JPF Home Page Forums General Messages Songwriter Message Forum Where is the morality of the young people going?

Hey everyone thought I'd toss my hat in the ring.


This whole post began around the idea of kids cheating in school but I want to address another point Everette made. The fact that highschoolers are illegally downloading (stealing music)is because it's been taught to them.

Remember the boomers kid's (generation x) is already in their 30's and beyond. The Xers started the illegal downloading frenzy while in college. These high schoolers we speak of were grade-schoolers (or less) when the whole napster thing hit. But let's not harsh off on the Xers so quickly.

When the boomers were younger I seem to recall it was pretty common practice to bring a recording device to a concert (either video camera or tape recorder) to digg them crazy tunes later. What Mr. 70s era acid rocker didn't realize is that was piracy? Go figure.

So this information has been passed down over the ages of music as long as home recording has been possible. Would we the Gen Xers sue our parents for recording music off the radio when we were growing up? Not hardly. So what you’re seeing here is not a sudden slip at all. What I see is a continuance of what has come before.

I think before Metallica made a big to do about it no one really gave a lick about Napster. You wanna credit someone with the explosion of illegal download sites? Blame Metallica. It's no different than the "Peace marches of the 60s and 70s" These kids are rebelling against the establishment in their own way.

The funny thing is we are so angry with them we can't even realize we loaded the gun. All they did was pull the trigger of the loaded Gun we gave them.

Now congress and the RIAA want to step up and make this a serious crime. I understand the intent and I don't disagree with it at all. However, filling up our prison system with people who download music and films illegally; is only going to create another generation of institutionalized people who can't make it in society.

Then the only way out is doing like England did and sending them all to an island somewhere to start a new country. (No offense Australians after all America was founded in a similar way).

Ok I'll wind down a little. To make the changes work for kids who manipulate grades and download music illegally we have to focus on changing behavior not punishing it.

Some don't realize this but punishment often reinforces bad behavior. Go back to what I said about the "Peace marches of the 60s 70s). Do we really want to make a society of young people who hate everything?

That is exactly where we are headed. Think Gen Xers were bad with anger and angst to quote BTO "You aint seen nothin' yet" And remember shortly these same highschoolers will be raising the next generation.

I think it's time we all woke up realized the mistakes "we" made accept them and then do the best "we" can to help all young people. If we really want things to change "we" have to act it's "our" responsibility not theirs.
Derek

Edit

To put this in further perspective and something those who follow the bible we are "reaping" what we sowed.