Rebellion vs. confromism

**King Henry V** · 11-09-2005, 13:25

Ever since the 1950s, youth culture and the generation gap has been grwoing steadily and juvenile delinquincy with it. What in your opinion iis better, for adolescents to be rebels and reject authority or for them to respect thier elders and the rule of law?

**Ser Clegane** · 11-09-2005, 13:35

Originally Posted by King Henry V

Ever since the 1950s, youth culture and the generation gap has been grwoing steadily and juvenile delinquincy with it. What in your opinion iis better, for adolescents to be rebels and reject authority or for them to respect thier elders and the rule of law?

The youth should frequently question and test the established authorities and the "elders".

Default rebellion or rejection is not a value, IMO.

**InsaneApache** · 11-09-2005, 13:42

They should shut up and do as they're told. Ohh...and tidying their bedroom from time to time wouldn't go amiss. And another thing, do they have to play that godawful music so loud, I mean I wouldn't mind but it all sounds the same. Come to that what do they think they are wearing these days? They are pimply, craven youths who should be locked away until they get to 25 yo (IMO)..... don't get me on about bloody texting....national service that would sort them out....and what's all that about? driving around in a 10 year old Vauxhall Nova with a huge reflex bass carb in the boot.....BOOM BOOM BOOM all the way down the road.....you see when I were a lad.....

**Kagemusha** · 11-09-2005, 13:42

I think its a vital part of youths growing process to rebel against standards set by an older generation.I would like to critizice a little bit that the 50´s youth was so rebellios compared to previous generations.40´s youth mostly never got a chance to be youth becouse they were fighting in WWII or otherways suffering from it.The youth of 30´s were living a time of great depression,wich resulted in many places to extreme nationalism.Generation of 20´s lived building up what the Great war had destroyed.And the youths of the beginning of the century also lost their youth in the trenches.

**Idaho** · 11-09-2005, 14:05

Originally Posted by King Henry V

Ever since the 1950s, youth culture and the generation gap has been grwoing steadily and juvenile delinquincy with it.

I disagree with your premise.

What in your opinion iis better, for adolescents to be rebels and reject authority or for them to respect thier elders and the rule of law?

Things are ever changing. Sometimes slowly, sometimes quickly. The most radical and dangreous changes often occur when people think they are preventing change or harking back to some mythical bygone state.

**_Martyr_** · 11-09-2005, 14:09

Im with Idaho on this. Reflex reactionism is far more dangerous than testing the borders of the establishment. The beautiful thing about life is that yesterday's revolutionaries are todays upholders of the establishment. Its the circle that moves society forward.

**Adrian II** · 11-09-2005, 14:16

Originally Posted by _Martyr_

Im with Idaho on this. Reflex reactionism is far more dangerous than testing the borders of the establishment. The beautiful thing about life is that yesterday's revolutionaries are todays upholders of the establishment. Its the circle that moves society forward.

I would say 'it's the circle that moves society'. I am not so sure about the 'forward'. In fact, you might want to shorten it even further: 'it's the circle that moves'.
Yep, that about sums it

up.

**_Martyr_** · 11-09-2005, 14:25

Well, by definition, it is forward, whether or not that corresponds with your or my expectations of what forward (ie better, positive advancement) is another matter, and entirely subjective, but ever forward it moves, just as time.

**Adrian II** · 11-09-2005, 14:30

Originally Posted by _Martyr_

Well, by definition, it is forward (..)

I hate to say it, but by definition circles do not move at all. And societies moving in circles by definition do not move forward either.
Which is, by definition, nit-picking, I know, I know.

**King Henry V** · 11-09-2005, 15:24

Originally Posted by Idaho

I disagree with your premise.

Well juvenile delinquincy was not nearly as serious as it is now.

**yesdachi** · 11-09-2005, 15:45

I suppose it would depend on where the youth is from and what their elders do and what their laws are.

**ichi** · 11-09-2005, 17:36

It is essential for youth to test the boundaries of society, to experiment, and to question authority. Unfortunately, unless society can fight back this rebellion becomes something similar to what we see happening today, an imbalance between rights and responsibilities. Americans in particular can't stand to have anyone tell them they can or can't do something, we hate authority with a passion.

I disagree that the generation gap is growing, its been huge for a long time and still is. The difference between today and 30-40 years ago is simple. In the late 60's if you challenged authority you might get a fat lip or knot on your head, but today lawyers and crisis counselors and child 'abuse' laws mean that there's no counter to the challenge.

ichi