Untouchable_Fire Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Taking care of my grandma this afternoon some young girls from the neighborhood were playing fly-up in the street. I know most of them and am friendly with their parents. One in particular comes over and walks my grandma's dog a few times a week when my grandma isn't feeling well. She stopped and asked me for a pump to inflate her football. I went to the garage to get it and she followed me in. While I was looking she asked "So... I was wondering... why do you try to have love if it never lasts?" The question kind of shocked me because it was out of the blue and she has never asked me any question beyond chit chat stuff. I responded by putting on the best grownup face I could and said "If you really want something you have to keep trying no matter how many times it doesn't work. You have to believe in yourself and what you want." She just nodded her head, took the pump I handed her and ran back out to play with the other girls. The whole thing really left me scratching my head. Do kids still believe in love today?
Queen Zenobia Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Depending on the age of the child in question I'd be inclined to think her comment was less a case of philosophical musing and more just a clumsy use of words that happened to make grammatical sense. I don't enough about the young lady in your post, but I'd imagine very few kids spend a lot of time reflecting on the efficacy of love. I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Author Untouchable_Fire Posted September 27, 2011 Author Posted September 27, 2011 Depending on the age of the child in question I'd be inclined to think her comment was less a case of philosophical musing and more just a clumsy use of words that happened to make grammatical sense. I don't enough about the young lady in your post, but I'd imagine very few kids spend a lot of time reflecting on the efficacy of love. I wouldn't worry about it too much. Well, her grandparents have been married for 55 years and she lives with them, her mom, and 2 sisters. Her mom is currently dating a convicted sex offender, and is addicted to pain meds. Her two younger sisters were molested at age 5 and 7 by a previous BF who is now serving time in jail for that and another crime. I think she just got a boyfriend, which may have prompted the question.
Queen Zenobia Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Well, her grandparents have been married for 55 years and she lives with them, her mom, and 2 sisters. Her mom is currently dating a convicted sex offender, and is addicted to pain meds. Her two younger sisters were molested at age 5 and 7 by a previous BF who is now serving time in jail for that and another crime. I think she just got a boyfriend, which may have prompted the question. I think that should answer your question. Kids from rather traumatic backgrounds would be less inclined to believe in love since the people around them have been hurt.
Author Untouchable_Fire Posted September 27, 2011 Author Posted September 27, 2011 I think that should answer your question. Kids from rather traumatic backgrounds would be less inclined to believe in love since the people around them have been hurt. True... but I'm hearing this stuff a lot on songs and in TV.
Queen Zenobia Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 True... but I'm hearing this stuff a lot on songs and in TV. Like teenage angst Taylor Swift type stuff. It's horrible. On that I agree. I do wonder what kind of effects it'll have on children. It's like they're being encouraged to be cynical and jaded right out of the gate for no real reason.
thatone Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 have you seen the parents of these kids? lots of idiots walking the streets. if i were their kids, i'd be jaded and cynical too, lol.
serial muse Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Well, her grandparents have been married for 55 years and she lives with them, her mom, and 2 sisters. Her mom is currently dating a convicted sex offender, and is addicted to pain meds. Her two younger sisters were molested at age 5 and 7 by a previous BF who is now serving time in jail for that and another crime. I think she just got a boyfriend, which may have prompted the question. Aw, poor kid. Hopefully she will have at least a few positive examples of relationships around to look to. Like her grandparents?
Woggle Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Look at her past and see where cynicism comes from.
Feelsgoodman Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Well, her grandparents have been married for 55 years and she lives with them, her mom, and 2 sisters. Her mom is currently dating a convicted sex offender, and is addicted to pain meds. Her two younger sisters were molested at age 5 and 7 by a previous BF who is now serving time in jail for that and another crime. I think she just got a boyfriend, which may have prompted the question. The mother should be in jail too for causing reckless endangerment to her children.
Feelsgoodman Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Like teenage angst Taylor Swift type stuff. It's horrible. On that I agree. I do wonder what kind of effects it'll have on children. It's like they're being encouraged to be cynical and jaded right out of the gate for no real reason. It's a reflection of a broken society. Decades of feminism, assault on the traditional family structure, disintegration of public morality...I hate to sound overly negative but we live in a dying society, so there is little reason for kids to be optimistic about the future.
Queen Zenobia Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 It's a reflection of a broken society. Decades of feminism, assault on the traditional family structure, disintegration of public morality...I hate to sound overly negative but we live in a dying society, so there is little reason for kids to be optimistic about the future. I'd just as soon blame the decades of Keynesianism we've had for the past 70 years. After all, Keynes' famous catch phrase "in the long run we're all dead" doesn't seem to inspire too much optimism about the future either.
Feelsgoodman Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 I'd just as soon blame the decades of Keynesianism we've had for the past 70 years. After all, Keynes' famous catch phrase "in the long run we're all dead" doesn't seem to inspire too much optimism about the future either. 99% of Americans have no idea who Keynes is. And by the way, you've totally misinterpreted the quote. Keynes was arguing against the supporters of the Classical economic model who advocated doing nothing about the Great Depression because, in their words, the markets would correct themselves in the long run. Keynes was basically saying who cares if the markets eventually correct themselves 50 years from now...by that time most of us would be dead anyway. We need to take active measures to end the Great Depression. Economically, we have been doing quite well over the last 70 years, a few bumps in the road notwithstanding (this is all coming to an end thanks to outsourcing, but that's a different subject altogether and has nothing to do with Keynesianism). Our society was ruined by social forces, not economic ones. Feminism, the hippie movement, and domination of academia by the left-wing "intellectuals" are chief amongst them.
udolipixie Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 Do kids still believe in love today? Some kids believe in love & some don't believe in love. Yep some kids will flat out tell you romantic love doesn't exist only parental and friendship. Are more kids not believing in love. It depends on if one is only going to count those who believe in one's perception of love. Ex: If one considers those who think love doesn't last or people can love multiple people means to they don't believe in love because one's perception is that love is eternal. Technically people believe in love they just have a different opinion of what love is.
Queen Zenobia Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 99% of Americans have no idea who Keynes is. And by the way, you've totally misinterpreted the quote. Keynes was arguing against the supporters of the Classical economic model who advocated doing nothing about the Great Depression because, in their words, the markets would correct themselves in the long run. Keynes was basically saying who cares if the markets eventually correct themselves 50 years from now...by that time most of us would be dead anyway. We need to take active measures to end the Great Depression. Economically, we have been doing quite well over the last 70 years, a few bumps in the road notwithstanding (this is all coming to an end thanks to outsourcing, but that's a different subject altogether and has nothing to do with Keynesianism). Our society was ruined by social forces, not economic ones. Feminism, the hippie movement, and domination of academia by the left-wing "intellectuals" are chief amongst them. I know what he meant by the quote (I double majored in college, one of those majors was economics, you should check out all the wonderful stuff I write about free markets in the politics section of LS ). I was simply giving a sarcastic response to your assertion that feminism caused the doldrums. I think you give feminism way too much credit.
wolfess Posted September 27, 2011 Posted September 27, 2011 I think it's simple, if you're around people who are in love, in healthy positive lasting relationships, you can easily believe in love. If you're around unhealthy, abusive, or non-lasting relationships, it's hard to see how love could possibly last. I'm sure this isn't the case for everyone, but it's definitely a large factor.
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