London's Burning

[Aliantha]

Seems like everyone's pointing fingers and no one's really doing anything about it.

We see the same sort of deterioration in family values here as well. It's very sad, but I just try to change things just in my own area. I try and support those in need and give the kids that are struggling a bit of a leg up if I can. It has to start at grass roots. The politicians can't help. Only the individual can make a difference.

I just don't believe the government is capable. It's up to communities to work together to help their kids and families in trouble. The problem is just too big to solve all at once.

[tw]

Originally Posted by Aliantha

Seems like everyone's pointing fingers and no one's really doing anything about it.

Long before any blame is cast, first the problem must be identified. So many are quick to cast blame; ignore the problem.

The problem: adolescents doing what adolescents do. A normal stage in cognitive development. Or what happens when an adolescent stops growing.

Skeptical adolescents react to this uncertainty by rejecting rationality. The take the attitude that if they cannot be certain bout what to do or whom to believe, then all opinions and positions are equally valid and they don't have to listen to any (or to anyone in particular). They lose respect for authority and have little patience for those who parade around as experts. Because they have lost faith in logic, these adolescents behave impulsively (without reasoning through situations), intuitively (doing what their emotions, rather than their logic, tells them to do), and indifferently (without attempting to choose a good course of action, "going with the flow"). They are apt to conform to others, letting the majority make their decisions for them, and they become rebellious or disengaged. ... Again, many people never outgrow this stage of reasoning.

Now, are these adolescents who stopped growing? Or just so many adolescents at that stage of development where crisis causes them to respond emotionally as an adolescent would do? If so, then what is the widespread crisis?

Long before casting blame, first reasons for that problem must be defined? Does England have so many adolescents with arrested development? Or just a smaller numbers that could so easily create a 'herd mentality'? Or why have so many lost faith in logic?

Yes, top management - the parents - are the source of 85% of these problems. If kids are not growing, a parent's job to address it or to seek help. But is that the reason for so much emotion?

Casting blame is junk science reasoning if a problem is not first defined. Provided is an example from researchers (the authors of The Adolescent) for how one might answer those questions. Casting blame without first identifying the problem is an example of illogical thought.

Shameful is anyone looking for answers in soundbytes. Soundbyte reasoning makes one no different than adolescents who have lost faith in logic while behaving impulsively, intuitively, and indifferently.

If parents are a primary reason for this problem, then what is it that parents have not addressed or encouraged?