Generations

I read a great interview with Lynne Truss in todays Independent. She is the author of "Eats, Shoots and Leaves", a very readable lament on the decline in standards of the usage of the English vernacular. She has written a second book called "Talk to the Hand" - one of the most nauseating phrases of this generation.

The money line from the interview was this gem; "Just as the loss of punctuation signalled the vast and under-acknowledged problem of illiteracy, so the collapse of manners stands for a vast and under-acknowledged problem of social immorality". I think this woman has hit the nail on the head.

It grates my soul to see littles shites pushing past their elders when boarding a bus, just as it grates to hear them ranting in tongues.

"It's as if she like, thinks she all that, she crap she is - all mouthy in all. I fink what she after is a good sorting out". Excuse me?

So here I was feeling like a crusty old fashioned bastard, when I received a priceless email from my boss from back home (reproduced without permission!):

But I will never forget the comment you made about us being a generation apart, it was one of the "best" things anyone ever said to me, I still find it funny, though was midly insulted (insulted is a bit strong) seeing as we are are only 14-15 years apart. (shit that sounds a lot).

Anyways I have just been at my aunties husbands 60th tonight. I didnt realise he was that young, that puts us at 17 years apart...and I can tell you we are fucking generations apart. so maybe your comment was not that out there after all !

I met "uncle" Brian about 25 years ago (he marries my aunt about 15 years back) at Air NZ when I was doing my apprenticeship, he is a northerner, i think from lancashire, unionist to the hilt (you would love him) and he and I did not get on at all, he really was an old man...

so I can see your point now, those 15 years, fuck we ARE a different generation.

See ya soon...

you young bustard.

I'm too tired to provide any meaningful insights at this point - other than to say that I think the wheels of change are turning faster than ever before.

So many things change for the good, tolerance, reason, equality - but I can't help but think that we may be losing sight of the little things. Look at the inception of 'texting' lnguge (which even Mother Log has caught onto) - and ponder how your grand kids will speak. Frightening.