one of life's little adventures
Most of the time, I absolutely love where I live. It's so different to what I grew up with, and so much more laid-back than I had ever imagined. But it's not utopia. There are definitely flaws to the system out here, and I'm certainly not blind to them.
Take ASBOs for example.
Anti-Social Behaviour Orders were instigated in 1998 as an "alternative." Basically, some 'genius' politician decided that he would solve the country's crime problems by giving people pieces of paper saying that they're naughty, instead of actually giving them some sort of consequence for their actions.
Guess what that's actually done?
Now, having an ASBO is a badge of honor. You can't be 'hard' without an ASBO, and Lord knows you have to want to be hard, or you're a freak (this goes for both boys and girls). Instead of lowering the crime rate, it seems to be soaring. And even kids as young as 10 think it's cool to get in trouble with the police, because they're not going to do anything about it. The most they'll get is an ASBO, and that's no big deal. You get a piece of paper in the mail. Wow. So tough.
So these kids aren't afraid of anything. Most parents don't discipline their kids at all here, because OMG you're abusing them! (BULLSHIT - but that's just my opinion.) Kids in this country are incredibly spoiled. I can't even tell you the number of children I see in the morning bugging their parents for money for sweets - at 8:30 in the morning! Then they get out of school again, and they get more sweets. They get 'pocket money' - just because. They don't earn it, they're being handed everything they want in life on a silver platter. And they grow up thinking that this is how the world works, you demand something and you get it. Automatically. So if they want to steal your bag, they will. If they want to destroy your garden, they will. If they want to break into your house, they will.
And that's exactly what happened to me today.
It was 3:00 - time to go pick up the kids from school. So I grab my bag, lock the door, and I'm on my way. The way to the school happens to cross the back lane of our house, and I have a habit of glancing down there, because cars do drive that way sometimes. I happened to glance that way today, and what do I see but a boy from down the street with two others, trying to climb into my back garden. They were trying to break into my house. They saw me, and scrambled to get in there. I spun right round, ran a couple of feet when I remembered I had my cell phone with me. So I pulled it out of my pocket and dialed 999 before I even hit the corner.
Luckily, the idiots decided it wasn't worth it and scarpered off - right into the street where I could see them. I checked the house to make sure they hadn't gotten all the way in, and when I turned around, there they were, swearing at me. (That's another problem: no respect. Not for themselves, not for others, and certainly not for property.) Swearing at me, like *I* was the one that had done something wrong.
And wouldn't you know it? One of them was the kid of the neighbors I referred to in the writer's block post from a couple of days ago. I've never even spoken to the boy, but for some reason he (and his entire family, apparently) has taken an instant hate to me and has caused nothing but trouble since we moved in here. I don't even know the boy's name, for goodness' sake. I only know him on sight.
This is what I get for giving people both the benefit of the doubt and room to live their life however they see fit? Instant - and inexplicable - hate, and breaking into my house (well, trying, but they would have gotten in if I hadn't noticed them!).
The police came by, and spoke to the kids, but that's all they're going to do. If this was in the US, they'd get arrested for attempted robbery. They'd actually get consequences for their actions, not a little slap on the hand and a "naughty, naughty" from the local coppers.
The world is going to hell in a handbasket. And society has put us there.
Thanks a fucking lot, society.
Take ASBOs for example.
Anti-Social Behaviour Orders were instigated in 1998 as an "alternative." Basically, some 'genius' politician decided that he would solve the country's crime problems by giving people pieces of paper saying that they're naughty, instead of actually giving them some sort of consequence for their actions.
Guess what that's actually done?
Now, having an ASBO is a badge of honor. You can't be 'hard' without an ASBO, and Lord knows you have to want to be hard, or you're a freak (this goes for both boys and girls). Instead of lowering the crime rate, it seems to be soaring. And even kids as young as 10 think it's cool to get in trouble with the police, because they're not going to do anything about it. The most they'll get is an ASBO, and that's no big deal. You get a piece of paper in the mail. Wow. So tough.
So these kids aren't afraid of anything. Most parents don't discipline their kids at all here, because OMG you're abusing them! (BULLSHIT - but that's just my opinion.) Kids in this country are incredibly spoiled. I can't even tell you the number of children I see in the morning bugging their parents for money for sweets - at 8:30 in the morning! Then they get out of school again, and they get more sweets. They get 'pocket money' - just because. They don't earn it, they're being handed everything they want in life on a silver platter. And they grow up thinking that this is how the world works, you demand something and you get it. Automatically. So if they want to steal your bag, they will. If they want to destroy your garden, they will. If they want to break into your house, they will.
And that's exactly what happened to me today.
It was 3:00 - time to go pick up the kids from school. So I grab my bag, lock the door, and I'm on my way. The way to the school happens to cross the back lane of our house, and I have a habit of glancing down there, because cars do drive that way sometimes. I happened to glance that way today, and what do I see but a boy from down the street with two others, trying to climb into my back garden. They were trying to break into my house. They saw me, and scrambled to get in there. I spun right round, ran a couple of feet when I remembered I had my cell phone with me. So I pulled it out of my pocket and dialed 999 before I even hit the corner.
Luckily, the idiots decided it wasn't worth it and scarpered off - right into the street where I could see them. I checked the house to make sure they hadn't gotten all the way in, and when I turned around, there they were, swearing at me. (That's another problem: no respect. Not for themselves, not for others, and certainly not for property.) Swearing at me, like *I* was the one that had done something wrong.
And wouldn't you know it? One of them was the kid of the neighbors I referred to in the writer's block post from a couple of days ago. I've never even spoken to the boy, but for some reason he (and his entire family, apparently) has taken an instant hate to me and has caused nothing but trouble since we moved in here. I don't even know the boy's name, for goodness' sake. I only know him on sight.
This is what I get for giving people both the benefit of the doubt and room to live their life however they see fit? Instant - and inexplicable - hate, and breaking into my house (well, trying, but they would have gotten in if I hadn't noticed them!).
The police came by, and spoke to the kids, but that's all they're going to do. If this was in the US, they'd get arrested for attempted robbery. They'd actually get consequences for their actions, not a little slap on the hand and a "naughty, naughty" from the local coppers.
The world is going to hell in a handbasket. And society has put us there.
Thanks a fucking lot, society.