Producer,

You forgot the heat and snakes. I remember apricot-picking in 46 degrees, all of us huddling under the trees and picking only the low fruit, which was boiling inside anyway.

And sitting in the pickers' quarters at our half-hour lunch-break while a young brown snake slid up to the door, the only door, four feet away. We sat there quietly, he looked around and went on his way, so we got back to our vegemite sandwiches.

Great days ! What kids miss out on now, ay ?

Saltpetre – I would be interested to know what you base your last post on. I challenge you to quote anything I have posted in context, which supports your assertions? Just go to “users” and click on “producer”. It’s all there!

You don’t even have to go that far back. Stuff I posted earlier in this thread will give you an insight to my values. You could have a go at critiquing them if you have the ticker.

I participate in this forum when I can to spar intellectually about concepts and ideas. I am open to modifying my position, but first you would have to present a convincing argument.

Loudmouth – I assume you are referring to the text Python skit I posted earlier. I do agree the kids of today do miss out on so much, but they are not aware of it.

A lot of contributors to this forum suffer from the same affliction, complete ignorance to anything outside their world. They don’t know what their missing out on or want to know.

Baaz,

seriously?

Take a look at the current figures for India in economy, wealth and poverty.

Whilst the Indian economy has increased lots on last decade pr so almost NONE has gone trickling down to the 400-500 milion poorest who do most of the physical work.

Bigger economy and more productivity does NOT amount to [necessarily] better "living standards" for the poor in a given nation.

India and China should be enough for anyone to show this.

Producer

Beg to differ. To assume one must be arrogant if they expect respect is ridiculous.
Many cultures have great respect for their aged, even if it is fast fading here. There are some aspects of the past it would be nice to hang on to, and which have been re-introduced in for example our supermarkets. A small thing like a checkout operator asking how are you today? Observe the people's faces. How can they be rude when they are addressed civilly and with respect? Costs nothing, but promotes a pleasant exchange.

Respect comes in many forms. For instance I respect you have a different point of view than mine. I respect the deeds done by so many selfless people in this world. And of course I respect the fact that some people don't want to work, and others do, and especially respect the young man on you tube who died from cancer and shared his views with the world until he could no longer write.

This one word can be used in so many contexts. As a respectful person I don't feel it is arrogant to expect it to be reciprocated, and maybe we would have more harmony in this world if we did respect each other's differences, and didn't try to change them to one's own way of thinking.

Worldwatcher,

"Hasbeen is an obvious example of someone who has had his fair share of tough times, yet survived them. Yes, he's rather cynical as a result, but I'd say with good reason when some young turks attack him, even though he makes some very valid points."

Hasbeen is amongst one of the rudest, insulting and most dismissive posters on this forum - "if he happens to disagree with you".

Yes, he can be jolly and jovial if he's on your side, but woe betide he holds an opposing view or if he's addressing someone from the left. In that case they get it with both barrels, usually in the rudest form available.

I'm constantly reminded that those of a conservative ideology can usually dish it out, and the minute they are challenged, jump on the "show some respect" bandwagon.

Christopher Pyne is a good example. He's constantly snarling and bagging the Opposition, even resorting to calling Shorten a certain something (widely heard and reported) over the dispatch box in Parliament....and then, when it suits his agenda, donning his rhetorical tuxedo and telling fellow Members they should be "Gentlemen".

Thank you Poirot, high praise indeed, from one of the most abrasive of OLOs posters.

Jottiikii, it must be nice to be so young. If you are not young, why would you be unaware that Japan, Taiwan, Singapore, Hong Kong among others have all lifted their population from poverty to wealth, many to now be well above Oz, by growing their economy.

That china & India are slower is to be expected. They started later, with even lower wealth distribution, & will obviously take longer to achieve much in such huge populations, It is happening in areas more favored for industrial development, but may slow as the US redevelops their industry, & perhaps even the Mediterranean countries can get back on track.

Go back a little further, & you must see it was only the bigger economy generated by the industrial revolution that lifted the Poms out of poverty.

Thank you worldwatcher, but I don't consider I had particularly tough times, they were what we all had. When most of the people you see daily also live in a tin shed, it is normal, not tough.

Most of those people would today probably buy a home, with a huge loan. The loans were not available then, & neither were the building materials to finish our houses.

It was only just before we moved that we finally had running water. This was not poverty, but that pressure pumps did not exist, & neither love nor money could acquire a water tank, or the materials to build a stand to give gravity feed water.

Actually I had a fantastic childhood, building your own house can be fun, & gives you the feeling that you can do anything, if you want to enough.