, 2009 15:00:31 GMT
It is admittedly difficult to be politically neutral on this subject but there are certain things that could/would make a difference. First and foremost it should not be a 'crime' to be proud of our country and its traditions and nor should there be any restriction on flying the national flag or indeed the flags of the four constituent nations. The teaching of British history should be given priority in schools and ideally should be mandatory. I find it shocking that children can spend many years at school and then not know that Sir Winston Churchill actually wasn't the first man to walk on the Moon as has been reported lately. Similarly it was Battle of Britain day on Tuesday 15th September but I don't recall seeing anything about that on TV although to its credit our local council has flown the RAF flag on the town hall all week. Secondly the return of common sense which no-one seems to have any more. There was a report on the news earlier today of a steam railway sited within three miles of an an anthracite producing mine in Wales but having to import their coal from Russia as local planning laws state that they can't have road deliveries from the local pit. Thirdly, there should be more real police officers on foot patrol, not touring around in cars, and ideally local beat officers who make themselves known to the community instead of just talking to each other on the rare occasion (usually in the town centre) that you happen to see two police officers at once. Finally, how about a day in the stocks instead of fixed penalty tickets for littering and mnor crimes or is that going too far? In gardening terms the country is like a once verdant and productive patch that has become over run by weeds. It will take a long time to get it back into shape, but it's not impossible if we all do our bit. Brilliant and fantastic and exactly my thoughts SPRUANCE for Prime minister - lets start a campaign ;D The comments about the lack of respect both for others and property are also bang on - I have really tried with my own kids, but they just do not give a damn, they all seem so very self centred these days. There is little or no sense of community and thats a great shame  |
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Post by Auricula on Sept 21, 2009 10:45:37 GMT
Lack of personal responsibility has a lot to answer for. Parents expect schools, social services and police to provide the discipline and guidance that they won't give themselves. People expect councils,politicians etc to tackle small, insignificant problems which they could well deal with themselves."someone should do something about..." becomes a mantra, as does " They should...." instead of "I could". That's why I applaud innovations such as "guerilla gardening" and Hugh Fearnly W's Landshare programm - at lest these people are trying  |
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Post by snowowl on Sept 21, 2009 11:09:53 GMT
Stop all this you are not alowed to smack your kids it never did me any harm. Teachers cant do anything nowdays to punish naughty children. Theres to much of lets alow children to be adults befor they have had a childhood. ITS the lack of punishment nowdays that is turning things out of control. Children murdering children ???what is all that about.? Like Spru says no police on foot patrol any more. Bring back older values and maybe that would make Britain great again. Stop paying high wages to all the fat cats and share it out among the workers perhaps that would stop a lot of job losses. My OH works for the councill and they are asking for the man on the street to take redundencies to save money but they are keeping on the high payed bosses on why not cut their wages. Its all gone to pot |
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Post by Auricula on Sept 22, 2009 16:15:05 GMT
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Post by farmersboy on Sept 23, 2009 7:24:09 GMT
Stop all this you are not alowed to smack your kids it never did me any harm. Teachers cant do anything nowdays to punish naughty children. Theres to much of lets alow children to be adults befor they have had a childhood. ITS the lack of punishment nowdays that is turning things out of control. Children murdering children ???what is all that about.? Like Spru says no police on foot patrol any more. Bring back older values and maybe that would make Britain great again. Stop paying high wages to all the fat cats and share it out among the workers perhaps that would stop a lot of job losses. My OH works for the councill and they are asking for the man on the street to take redundencies to save money but they are keeping on the high payed bosses on why not cut their wages. Its all gone to pot Im with you all the way on the smacking children bit,Snowowl,most of this trouble with kids stems from the banning of caning in schools,sorry Auricula,but theres not a violent bone in my body,and my dad often took his belt off to me,sending me up to my room,and hitting my backside with every step i took up those long stairs,i never saw that as violence,it was teaching me right from wrong,some kids today are out of control,they fear no one,teachers, police,parents,and the only way to change things,IMO,is to chastise them,at home and school |
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Post by carolann on Sept 23, 2009 9:43:30 GMT
I'm with you Snowy and FB a good clout taught us wrong from right sorry Auricula.
Manners are all right and good, a please and a thank you go a long way but a lot of older folks expect it even though they don't use it, on Wednesdays around here they have lots of walkers of the older generation and boy are they rude, I was opening the gate to get through when a party of about 20 of them came up, I let them go through the gate to save them from climbing over the stile and only 5 of them said thank you all the rest just ignored me.
There are too many rules and regulations in this country nowadays made by some bureaucrat hundreds of miles away sat behind a desk and who has never been out of the city or seen country side. Health and safety has gone beyond a joke now, what ever happened to common sense? I could go on but I shall get off mi soap box now.
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Post by snowowl on Sept 23, 2009 11:09:00 GMT
Smacking children shows them that violence is ok and that "might is right". Violence is never the answer........IMO  However, we are all entitled to our own opinions and our own ways of parenting - a freedom not enjoyed in all societies, and something to be thankful for I am not a violent person either Auricula like you say we all have our own opinions on punishing children. But i was smacked when i was a child in the 60s and believe me i never did anything wrong again.  If you look back to how schools had the power to punish children for very good reason my i had. There was far better people came out and went into the workforce than today. My son and daughter were not severly punished when they were small but i did give them a tap on the hand or in severe cases a smack on the legs and they have both done very well for themselves. My daugter spent 8 years at uni and gained her PHD in biological sciences and my son is now manager for teaching appretices at VW uk. Niether are at all violent, now i have a liitle granddaughter and hope she does not come out of school like i see a lot of secondry children round here. Back to FA origanal question what would make Britain great again. Discipline. Respect. Get back to older values when everything worked. |
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Post by Auricula on Sept 23, 2009 21:19:35 GMT
As you say - each to their own.I speak only from my own experiences of being a child,parent,grandparent,teacher and headteacher  On a lighter note - I think we would all be cheered up by an extra bank holiday in late October/early November....with the added bonus that Xmas merchandising would not begin until after that weekend!!  |
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Post by Spruance on Sept 23, 2009 23:58:05 GMT
On a lighter note - I think we would all be cheered up by an extra bank holiday in late October/early November....with the added bonus that Xmas merchandising would not begin until after that weekend!! Excellent idea Auricula and coming back to my British history theme I nominate Trafalgar Day on 21st October! i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/wink.gif |
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Post by JennyWrenn on Sept 24, 2009 5:50:51 GMT
On a lighter note - I think we would all be cheered up by an extra bank holiday in late October/early November....with the added bonus that Xmas merchandising would not begin until after that weekend!! Excellent idea Auricula and coming back to my British history theme I nominate Trafalgar Day on 21st October!  I think something MUST be done about this - it annoys me greatly each year Went to garden centre yesterday and one part of the floor was decked out in Christmas cards/decorations - THE LOT GF tottered off to have a look I deliberately avoided it i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/angry.gif Agree with comments above i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd161/GWDAdmin1/Smilies/Default/smiley.gif |
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Post by Auricula on Sept 24, 2009 12:25:07 GMT
Trafalgar Day would be a terrific idea Spruance - we could have rum punch!! ;D ;D
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Post by Deleted on Sept 24, 2009 20:18:32 GMT
Oh yes, I'm well up for another bank holiday. In the UK we have the lowest number of public holidays in Europe, apparently so another one would be most welcome.
FA x
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Post by JennyWrenn on Sept 27, 2009 6:04:37 GMT
Going back to the smacking>>>>>>> - in my Junior School our headmistress had a massive cane on her desk She never used it but the sight of it made us all behave - just in case  |
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Post by 4pygmies on Oct 10, 2009 8:22:32 GMT
I don't usually comment on this bit of the board as in the past I've got into trouble! But I do think Britain would be a much nicer place if people would just stop 'wanting' things all the time.....shopping, shopping and shopping, buying 'stuff' to keep ourselves happy, keeping our kids entertained, make us feel good about ourselves etc etc. What's great about Britain is the people - all those who care, who do the jobs no one ever hears about, all those who work for hours volunteering in all areas of life. All we ever read in the papers or watch on the TV about are the greedy, self obsessed and shallow who contribute nothing much at all..... So to make Britain great I think we should ban the media, stop buying so much and care about each other a lot more! |
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Post by Jasmine on Oct 10, 2009 8:38:13 GMT
I often think about all the hours that people give of their time 4P's and the one that figures most strongly at the moment (because my boys have been Beavers, Cubs and are now Scouts) is in the Scouting movement. At Christmas the whole local movement meets at a huge church in Crowborough and all these children are being cared for by lots and lots of adults who give their time to do weekly meetings, camps (which use their holiday time if they work) and training. And all these volunteers keep that immense movement going - round the world. I know it's only one area of volunteer work but you are right 4P's - it's what helps the world go round |
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Post by 4pygmies on Oct 10, 2009 9:13:19 GMT
The Scouting Movement is brillaint Jasmine, I quite agree. I work a lot with volunteers from this brilliant organisation at my gardening job with The Garden Science Trust. They are absolutely amazing - people of all ages giving their time - you can't help but feel better about the world: www.csv.org.uk/Services/Need+a+Volunteer/Organisations/There is a young lad (mid twenties) supporting a very poorly lady with Alzheimer's whom we work with. He is Bulgarian, speaks fantastically good English and is working over here with the CSV to get experience and to help him decide what to do with his life - he is an inspiration and there are so many people like him that we never hear about. Sorry, don't mean to take over your thread, FA but there are lots of good things going on which we should be proud of! Shutting up now...... |
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