What Happened?

I've had something on my mind for awhile now about which I've wanted to blog.  It was simmering back in my brain, only bubbling to the surface occasionally.  But last week, with all the discussions over nursing in public {in reference to a certain You Tube video} it practically exploded out of my brain.  In fact, I hand wrote the blog post first because my computer wasn't working and I just couldn't wait to get it all down.

Now, don't worry, I'm not trying to stir up another breast feeding in public vs. private debate.  I think we've all rehashed that enough.  But it does tie into that.  I was motivated by AP, after her brilliant post, to bring up the discussion of what has happened to a little common courtesy and decency in our society?

Sometimes Skip and I sit at night, talking about our day and whatever is on our mind.  And one thing that comes up a lot is our growing lack of faith in our generation.  The "selfish generation" as we've referred to them.  Obviously not everyone our age is selfish, but it seems that more are than not these days.

Breastfeeding in public is completely legal, and I support it fully wherever and whenever you need to do it.  But what's wrong with being discreet?  What's wrong with taking other's feelings into consideration?

Bringing my two year old into a restaurant is completely legal as well.  Going out to dinner as a family is something we like to do occasionally.  But you can be damn sure I'm going to take her outside if she starts screaming.  Sure, I have every right to sit there while she fusses, but it is a common courtesy to think of those around me and leave.

Freedom of speech is written into the constitution.  It is legal for anyone to say anything they want.  But that doesn't mean that what they're saying can't really hurt people.  I am all for being able to give your opinion on something {kind of like what I'd doing right here} but shouldn't people also stop and think before they speak?

I really worry about the country I am raising my daughters in these days.  The one where it's totally normal for people to rack up thousands of dollars in credit card debt, just because they want things they can't afford.

A country where more people support protesters sitting outside Wall Street than support our military. 

A country where people don't want to work hard for things, but are just content to let the government, or those who have worked hard for their money, take care of them.

We're turning into a generation and society where people don't think there should be consequences for their actions.  They should be able to say, or do, whatever they want. 

Children, mostly girls, are encouraged to dress provocatively...and it seems more important to be your child's friend than their parent. 

Maybe it's just the area that I live in, but these days I am finding it harder and harder to find positive things about our generation. 

And then there's Twitter.  Oh Twitter.  90% of the time, I love going on Twitter.  Chatting and making connections has helped me get through a lot of sleepless nights when the girls were little, and lonely nights when Skip is working.  But that other 10% of the time?  I'm literally shocked by the things people put out there.  I guess it's easy to just hide behind the internet, but man do some of these ladies have nerve.  It's one thing to state your opinion..it's another to shove it down our throats or tear down someone else's.  I swear I'm right back in middle school sometimes. 

Now I'm pretty sure I'm not really making sense with this whole post, but what I'm really getting at is, what happened to working hard for what you get?  What happened to thinking about someone else's feelings for a change?  What happened to supporting other women instead of tearing them down?  What happened to a little privacy, a little decency, a little common courtesy?  Has that all just gone out the window?  What happened?