A bit sad today...

... I was driving home at around 8 and it was starting to pour and I saw an elderly lady taking her groceries home from the local plaza. I wanted to pull over and offer a lift home but my mate said, you'd look like a stalker or it could be totally read the wrong way so in that split second I decided to keep driving instead of stopping and asking her if she wanted a lift.

It made me sad, really. We live in a world where you can't do such simple things anymore w/out fearing a reprisal. I felt badly that I just didn't have courage to do it anyway as at the end of the day you should let your actions speak for you, not the fears and prejudices of others.

I love kids too and often I want to play w/ them so my sister can make new friends or let them share my sister's snacks but I also worry about parents who get very antsy about their kids eating junk or playing w/ strangers. We were feeding ducks the other Sunday and two little girls walked up to us (my little sister and I) and we offered them bread so they could feed the ducks but then they said they had to ask their parents first. It's stuff like that that puts you off and makes you feel disillusioned. And that's just another example.

And yeah, still mulling over it a bit.

Them's the times Mate...

I'm sure there were plenty of weirdos around when we were kids but the difference is back then - people kept the things they did behind closed doors. These days - When we watch the news, it's these things that confront us. What are we supposed to think? The difference between Our Generation & that of Generation Y seems to be growing wider by the day... *sigh*

It's unfortunate that society have turned this way. There's just way too much litigation, mischief and over-political correctness. It's annoying to say the least. I tend not to overthink things anymore. As if I do I start to lose faith in people. Just do what you feel is right, as in the end the truth will always win out.

I think you already have done a great service to the community by just voicing your view on the subject matter. A little bit helps. Like the community we have in this forum, I'm amazed at the lengths people would would go through to help each other with requests and favours. I was totally surprised, but in a joyful way in the way this community functions as a group. So not all hope is lost.

I guess we all just have to try harder to find some common grounds to share experience with and have more tolerance. Trust has been lost in our society and perhaps something that needs to be worked on. Afterall, we only have each other in this world. Otherwise, why bother.

i blame the PC police and the silly majority who make up this world, i also dislike so called 'artists'

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Originally Posted by STL

... I was driving home at around 8 and it was starting to pour and I saw an elderly lady taking her groceries home from the local plaza. I wanted to pull over and offer a lift home but my mate said, you'd look like a stalker or it could be totally read the wrong way so in that split second I decided to keep driving instead of stopping and asking her if she wanted a lift.

It made me sad, really. We live in a world where you can't do such simple things anymore w/out fearing a reprisal. I felt badly that I just didn't have courage to do it anyway as at the end of the day you should let your actions speak for you, not the fears and prejudices of others.

I love kids too and often I want to play w/ them so my sister can make new friends or let them share my sister's snacks but I also worry about parents who get very antsy about their kids eating junk or playing w/ strangers. We were feeding ducks the other Sunday and two little girls walked up to us (my little sister and I) and we offered them bread so they could feed the ducks but then they said they had to ask their parents first. It's stuff like that that puts you off and makes you feel disillusioned. And that's just another example.

And yeah, still mulling over it a bit.

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Do you need a cuddle?

Stuff the majority. If you think it is the right thing to do, then do it. Who cares how it is going to look.
Who is going to judge you? The random people in the street? The old lady?
If she doesn't trust you then she'll say no. And if the other random people don't trust you then what are they going to do? Stop you?

Welcome to my world STL. :/

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Originally Posted by GoktimusPrime

Welcome to my world STL. :/

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http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x...angelfront.jpg

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Originally Posted by STL

. I wanted to pull over and offer a lift home but my mate said, you'd look like a stalker or it could be totally read the wrong way so in that split second I decided to keep driving instead of stopping and asking her if she wanted a lift.

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Well you live in a big city full of freaks and weirdos. Move to a a small community where you get to know everyone and you can do that stuff all the time.

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Originally Posted by STL

I love kids too and often I want to play w/ them

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Whoa...hold up there old hoss...Play what exactly?

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Originally Posted by STL

so my sister can make new friends

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Ok read the rest of the sentence....
Don't put yourself out too much mate. I'm sure lil sis can make friends all by herself.

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Originally Posted by STL

I also worry about parents who get very antsy about their kids eating junk or playing w/ strangers.

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Well so you should. Firstly...why would any parent want a stranger feeding their kids shit? Junk food is called such for a reason. It's ok for a responsible adult to induce diabetes and rot their teeth on crap but it should never be encouraged in children.
Secondly... this is a world full of degenerate f***-ups who should have been put down at birth. Strangers are a danger.
Bad stuff happens everyday.
Parents getting antsy about this stuff is just common sense.

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Originally Posted by STL

they said they had to ask their parents first.

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I commend their intelligence in such a situation. Obviously they have caring parents who have taught them what to do when asked anything by a stranger.

I understand your feelings in this and your selfless ideology as I once felt very similar....but you are young. Give it a couple of years and a bit more experience and the cynicism of modern society and the very nature of the city itself will infect you with it's evil.

I know what you're talking about, Digger. I can also understand a kid's reasons for beign cautious. I can appreciate that my sister can make friends w/out me, but too often does it feel to me that children these days are so unwilling to engage another child they don't know - even if they happen to be playing on the same play equipment. I just try to encourage where i can so that she grows up with a desire to be an amicable person and not one who feels distant and removed unless she knows that person.

More broadly, I know where you are coming from about cynicism. It reminds me of Bernard Shaw: "He who has never hoped can never despair." While the sentiment does resonate with me, I believe that we must possess the capacity, the desire, to be more. Hope does not abandon us, we abandon it. Despair we may, but never should we let our capacity to be more, to hope, to inspire be shadowed by that cynicism.

Cheer up STL. :)

Im involved in Scouting- we have a lot of rules and regs and get a lot of training about keeping yourself safe from getting into a position where you put yourself at risk . And you know what- its dam tricky.

You have to think two steps ahead. Its a worry because ive had kids come up and hang off me because they are having a good time at an activity or similar- some i think do it because they feel safe around you (think as you as a parent figure). Some kids have a pretty tough home life too and enjoy being around people who encourage them etc.

Im trained as a mandate reporter now so im required by law to report anything remotely suspiscious. Unfortunately some leaders/ parents from my group and myself witnessed a leader from another district at a big event acting inappropriately with a child. We all agreed that his conduct with this child was suspiscious so we reported him.

Sounds like youve got a good heart STL, pitty there arent more people like you.

I could go on and on on this matter. I dont think people should stop helping each other out and being nice. But i do think you need to think it through VERY carefully before you do it. Make sure there are always people around you who can prove youve done nothing wrong.

Oh and on that note- apparently there are people who who take advantage of these situations to get substantial amounts of money out of innocent people. Fancy that...

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Originally Posted by Vector Sigma 13

Im trained as a mandate reporter now so im required by law to report anything remotely suspiscious.

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It's good how you got training for that. I'm also bound to report anything sussed but I've never received any training for anything like that... so it just makes me paranoid. :/

This stuff boils my blood. I feel your pain STL. I've heard of fathers and grandfathers being approached by the police because they were playing with their child/grandchild in a park and some ultra-PC bystander with a paranoid personality disorder reported them. Seriously, what the hell is going on?

Kids can get up to all sorts of mischief and be taken advantage of online, not least of all by advertisers, but the plain and simple statistics confirm that the vast majority of assaults, abuse, kidnappings, etc, happen from people kids know. Not strangers. But of course that doesn't sell news.

I come across kids being abused or at risk all the time at work (family law) and the majority if the time it is simply one person trying to destroy the other by raising such an offensive allegation.

The "good samaritan" is dead an buried, thanks to the US and their viral litigious attitude. For example, if you are a doctor and come across an accident and do not help, you can be sued and even charged criminally. However, if you do assist and God forbid something goes wrong (given you are on the side of the street with no equipment) you can be sued for medical negligence!!!

This paranoia is leading to the next generation of kids being the "silent generation". They will say and do nothing, and live "safely" online in their bedrooms. There has to be some point where people say "You know, most people are just like me, normal people, not rapists and molesters". This is of course the truth. Then perhaps society can move forward cohesively and harmoniously and stop wasting time looking for catastrophes.

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Originally Posted by TheDirtyDigger

Do you need a cuddle?

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I'd like a cuddle!

I'm sorry but guys don't cuddle other guys... :confused: (that's kinda creepy :D)

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Originally Posted by Tiby

The "good samaritan" is dead an buried, thanks to the US and their viral litigious attitude. For example, if you are a doctor and come across an accident and do not help, you can be sued and even charged criminally. However, if you do assist and God forbid something goes wrong (given you are on the side of the street with no equipment) you can be sued for medical negligence!!!

This paranoia is leading to the next generation of kids being the "silent generation". They will say and do nothing, and live "safely" online in their bedrooms. There has to be some point where people say "You know, most people are just like me, normal people, not rapists and molesters". This is of course the truth. Then perhaps society can move forward cohesively and harmoniously and stop wasting time looking for catastrophes.

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Yep, one of the major points that was made to us in a certified first aid class, (10 years ago even), was that even if you help someone, they can turn around and get you in trouble because they didn't consent, and all that other "legal" non-sense (from a common sense perspective).

So yes, we're given all this training, and then encouraged not to use it because you can end up in jail/homeless and broke.

"Ambulance chasing" lawyers and those that utilise them need to die. You know there is no offence directed to you there Tiby because we all know you don't fit in that category. :)

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Originally Posted by Pulse

I'm sorry but guys don't cuddle other guys... :confused: (that's kinda creepy :D)

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It's alright fellas, we can hug, there's transformers in the room.

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Originally Posted by Pulse

I'm sorry but guys don't cuddle other guys... :confused: (that's kinda creepy :D)

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No, we give MANLY hugs

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Originally Posted by Pulse

I'm sorry but guys don't cuddle other guys... :confused: (that's kinda creepy :D)

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Where did you get the impression I was asking you for one? My comment was directed at TheDirtyDigger.

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Originally Posted by STL

... I was driving home at around 8 and it was starting to pour and I saw an elderly lady taking her groceries home from the local plaza. I wanted to pull over and offer a lift home but my mate said, you'd look like a stalker or it could be totally read the wrong way so in that split second I decided to keep driving instead of stopping and asking her if she wanted a lift.

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I know what you were really going to do... you sick b@st@rd!

In all seriousness though, the best way to fix this problem is with a bit of reproduction and proper training. I teach my kid to take candy from strangers whenever possible. ;)

"And don't take candy from strangers"

Oh c'mon Marge, they're only human".

i dun't trust any1!!! , certainty not those shady ducks down at the pond. But its good to think of others but we all have our little dramas and we should just leave them for others to play out themsleves, even though we may know their hardships.

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Originally Posted by autobreadticon

i dun't trust any1!!! , certainty not those shady ducks down at the pond. But its good to think of others but we all have our little dramas and we should just leave them for others to play out themsleves, even though we may know their hardships.

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Especially those ducks with the shifty eyes...

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Originally Posted by Tiby

This paranoia is leading to the next generation of kids being the "silent generation". They will say and do nothing, and live "safely" online in their bedrooms.

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I think thats already here.

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Originally Posted by Pulse

I'm sorry but guys don't cuddle other guys... :confused: (that's kinda creepy :D)

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Yes they do. And no it's not. C'mere Pulsey boy and I'll give you a big Greek cuddle!

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Originally Posted by TheDirtyDigger

Yes they do. And no it's not. C'mere Pulsey boy and I'll give you a big Greek cuddle!

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*sprints away & joins gobots forum* :D

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Originally Posted by TheDirtyDigger

Yes they do. And no it's not. C'mere Pulsey boy and I'll give you a big Greek cuddle!

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Not an ancient greece manly cuddle I hope:p

In all seriousness it is even the same in a small community like my hometown. I can understand taking precaution in a city but in a small town... How did we get like this????

no1 cares anymore.... on a crowded train they rather put up with that "ever gonna give you up" ringtone, then tap the guy on the headphone and tell him that his phone is ringing.

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Originally Posted by autobreadticon

no1 cares anymore.... on a crowded train they rather put up with that "ever gonna give you up" ringtone, then tap the guy on the headphone and tell him that his phone is ringing.

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Why didn't you tell him?

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Originally Posted by Bartrim

Not an ancient greece manly cuddle I hope

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What other types are there?

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Originally Posted by TheDirtyDigger

Why didn't you tell him?

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Because he loves that song :p

I was quite surprised when we were on the gold coast several months ago. We were coming back from Movie World on an overcrowded bus and an ederly lady ended up standing in the aisle. She was about 4 or 5 seats down from where my wife and I were sitting. The seat near where she was standing was occupied by your typical young bottle blonde pretty girl. This girl (I guess she would of been about 18-19) offered the old lady her seat. I was so surprised and impressed that when we got off the bus I actually approached the girl and let her know how I impressed I was.

So there is hope :D