The Next Generation

Tonight my friends and I realized that we are no longer the next generation, we are officially grown ups.  As we settled into our seats to see "Country Strong" tonight, a group of 6-8 13-16 year old boys came in and sat behind us.  About five minutes into the film they began talking and being so annoying and I turned around and said, "Shut the hell up."  They did for a few minutes and then started again.  Next Carey spoke up, "I don't know if your Mama's paid for your tickets, but I paid for my own and you all need to shut up."  A few minutes later, Stephen finally had it and told them to Shut the fu*& up and when they still continued to talk (now about an hour into the movie) I finally got up and went to get the manager.  He came in and warned them, but as soon as he left they began with farting noises and belches.  We finally had it and I read them their rights after the movie ended, Carey was tempted to throw her Coke on them, and Stephen chased them downstairs and right into the manager who offered us free passes and apologized for all of the disruptions.  Still, what is happening with this next generation?  I get the whole "kids will be kids thing" but I know that if my friends and I were ever even able to go see a rated R movie at that age and were corrected by an adult we would have shat ourselves and not even moved to take another bite of popcorn for fear of getting in trouble. We had respect for our elders and we knew that if we ever got in real trouble in public we would be in twice as much trouble at home.  I reminded my friends about the time I had a fit in an Olive Garden (around 8 years old) and my Dad took me into the bathroom, dropped my pants, took off his belt, beat my ass, and then made me go out and apologize to the table and waitress and other patrons for the disturbance I caused them.  I never, ever acted up again in a restaurant.   

Earlier this week, a 5 year old boy was throwing a full blown tantrum on the El Train system on my way home from work.  He was crying, striking his mother on her leg, and screaming bloody murder for about three minutes straight.  Meanwhile, the mother continued texting on her phone and did absolutely nothing to correct the child.

So at Chili's after the movie that we only got to half watch because of those damn pip-squeeks we began asking what has happened to the youth in America?  We have teenagers who literally pass up getting their drivers license on their sixteenth birthdays because they have instant access to everything they need on their cell phones and laptops.  Why would they ever need to drive when they can connect instantaneously with their friends through their Wii's?  I was waiting at the DMV on my sixtienth birthday at 9 am to be the first in line to apply for my drivers license, as was every single other person in my class.  We have kids addicted to television, video games, and the Internet and wonder why Autism and social disorders are increasing by the double digits every single day.  And there is absolutely no fear of consequences for bad behavior because so what if you get grounded to your room, you spend all of your time there anyway video chatting with your virtual friends? 

I think this generation of parents (the thirty somethings) just got sideswiped by the Internet age, but I also think we are going to see digressing with the next generation.  I feel sorry for mine and Carey's children, because while their friends are connecting with the new IConnect or whichever new product is on the market, they will be forced to get off their asses and go roll around in the mud.  There will be very limited time constraints on technology, television, and video games.  And they will be required to be in the house for dinner every night before the street lights come on and eat together as a family.  I know so many twenty somethings entering into parenthood that share these same ideals.  We see our younger siblings, cousins, and friends lost in this world of non-reality and it's distressing. 

I wanted to beat the crap out of those little bastards tonight, but really who I wanted to beat the crap out of was their parents.  Why do you not know where your children are?  Why are they not in fear of a manager coming in and asking them to shut up?  Why is that mother ignoring a tantrum from her child?  Grrrr!  Sorry, I really needed to release this tonight.

It was a great night and great conversation with friends, but man oh man were we pissed.  When did we get to be old folks?