It is fascinating to see that both our PM and Opposition leader both lack respect from various posters on OLO and other blogs. John Howard was and is still detested by some. Though I have a completely different world view to our PM and detest her policies I actually think as a person she is no different to any other Aussie.

Is it failure to tell the truth that causes respect to be lost, is it just different ideology or is it simply personality? At what point should we disrespect the office of PM despite its incumbent? Should we at all? Why do people vent hatred to Gillard, Abbott, Howard, Rudd? I for one was embarassed with Gillard being labelled a witch.

I am also unhappy with the "witch" term being used to describe Gillard, it denigrates the witch.

Name calling and disrespect to the office of PM, shows immaturity amongst posters.

Runner I am a great believer in giving people what they have earned.

Unfortunately it is hard to tip even half of the disgust this fool woman has earned onto the space occupied by a single person. Thus much of the rightful disgust felt by any thinking Ozzie has overflowed onto the office she somehow managed to cheat herself into.

The fact that she continues to lie, & spin, obviously believing Ozzies are too dumb to notice shows what she thinks of us. The fact that there are rusted on Labor supporters, with eyes wide shut, just shows there are some.

I agree with sonofgloin, calling this vile creature a witch is denigrating witches.

runner
It is nice to be able to say I agree with you. But it is no different from the rudeness demonstrated about many issues of late the worse being around climate change - we hear words like sceptic, denier, earth worshippers, etc from all sides. It would be nice if people could discuss a subject without vitriole. Surely the merits of each stance should stand on it's own without recourse to name calling.

The 'witch' analogy was obscene but similar disrespect was shown to John Howard and Bob Brown gets his fair share of vitriole no matter what one thinks of his views.

Hasbeen's last sentence encapsulates your point. While I disagree with much of what the ALP has done over the past 5 years, I have not seen anything that could be termed as 'vile'. A lot of hysteria has been whipped up creating extreme reactions to what is part of the course for what has become the norm in Australian politics.

There is no doubt the bar needs to be lifted on many fronts, and so does the quality of politicians when it comes to ethical behaviours and in representing their constituents.

When I was a lad, we had this thing called 'cracker night'. I think it was around the queens birthday.

We used to build a bonfire, and atop of the bonfire, we would place a Manikin of the current political leader we hated at the time, usually the PM, or perhaps if there was some recent scandal, or we were bored with making the PM every year, it would be a different MP or shadow MP. It was made from stockings and newspaper, and you could watch the nylon melt and the paper burn burn burn!

Not possible for todays youth.

Fireworks are banned.

I think Bonfires are probably banned too.

Yep. It's a pity.

Pelican

It is nice to agree on something. I do think in the climate change debate the arrogrance of statements such as 'the science is settled,'and the world's greatest moral challenge' etc were statements in attempt to stifle free speach. Aussies in particular feel very entitled to an opinion (right or wrong). The silencing of scientist and others who disagree with man made climate change stinks of hypocrisy. Some scientist clearly believe strongly in man made climate change while some (maybe in the minority) don't. It seems it is very difficult including myself to hate what someone stands for (like Bob Brown) but to respect the person or at least the position that person holds. Posters here verify this. I for one would hate to be in politics especially with my unpopular world view.

Dear runner,

It doesn't take long to discover that we all have
a streak of prejudice within us which,
at times, seems like a
compulsion and topics like politics sometimes bring out
the worst in people. Watching "Question Time," in
Parliament the other day made me realise the low level
that parliamentary debate has recently sunk to. And you're
right, nobody likes or supports abusive, illogical and
weak debaters. Not sure what can be done about it though.
We can only hope that this is a transitional phase - and that
with time it will pass. Politicians need to realise that
voters are not as dumb as some of them seem to think - and
that come the next election - they all will be judged by
their constituents.

As for OLO - as I've stated in the past - the art of
reasoned, intelligent argument is a skill not easily
acquired. Many of us often argue on an emotional level rather
than a mature intelligent one. Of course it hurts when
personal insults are hurled at you - and of course that
encourages retaliation. The fine art of posting on OLO however
is practiced so well by many people. Posters like Pelican,
Pericles, CSteele, are just a few that spring to
mind. None of them have to resort to insults to make
their points.

john howard poluted this crop of current polititions
just as sir joe poluted qld politricks

there is nothing that can fix the rotten apples

the rule is

play the man..not the issue
do as your told..
and lie..!

and serve the backroom public servants
running the 2 party scam

there is more rules...

but heck
too much has been said/done..allready
the rotted barrel has made rotten policy
and continues to churn out ever worse..ever more expensive taxes

and the back room
backdoor types get their comfortable bored seats
and acces to their platnum credit cards...both while sitting
or sitting...

wether standing for their mates..
or bending over for their masters
or forcing the people to bend over even more

screw the lot of em
my only consolation is they are the ones who will pay
for what the did and didnt do...in the end..for a long long time

Where is respect for the position of PM when we have such a show as 'At home with Julia"? I watched the first episode, but even though I cannot stand the policies and directions of the government at this time, I will not be watching again. Cruel and sleazy, and certainly disrespectful.

Well it's not hard to see WHY our latest politicians have the least amount of respect;
Gillard and Abbot- completely empty of policies. Neither even knows what they're doing (and it shows). Australians are being jerked around by empty gestures when there are plenty of things needing to be fixed, and these people would rather put on a performance instead.

Otherwise, they're every bit as bad as our previous senior politicians, only completely incompetent and clueless.
As bad as Rudd, Howard and Keating were (and as corrupt), their only difference with Abbott and Gillard is that these three at least had enough grasp to do something at all- at least a half-arsed job- as opposed to no job at all but beat their chests for the cameras.

Not that we have many government or opposition politicians that had much credibility- Whitlam did have redeeming grasp on social management (just not money). But really, the only truly good, honorable, quality leaders and politicians as far as Australia is concerned were between WW2 and Vietnam- notably Chifley (and notably NOT Menzies- who very much WAS a tyrant as the banned schoolbooks stated).

As for Howard- I would actually rate him one of Australia's BETTER Prime Ministers over the last few decades; he was probably less crooked than Keating (that doesn't say much), and although his economic management was more to do with outside factors and Costello, still managed to reverse our public debt at long last.
He is still disgusting- privatization and complicity in PPRs, adding Australia to the War on Terror, and Workchoices are all strikes against him- yet I know very well that Fraser, Hawke and Keating (even Rudd) would have done the exact same thing had they have been in power during that time.

King Hazza

I don't think Rudd or Keating would have gone with WorkChoices but certainly the War on Terror and the rush to privatisation, bowing to pressures from business, free trade etc characterises both the ALP and the LNP.

Despite the lack of respect and the hysteria there is really very little to distinguish the two parties. Certainly less to distinguish them than in the past when there was more respect afforded generally

I also agree with Runner. I am one who has denigrated Abbott at times, and am not always proud of myself... but sometimes my fingers just type faster than my brain computes :)

What we should be doing is discussing the issues of each party, and not necessarily just their leaders.
Many times I am sure it is all the guys behind the boss who are calling the shots.

I also feel that if a politician makes a personal observation publicly about an issue or another person, then they must expect some sort of response from members of the public, whether they are Prime Minister or not.

It seems that with so much media scrunity that many if not all our Politicians violate their own convictions to appeal to the swinging voters. Often it is because they get a sniff of what the electorate want. Ms Gillard knows most Australians want the boats stopped. She is willing to go against principle she has ever espoused to in order to try and be re elected. Tony Abbott is no true believer in man made gw and yet is willing to commit to the same reduction in Greenhouse gases as Labour just so the media will get off his back. In many ways as abhorent as Bob Brown's policies are to the majority of Australians he is at least consistent (albeit consistently wrong in my eyes). It is interesting though that the Greens are happy to be in coalition with a Government that is now putting forward policies further to the right than Liberal. This shows they to are willing to sell their souls to hang on to power. They will froth at the mouth like the independants but not have the courage of convictions to risk their power trip albiet a short one.

The fact that we can as individuals lampoon and denigrate our ELECTED SERVANTS is a god given right, given by the god of democracy. The first thing that a despotic leaning regime does is silence its detractors, and Gillard’s Media enquiry is aimed at doing exactly that. I note that there is no reason to look at the free to air channels TV as they were “purchased” by Rudd within weeks of coming to power by the dropping of licensing fees.

My gen always had political satire, back in the days of JJ “How green was my cactus” lampooned them all, although being from the ABC the Libs got the knife while Labor just got the stick, but the vitriolic attacks on Gillard are an Aussie first, it is either a concerted political character assassination or it is the judgment of the electorate; I go with judgment of the electorate, individual voices in chorus.

Personally I loathe what Gillard has morphed into, absolutely no credibility and a patronizing manner, a puppet of the Labor Right and Brown all at the same time, but for me I cannot get past Kerr, he is my prime charlatan, he robbed Australia of a majority elected government, we voted for them twice in one term and Kerr stole our democratic choice from us.

Back to the denigrating of the office of PM as occupied by Gillard now. Gillard is a lying self serving puppet with many fists up her clacka, the Labor Right, Independents, and Bob Brown, I hope Bob washed his hands. She is a sham, incompetent and a totally self serving ideologue, well as much as she can be under the present ludicrous circumstances of a PM being blackmailed by independents and the minority Greens and all the while we pay the ransom.

The Internet is great!

It's a place where:

People can go on and make comments about others they
don't actually know, or what drives them, and make assertations
about things without personally knowing the details,
the circumstances, the motivations involved, or the contexts
in which events took place. And they can do this and have
complete confidence that they actually know what they're
talking about.

Gotta love it!

Such is life runner.
No doubt you have seen me using such descriptions.
I certainly have seen you do so.
Gillard is not my idea of a leader but note most[hasbeen] comments about her are based not on the simple truth she is not suited to the job, mucks things up.
But on unfounded and miss understood charges.

I think you are all wrong and exaggerate.

The lack of respect and name calling of Gillard and Abbott is tame compared to what happened to Pauline Hanson.

The name calling reached fever pitch against her, with the major parties egging on the public and the media. When the media could not find something to take out of context or twist they simply made up the lies. Even to publicly spitting on her, Gillard has not endured that.

Finally they had to resort to trumpted up charges and jail her. The major parties conspired to both putting her last on the 'how to votes', even had the communists ahead of her.

No wonder I am cynical about political parties, they lack the basics of integrity. Politicians do no deserve respect. Respect has to be earned.

You raise an interesting discussion here, runner.

I think everyone is entitled to a basic level of respect, and I think the office of the PM is entitled to some considerable respect, too. However, I don't think anyone deserves any more respect purely because they have taken that office. Julia Gillard, in my opinion, is as fair game as any other person who puts herself out there as a public figure and, in doing so, invites close scrutiny. If she stuffs up, she does so on a public stage and is open to criticism.

That said, the criticism should (in my opinion) be framed in the same basic way that we frame our criticisms of other people. Name-calling, for example, is puerile and disrespectful. I find it rather sad that people resort to calling her 'Juliar', just as I find it sad that people call our current premier (here in QLD) 'Anna Blight'. The former may be a liar, the latter may be a blight on our state, but it is my opinion that cheap shots like this say more about the insulter than the person being insulted.

Similarly, mocking earlobes, ears, budgie smugglers, penchants for lycra, daggy clothing and bogan voices suggest that the attacker has no real argument to lean on and has to refer to cheap blows. Ridiculing a foolish decision is one thing; ridiculing a person for who and what they are (as a product of genetics, upbringing or surf club affiliation) is another altogether.

Indeed Pelican- though to be honest I think the improbability that Keating or Rudd would go ahead with a Workchoices policy is really only because they wouldn't want to alienate workers unions and their votes than any principle against it- and that includes their regular voting base.

Are we Representative of public debate.
You bet we are.
We are just as likely as any human to both over estimate our own thoughts/opinions ideas.
And denigrate our politicians.
We look at them from our place in the world,our needs and wishes.
No different than the not in my back yard mob.
We make demands on a bucket of cash, ignoring that bucket is the only cash we have.
We find it so easy to find fault, in all but our self.
Life/politics is, at best,compromise.
I understand why others have different views than me,that is why humanity has progressed out of the caves.
Understanding our own words and opinions, strengths and weaknesses are no different than anyones is hard to except but needed.
Last? understanding just a few, are quite incapable of considered thought, that too is reality,Why we invented words like Bigot.

Belly:>>We make demands on a bucket of cash, ignoring that bucket is the only cash we have.<<

Belly given your political persuasion it is difficult to find credibility in your "we find fault in all but ourselves" and the above statement.

FIVE SHORT YEARS AGO WE HAD A 20 BILLION DOLLAR BUCKET OF CASH, NOW WE HAVE A BUCKET WITH A HOLE THAT REACHES WAY DOWN TO AN 80 BILLION DOLLAR DEBT.

Wake up, talk facts, not scatter gun rhetoric that blames the sheep and not the drovers dog.

with all respect due..[lexie]

you say...""The Internet is great!""

do i read..sarcasm?

""It's a place..where:..People can go on
and make comments about others

they
don't actually know,""

now lets be fair
i know julia...have 'known'..her public/face..for years

i have personally heard her say...
'no carbon tax'..'govt i lead'

i have studied many pm's
personally spoken with many of them

i know how the system works..and have long reviled how it works

for you to say we collectivly dont know
mate lets be honest..most of us talk..*from our previous experiences

by what little we are let to know

KNOW..thats not our fault..
[its those..who hide]

but you compound that
you only think..[presume us..to NOT know]

how do you..'know'?

you said
we dont know..""or what drives them""

again dear lexie

the party machine backdoor mens club
run by the public servants..and collusive groups
of business/public services...running the 2 party scam

is a thing i know
[was invited to join
and refused in a firm manner,]

""and make assertations""

assurtion..:'in confident
and forcefull statement'

juliar frequently does firmly
confidently..and forcefully assert..her ass-osiations/assertation's

ya really think she dont?

she is also adept..at casting dispertions
and application of spin and inuendo

she can give as good..as she is given
[much..im presuming..as you can]

and sure you dont take
the personal attack low road
but she sure as heck does..!

""about things
without personally knowing the details,""

mate i comment on things..i was forced to learn
from personal experience..

no one could know
the complete circumstances..but me..
[and the others assosiated..with the experiences]

""the circumstances,
the motivations involved,or the contexts
in which events..took place.""

clearly your talking in generality
not specifics...either

""And they""

*as you

""can do this and have
complete confidence..that
they actually know..what they're
talking about.""

i cant refute..that you think to know
but if you think..you got some evidence?

then by all means...present it

""Gotta love it!""

there is no..gotta nuthing

i will cry..if i so chose
or laugh..lol

you know her better?
please explain?

Respect?
SOG I respect your right to an opinion.
But not your opinion, or understanding.
Not your over estimation of that understanding.
Mate not the idea it is, in every matter we clash over, me who needs to wake up.
But now just maybe,a chance exists, we are both wrong.
See I think, yep, true, any one who thinks only the view they hold has Merritt.
Is insane, or has closed the door to learning anything forever.
LOOK at the rest of the world, CRISIS,look at us.
Who can say if we acted differently we too may be now and forever in a depression.
You claim a left background a Socialist bent.
I can see nothing of that in you.
Bloke,you in your twisted twin towers USA did it , can never convince me of anything.
Respect may just be you dropping the inference I am a lessor man than you for being so proudly different that you.

[Deleted for abuse. User suspended.]

Sorry Cactus, but you are owed no respect.
Saw you trolling me in other threads, no intention of reporting you.
But the problem is you not me.
I want to highlight an important thing about runners thread.
He needs a pat on the back for it, he is no Labor supporter, in fact the opposite but his idea has Merritt.
Human nature fights the idea of respect, not for every one but from many.
It is a weakness, one we all have, to lash out at provocation.
But in every forum I know of, every single one, some will not even talk to others, BECAUSE THEIR views are opposed to them!
I did not true, expect a troll to surface.
But while unsure what category, things said in the troll thread are before my eyes.

"no intention of reporting you....on what grounds? People should give respect to all with-out Question, and this having to earn it business is old age thinking's indeed. The new age thought processes are not what you look like, and not the way you talk, and skin colour...that's out as well.

Bellies...your confusing me, what do you mean?

cactus

Wow,
These threads always degenerate into such boring altercations. Can't we philosophise rather than snipe?

I agree with bridgejennys post.
But are balanced posters to retreat.
is it not true few posters start this.
I judge this to be truth, some are fishing to hurt and abuse.
They tell me in their real life they are unhappy and maybe here only to rest from that.
I ignore future posts from this one.

And the baby throws a tantrum.

penis!

cactus

Sorry cactus, second time you use that insult.
I am sorry that you are unhappy.
Sorry that its the best you can do.
Sorry you so often find the need to change your log in name ,but not posting style.
Sorry for you, your posts always have always will say far more about you than those you insult.
Cactus most of all? sorry you mostly insult me because I for the most part have been the only one trying to converse with you.
You are quite right, it is my fault the whole thing, by mate
PS by SOG too

jenny..quote..""Wow,"'

yep

""These threads always degenerate
into such boring altercations.""

i think the topic sets the tone

'"Can't we philosophise rather than snipe?""

many could
but a few cant

thats not to say that kant was wrong
but i console myself with the wise words of carl jung

one does not become enlightend by immagining
the figureheads of the light..but by making the darkness conscious

by waking the sleeper

thus its sometimes a matter of being diss-respectfull
just to get through

we could visit epicurious

''in every matter
consider what preceeeds
with what followeth""

or love is
making the..unseen miracle...seen

life is either a daring adventure
[or nothing]

every huh-man being is a spark
ready to burst into flame

wether the fire burns or warms
much depends on the fuel

anyhow
when the world is full of fear
be the hope

heck..lets just keep washing minds

wolfgan[the gothe]..said
let us not forget
man can never escape himself

or elinore roosievelt

no one can make YOU feel infiriour
without your censent

i think somehow we learn
who we really are...and then chose to live it
or change it...it's our decision

or abe lincon

it is difficult..to make a man feel misserable
whilst he feels worthy in himself

or the anon
if you put small values upon yourself
rest assured..the world will bnot raise it

or mark twain

a man cannot be comfortable
without his own approval

but l;ets not forget emerson

what lies behind us
and what lies before us
are tiny matters compared to that which lies within us [all]

god doth not ask for your ability
but for thyne availability

what we chose to avail unto others

do the uncommon things

or as the elders of zimbabwe say

if you can walk
you can dance

if you can talk
you can sing

only those who dare to fail greatly
can achieve greatly..to achieve greatly..we must live as if each moment we could die..achieving begins with believing

elinore
do what you can..with what you got
with where you aqre..for as long as you can

boast not about that thou wouldest have done
but then do..what thou wouldst see be done

in the end life is not knowledge
but actions we saw done

remember those done well
forget those done not

[all things are beautifull..if you love them
so trust that ugly is only that we havnt
found reason...yet..to love

Dear Belly & Lexi,
Have been reading these posts with interest, and after much soul searching I have concluded that - I have to be honest enough with myself in order to appreciate good policies put forward by a Party for whom I didn't vote. I also have to be honest enough, open both eyes, to see that the incumbent Government also makes poor decision within the construct of their party. I voted for neither of the Major Parties, but if we, the constituents learn to see with both eyes, we might appreciated the good as well as the bad decisions. Political war between the posters is fruitless and hurtful, and I have been guilty of voicing some negative thoughts and no doubt have offended others. Perhaps a more mature approach by many (including me) would produce less agro, and promote healthy, but reasoned debate.
Cheers, enjoy your weekend,
NSB

with respect..i was going to post this
to the troll topic...cause fry-day feels like saturn-day

lets seek at=one-meant

only fools seek power over others
the wise seek only power over the self
[that of mind spirit..that overcomes that of the materialistic brain]

the logus/logic within us all
is from the life giver/sustainer..[good] god of all living

each life is a flower
unfolding...growing
reaping sowing

each leaon of life given embodyment
that in its totality..reveals both the my-stry and rea-son
of all of that we enjoin as creation

we are the emmisions..and realisations
of the good[s]..of god

we each have the power of transformation
each have the gift of creation
to learn the only truth in law is love[respect]

in living your freely given gift..[of life]
try to learn and egsemplify..the sure steps...from the wriggling of the living sperm..you were..

that sounght the comfort and material embodyment
of the living egg...[who's marriage..bought forth the fruit you call you]

you that learn the law of reciprocity
[yin/yang]..ie karmic balance..[action re-action]

the law of giving and recieving
of taking and obligation..the equality [balance of relationship]
that returns its true due measure in full..[mutually benificcient..inclusive..requited recipocation

recall the rule of teaching..where its often the giver
that recieves the most

where demand can equal supply..simply
by asking a respectfull question

that supply has endless renewal
and demand only brings forth a faster end
frgoe the plenty to void scare-city..that planning is one thing
and production yet another,,but that its the doing [producing]..thats the true art

the truth of good is indesputable
yet god seems in debait
yet we each got that god given voice of conscience within
the eternal celectual guide..voicing frewill implicite with infinite

pro-creativity
syncronicity

right relations[respect]
accountability..reliability
response-ability empowering conasistancy
infinite pre destiney

heck evolve your consience
your awareness of brrr-other

all you can truelly hurt is you

Dear Noisy,

Thank You for your concern and your comments.

I also feel that our political coversation
must shift away from the mass, infantile
finger-pointing that now pervades it. We
can disagree vehemently yet appropriately.
Disagreement must be respectful or the
disrespect itself poisons us more than
either side's position in the argument ever
could.

We must not think that Australia is immune to
the viruses that destroy nations, any more
than any of us are immune to the flu if it's
coming through town. Many of the things that
most of us were brought up to think "could
never happen here," have already begun to happen:
dangerous scapegoating, violent hate crimes,
small-minded intolerance for the views of others.

Without personal commitment to the attributes of
fair play and integrity - Australia is in grave
danger. Malice and intolerance stalk our society.
We have to make a conscious effort to at least try
not to contribute to it.

Enjoy your week-end.

Fascinating. Who would have thought that runner would have valid input -aside from the alternate view of evolution and basic physics- on the political scene?
Once again Pelican is the soul of reason, and Houllie is the legitimate scoffer, but what else has been accomplished?
Objectively, "Juliar" has copped far more than she deserved (remember "children overboard" and "never ever" and "L. A. W. Law"?)
I would like to propose the "Barbie Principle". Not original, I know; it has been used in ads.
But let's, for the sake of argument, take it literally.
Suddenly Rudd's back on the menu. Why? Because he got shafted.
Who would you invite to your Barbie? Someone who would chip in, or someone you couldn't trust to shaft you when your back was turned?
Why do we accept different standards for our representatives, than we accept for our friends?
Would anyone argue that our representatives are incredibly unlovable?

http://www.smh.com.au/national/redneck-politics-abbott-accused-20110916-1kdz8.html
Good morning to my fellow travelers in the land of Insomnia.
I have had my first brief dip in to the waters of our news reporting.
Maybe I dream, I could still be sleep but no.
The link, it reminds me of ten threads maybe ten times ten.
Insulting hurtful unfocused threads and posts.
Telling us how awful these men are.
Yet?
I live near both, know with no doubt both once had the strongest support.
I am reminded, my claims our country's politics's at a low point.
Reminded too of my thread trolls, how we are charged by one from our most biased news media out let we are not Representative.
History from a view not cluttered by self interest, may look at us unkindly.
But I have hope,truly,that Australians can sort the truth in the long term.
Next week Tony Abbott if he supports the Greens walks out on a cardboard plank.
A very big fall is a possibility.
He is risking wakening public opinion to its interests.

Respect, a quick look at the mob surrounding Minister Bowen today reminds us of this thread.
I wanted to be there, to confront the ugly mob, let events take their own direction.
His family, any politicians family deserved better.
I wanted too to be able to confront lunatic trade unionists in the 90,s who broke windows in Parliament house.
Notice something about minority's?
How prone they are to violence , to abuse those who do not agree.
To even stop posting here because it is pointed out nearly nine to one do not agree with them.
Note too the numbers of women screaming in todays group.
They are the first to decry violence if it suits them.
No respect today for majority/them selves and their victims.

Lexi,

You've got to wonder why we're being led to distrust and fear our National government, this mood among White Australians didn't come out of thin air it's been manufactured.
According to Rob Oakeshott it's all pandering to "Redneck Politics", maybe if us White people with necks red from toiling in the sun actually had political representation we'd be a bit more tolerant.
The myth of the "Easy Going Aussie' is a joke,truth is most of us are only about as tolerant and reasonable as your average Taliban. White Australians are just fed up with egalitarianism and, to the extent that they are politically aware fall into two camps, Right Wing Fundamentalists and on the Left, Deep Green Fascists.
The WW2 generation set out to destroy White Australia, this is a fact, they talked about it constantly, trouble is that they turned their backs on their own kids who then spawned my generation who were raised largely free from indoctrination and slipped back into the "bad old ways" of having White babies and holding a reinvigourated concept of Blood and Soil.
The boomers can't govern, they have no spurious claims to moral authority like their parents from the "Greatest Generation" did, we don't respect them because they're not respectable, hell their own parents wrote them off.

Good Morning, Jay of Melbourne.
An interesting post indeed, the hardest thing for my generation (born just before the end of WW2), is to see respect of all things worthy fly out of the window. At one time we, as kids, were told never to discuss Politics and Religion at a social gathering. To have respect for our elders, whether or not they deserved it, they were elders, and that was the criteria. We had good manners drummed in to us, younger people used to stand up and relinquish their seats in order for a more senior person to be seated. We thought nothing of it, it was all part of the social mores. We were not goody two shoes, it was part of our raising.
There is nothing wrong with strict parenting, provided it doesn't go overboard. But today, it seems that every one is a social individual, and thought for others doesn't exist. We see that everyday, with people getting drunk and either glassing others, driving whilst under the influence with passengers in the car, speeding, doing drugs, breaking and entering and much, much worse., I hope this present day attitude dissolves soon, and people become aware, that we all have to share the burdens of the day, both good and not so good. "Luck" doesn't happen, the harder we work the luckier we become, it is also very satisfying. I cannot in truth say "bring back the old days", I hope that things will cycle again, I guess by then I will be pushing up daisies.
Cheers, NSB

Hi Lexi,
I enjoyed your insightful post, I cannot add anymore to it. There has to be a huge clean up of morals and media, (although they are not all bad these days), but between the aforementioned and the wolves (aka roving reporters), it is no wonder that people are scared of things (ergo the carbon/mining taxes) these ridiculous adverts on TV with people moaning that they will never be able to survive because of these taxes, are not silly, they have been scared into not understanding things. One would think that with most people owning or having access to computers would research the rumours, and probably realise that there is no need to be scared. I am very bemused at the social behaviours these days, and lack of understanding.
Have a wonderful day Lexi
NSB

NSB,
My understanding of cycles of that nature is that it's all relative to the number of young men at large in society.
If the gender balance is upset, even slightly then we see a spike in antisocial behaviour, the rise in crime with the influx of large numbers of young men from the sub-Continent is the most recent example.

Hi Jay of Melbourne
Thanks for that, you made some fair points, about which I totally agree.
I think a little unity in Oz might not go astray, we are all individuals, but we cannot live our lives totally without uniting about many things. We should all be thinking about the global food crisis should it happen, and somehow very soon it will.Many other issues need to be addressed I thought that this was the jobs of Government(s), I also think that with Globalization more people should band together and think about the looming probabilities.
Thank you for your post Jay.
NSB

http://www.zdnet.com.au/libs-credibility-spent-on-nbn-pricing-339322702.htm
This link is about a subject we talk about often.
And in a disrespectful way more often than not.
The respect for truth is mostly first victim.
As more and more lies/fabrications and constructed miss information emerges,will this country fall into bad hands based our no respect for the truth?