The Real Mystery

[poliphilo]

There's no mystery about why the kids did what they did.

The young crave excitement, lack empathy (it's to do with brain chemistry), have a huge sense of entitlement, despise their elders. 

So they smash things up. Everything from bus shelters to social conventions. Some of which is good. 

We've all been there, but we forget- or we cast a retrospective glamour over our youthful shittiness. 

I didn't burn and loot high street shops, but I did things that were, morally speaking, just as bad. Bet you did too.

There's no need to bring poverty into the equation. The PM, the Chancellor and the Mayor of London used to be in a gang called the Bullingdon Club. Their schtick was to get very, very drunk, trash restaurants and assault passers-by.  None of them was poor.

Usually there are restraints in place to keep youthful mischief-making within bounds- to keep the outrages small-scale and local.  For some reason they just failed. 

Why? Why now? That's the real mystery.

Comments

[craftyailz.livejournal.com]

No, but there again not all kids hanging round at night are gangs or looking to cause trouble. Often they are hanging round as it's the only place they can all meet up. I did it, Alice did it. Kids like the company of other kids and parents don't usually want half a dozen or more hanging out at their house every night.

What about University students they are often in a groups, drink a lot, are rowdy etc., but rarely kill anyone - except themselves maybe.

As for shutting pubs earlier, there are lots of out of town pubs that are closing down. Quite a few round here have gone. Imagine living next door to someone who has their mates round and drink at home instead of the pub - noisy until late or what.

While alcohol is seen as acceptable, in a way that cigarettes aren't nowadays, people will drink. But there again drugs being illegal doesn't stop anyone.

As for K & R you should ask them sometime what they got up to when they were kids.