Friday, March 20, 2009

Where did decorum go?

For my 2 faithful readers, you must by now be aware that some things really get to me. Was I born WAY after my time? Am I just too serious and uptight? All things for debate, but I have to bring something up that really gets to me: a lack of appreciation for manners and education, behaving well, and being respectful toward others, and displaying some degree of sophistication and intelligence.





I realize I could be taken to task for such a topic, but please let me assure you, this has nothing to do with being a snob, having more financial means than others, or a closet full of Cole Haan shoes and a drawer full of Prada socks.





What happened to good manners? What happened to respect? What happened to wanting to LEARN?



A few weeks ago, I dined at Morton's with my partner and 2 kids. At the table next to us was a group of peple that were loud, rude and one guy was so disrespectfully dressed for a restaurant where the maitre'd wears a tuxedo that I was close to saying something to them.



I'm sorry, but this is NOT appropriate attire for a 5-star restaurant:





We also took the kids downtown to a sophisticated restaurant for same partner's birthday. In doing so, I expect the kids to not only turn their manners up to "high" but I also expect them to dress a certain way. It's respectful. It says that you have some self-discipline and pride. I want them to UNDERSTAND that. Good taste is never out of style, but God-willing, wearing your pants with the crotch at your knees will be some day!

Our society has become lazy. Complacent. Did you know that China will soon become the #1 English speaking nation in the world? Why? Because they are smarter, more energized, more focused on the value of education.

And what are we becoming?

This is what we are becoming:


















We devalue education in this country. We are producing generations of short-sighted, self-indulgent children, who feel entitled to everything without doing anything.


President Obama, just last week had this to say:

"We have let our grades slip, our schools crumble, our teacher quality fall short, and other nations outpace us ... In 8th grade math, we've fallen to 9th place. Singapore's middle-schoolers outperform ours three to one. Just a third of our thirteen and fourteen-year olds can read as well as they should. And year after year, a stubborn gap persists between how well white students are doing compared to their African American and Latino classmates."
He added: "It is time to give all Americans a complete and competitive education from the cradle up through a career."



Kudos, Mr. President!


America is not a top-performing country any longer. We are not the standard.


We are a laughing stock in many ways, and it is deplorable.





You are what you wear. And it does not take name brands and lots of money to do it. It takes self-respect.



Are these guys off to a job interview? Doubtful.



What does the first glance impression say about these two? Fair or not, it is what it is.



Take some pride, people. It matters.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Watch the video "2 Million Minutes." I have it if you want to borrow it sometime. It's all about how American teens are falling behind the rest of the world.

America will NEVER lead again, until the values change, and I don't see that happening.

Early childhood education is where it all begins. That's at HOME. Until teachers are free to simply teach, (instead of parenting and teaching) and until children pursue their education inside AND outside the classroom, we will never match or surpass the Chinese and the Indians.

As for the kids...they just don't know how terrible they look.