Australians of the 1990s revealed by their behaviour that they were unfettered by any morality except convenience while demonstrating an understanding crippled by conceit.
Impatient
A minute's silence, observed by a crowd at a football match in Sydney (1995), lasts for about twenty seconds. Though the actual interval is nominally imposed by ground officials, this devaluation of respect is really set by the meagre patience of the spectators. Any longer would only be in theory, as restless supporters would disturb the quiet with a growing hum of discontent. So it would only be half the story to consider the performance of managers, without considering the character of their charges.
Contempt For Authority
Occupying positions of public authority once won respect, now it is an invitation to be held up for public scrutiny and criticism. The awed respect reserved for the English Royal family, revealed by newsreels of the 1952 regal visit to Australia, has vanished; in 1990s it has been replaced by scorn and resentment. The media now hold up the Windsor's to public humiliation and ridicule, questioning every privilege, even their continued subsidy by the public purse.
Collapse of Parental Authority
Popular contempt for the Royal family by Australians in 1990s springs from a fundamental change in the way people view authority, which in turn is a reflection of the way parental authority is regarded in the
family. The firm rule by a strict father has been placed by the misrule of an indulgent mother. Strict lessons in patience, modesty and self-sacrifice have been discarded in favour of easy licence. Contemporary upbringing is unconcerned with imbuing the qualities of citizenship, but aims only to supply offspring with a good time. The old adage "Spare the rod and spoil the child" has changed from a warning to an edict, making modern parents servants not masters of their children; an attitude spawned by indulging the biological urge of mothers to idolise their progeny; and a practice that must undermine all authority, order and inevitably civilisation.
Inevitable Ramifications Of Indulging Children
Indulging our instincts to revere children has unavoidable ramifications :
Children are considered sacred so sexual relations with a child is desecration, elevating the importance of this act to a principal consideration of our legal system. So determining if an adult 'sexually abused' a child, has filled the law courts, ruined countless adult lives, and given the power to every child to damn any adult. An ability that must further undermine the exercise of authority.
Children are considered blameless so children can't be held responsible for their actions.
Children are not to be hurt has inspired the belief that striking offspring should be forbidden. So it has become popular to consider the imposition of discipline by smacking is not only unnecessary but positively harmful for the child. A notion that has given rise to the idea that suffering and ill-treatment during childhood are the root of all adult evil; with physical admonishment being considered part of this ill-treatment. The presumption behind such a concept is that children would normally become respectable, responsible, mature adults unless their upbringing was perverted - an absurd idea. There is no reason to believe that any code of conduct is natural or will be embraced without instruction and reinforcement (see old story).
Tyrannical: Being selfish means being tyrannised by your emotions. Moral values, the freedom or rights of others, is of no concern; only your own feelings matter. If you fear cigarettes and give up smoking then all cigarettes should be banned. If you dislike litter or dog droppings then these must be banned. And this of course means demanding laws that coerce others into becoming slaves of your feelings.
Irresponsible: If something goes wrong it must be the fault of someone else.