Tweets, Tatoos, and the Future

[imoldernu]

The Justine Sacco story...
Ex-PR exec Justine Sacco apologizes for AIDS in Africa tweet - CNN.com
... made me think about the future of young people in this fast moving world. Above all, so happy not to be guiding children and young adults into the future.

Simple one time... even thirty second lapses have the potential to affect lives forever. At our age, we have enough life experience to have a lingering caution... conscience if you will, about what we do. Not that we don't or won't make mistakes, but we understand that actions have consequences.

For the most part, if you are over age 40, you probably grew up with slower moving changes in culture and morality, and a degree of privacy that no longer exists.

On the other hand, the current standards may already be the long term norm. Tatoos, nose, lip and ear rings may be more common than not... Sex mores have already changed, and the rare interracial and same sex relationships of the past, hardly raise eyebrows today. Language that would have meant lava soap or a red bottom, is now common in prime time and in normal conversation. Scurrilous political slurs, gossip, lies and rumor mongering are the fuel for the commercial media... and it is up to the individual to sort it out.

So, as with all opinions... different strokes for different folks... Is the new norm just a phase, like rock and roll, or the Beatles... or the Justin Beiber generation... and something that will just fade into the march of history? Or... is this a case of technology getting ahead of morality and cultural balance, where unintended lapses may affect young lives forever?

How do/would you handle the education of young people... with an eye to their future?

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by imoldernu How do/would you handle the education of young people... with an eye to their future?

Well, if I'd had a daughter she'd have been placed in a convent when she was 12. Or maybe 10. And I'm not even Catholic.

Other than that the younger generation with rare exceptions will see to it that the world is doomed.

[martyp]

Coarseness and conservatism have come and gone on a generational time scale. We happen to have a confluence of coarseness and technology at this time. I guess the question is whether the technology will maintain the current culture longer than usual. Can we imagine that tech would promote tolerance and conservative behavior? The anonymity
of tech seems to suggest not. And there seems to be a natural tendency toward voyeurism in the population at large. However, today's tech environment allows us to filter what we want to see so we can choose to live in whatever cultural bubble we want to and peek outside from time to time.

[Amethyst]

I work with very smart people in their 20's and we have interesting conversations, since I am careful not to come off as "judging." A lady about 24 years old showed me a Web site where college girls "rate" co-ed guys according to their looks and "skills." The ratings are very frank, and not always flattering! This lady was rather taken aback when I commented that the web site would have been rather useful in my day!

Amethyst

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst I work with very smart people in their 20's and we have interesting conversations, since I am careful not to come off as "judging." A lady about 24 years old showed me a Web site where college girls "rate" co-ed guys according to their looks and "skills." The ratings are very frank, and not always flattering! This lady was rather taken aback when I commented that the web site would have been rather useful in my day! Amethyst

Did she show you the site the guys use to rate the gals?

[Arifriekinel]

My first thought when opening this post was of this webcomic:
New Technology | Bonkers World

[Amethyst]

Oh, that site's been around since stone tablets and bearskins (and certainly existed, in some form, when I was in college). This one truly was news to me!

A.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Walt34 Did she show you the site the guys use to rate the gals?

[sailor]

You are at least few thousand years late complaining about younger folks
The Conflict of Generations in Ancient Greece and Rome - Google Books
Bryn Mawr Classical Review 04.05.24

[Redbugdave]

I guess people can make mistakes, but now that the printed word is gospel you have to be extra careful.

One question...what about freedom of speech?

[Chuckanut]

I don't know which is sadder: An intelligent, young person making such a comment using highly public social media, or, how our 'gotcha' society can completely wipe out years of good deeds and achievement due to one foolish comment.

[Walt34]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut ... how our 'gotcha' society can completely wipe out years of good deeds and achievement due to one foolish comment.

It's always been that way. Haven't you ever heard that it only takes one "awsh*t" to wipe out a thousand "attaboys"?

[rodi]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbugdave I guess people can make mistakes, but now that the printed word is gospel you have to be extra careful. One question...what about freedom of speech?

As far as the woman in the article linked in the OP...

She isn't being sent to jail or anything for her tweet - she's exercised her freedom of speech without legal consequence. The first amendment is safe and intact.

Capitalism is why she was let go from her job. (Similar to Duck Dynasty bru-ha-ha). A company can look at the PR and bottom line and make employment decisions. If she was "employed at will" - her employer can fire her for any reason... and in this case, the reason they chose was bad public relations from her comment that could easily be perceived as racist.

Do you think employers should be restricted in who they hire/fire? Even if it has potential negative bottom line impacts?

[Koolau]

For reasons in addition to some of the issues mentioned by imoldernu, we sent our kids to parochial school for grades K-8 and even moved school districts (at significant cost) for an excellent HS. While none of our kids is even past 30 yet, I look back and have concluded that our limited ability to affect their education was the best single move we made in setting them on independent AND ordered paths. Clearly, none of our kids is exactly (or even close in some areas) to what we might have hoped for. Still, they seem to have good heads on their shoulders and are making their own way with little of the overt silliness that will haunt some of their peers in years to come. Ask us in 30 more years how it all turned out. If we're still around, we hope we will still be as proud and pleased as we are now - so, YMMV.

[Redbugdave]

Quote:

Originally Posted by rodi As far as the woman in the article linked in the OP... She isn't being sent to jail or anything for her tweet - she's exercised her freedom of speech without legal consequence. The first amendment is safe and intact. Capitalism is why she was let go from her job. (Similar to Duck Dynasty bru-ha-ha). A company can look at the PR and bottom line and make employment decisions. If she was "employed at will" - her employer can fire her for any reason... and in this case, the reason they chose was bad public relations from her comment that could easily be perceived as racist. Do you think employers should be restricted in who they hire/fire? Even if it has potential negative bottom line impacts?

Those are good points. I have to agree. And I think it would affect the employer bottom line. Messing around with social media is like playing with fire. Even an excuse like being intoxicated would not hold up.

By the way...I did away with my Facebook account two years ago. I felt it was getting too intrusive.

[haha]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbugdave By the way...I did away with my Facebook account two years ago. I felt it was getting too intrusive.

Not only that, it is stupid and shallow with nothing of any importance ever being said. Plus I had decided that one more "Awesome!" was going to be the last, and so it was.

You do lose some connectivity, there are plenty people for whom a one on one email is too hard.

Ha

[Redbugdave]

And about tattoos...

When I go to the store...Walmart or wherever...I am appalled at the tattoos I see all around me. It looks like the carnival has come to town. I am in my 50s. It used to be about the only ones that had tattoos were guys in the military and ex-cons. I am ex-military and none on me, either. Now, about everyone has them. What's up with that? There's no way I could walk around looking like a billboard with skulls, dragons, and odd looking oriental shapes all over my skin. If I had a business, none of my employees would have tattoos showing...I would have a dress code. I think our culture has changed and I have stayed crustily the same. I don't feel the need to try to be different by advertising stuff all over my body. I'll bet Dermatologists will be making a killing in the future on tattoo removals. I just don't get the tattoo thing.

Facebook IS shallow and the real motive is data mining.
http://inthelimelight.net/why-i-quit-facebook-forever/

[steelyman]

I agree on the tattoos. No use for them and I don't think that makes me crusty... just sensible.

I have a similar opinion of body piercings. There is a scene in Pulp Fiction with Travolta and Rosanna Arquette that I can't quote but find hilarious. (she's not actually in the scene but they're dealing drugs and talking about piercings).

[Arifriekinel]

I don't have any tattoos, but I'm a big fan, I find them beautiful. My mom has a lot that I really like. If I weren't too cowardly to face the needle I'd get some.

[Sarah in SC]

Haha I think FB is awesome.
Sorry, had to throw that in there.
I love keeping up with friends in far flung places, some of whom even have tattoos.
I hope the older I get, the more tolerant and kind I get about understanding the differences in the people around me. I read and study a lot on compassion in hopes that I won't get more judgmental.

[martyp]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Redbugdave And about tattoos... When I go to the store...Walmart or wherever...I am appalled at the tattoos I see all around me. It looks like the carnival has come to town. I am in my 50s. It used to be about the only ones that had tattoos were guys in the military and ex-cons. I am ex-military and none on me, either. Now, about everyone has them. What's up with that? There's no way I could walk around looking like a billboard with skulls, dragons, and odd looking oriental shapes all over my skin. If I had a business, none of my employees would have tattoos showing...I would have a dress code. I think our culture has changed and I have stayed crustily the same. I don't feel the need to try to be different by advertising stuff all over my body. I'll bet Dermatologists will be making a killing in the future on tattoo removals. I just don't get the tattoo thing. ]

I agree with you on tattoos but I've concluded that we are past the point where they are an anomaly. If I were still w*rking I would, in most cases, not worry about tattoos on my employees. It could be an asset in many cases.