Do you remember the days where children were seen and not heard? During my youth, it wasn’t quite this bad, but we certainly knew our place in society. We knew that anyone older than you had to be respected. They didn’t have to earn it first as it seems the norm is now – they started off with respect, but could perhaps lose it in certain instances. When a grown-up walked into a room, you would get up to greet them. Everyone was called Mr or Mrs, or the South African Afrikaans “Oom & Tannie”. If there weren’t enough seats, you would offer up your seat, or sit on the floor.
These days things are so different. Again today on the tube, a lady gestured to a chap sitting in a priority seat, reserved for the old, pregnant, infirm and “those who aren’t able to easily stand”. Fair enough, I thought, she must be one of the above, only to find that she offered the seat to her daughter, who was about 7 years old! And the daughter was perfectly able. And this is not the first time. I see that on the tram time and time again.
Well, the long and short of it is: I think it is wrong!