I just read "451" for my english 11 class and i have noticed that his views are how all others should view things today. his views on teenagers are especially correct, soon to be 17 myself i have noticed that our values have changed so much since our parents and grandparents in the past. We are becoming corrupt and far to dependant on technology, as far as moral values go, we have almost none whatsoever. Clarisse hit the nail right on the head when she said, "i sometimes think drivers don't know what grass is, or flowers, because they never see them slowly." That line was correct and totally true. People nowadays never stop to think on how the world has changed. So many beautiful things are now gone that once were and i think it is time to slow down and look out our windows at the green pastures where the cows graze and actually stop to smell flowers and use the sidewalk instead of driving by and flipping people off when they pull out infront of you. Point blank, the people of this world are changing, and not for the betterment of mankind i assure you. Look at it from our point of view in high school. And hopefully others out there have seen such as i and share my concerns for modern day issues such as this. Sincerely

-brad

I see what you're saying and agree with some of it. But I also teach Comm College, I taught Jr. HS, and I see my HS daughter's friends. Our generation (I'm 48, with four kids), could have done a better job conveying a sense of good values to our kids . . . that's true enough.

But what I see in the younger generation is what I saw in my own turbulent generation. There are now (and were then) a lot of really good kids who want to do nothing but develop themselves so they can live in and contribute to a good, healthy, creative society. I see kids today who immerse themselves in learning and the development of various talents. I see kids who are convicted with a faith in God (in several traditions) who seek to live a life that honors him. I see kids who hold hands and pray for their friends. I see kids who laugh and cry and see and feel each others' pain.

Do I see the bad side in the upcoming generation? Sure, but let's face it: Our generation had a downside, too. I saw many of my friends lose their talent, faith and sense of hope by engaging in drugs and alcohol. I saw peers and friends who lost hope and gave in to depression and cynicism. A friend is dead of alcoholism. Two other have committed suicide. One has died of AIDS. But I see many of my friends who have built good, honest lives. Who love their families. Who support their friends. Who have not abandoned thier God.

Our hope is in these good kids coming up after us. The ones who contribute, who develop, and who run away from a bitter cynicism, and chose hope and joy. Who love, who develop, who worship, who study, who laugh, who pray, who work hard. I see the generation I teach, and there is great hope there. There is enthusiasm for learning. We have put them through the highest divorce rate in our nation's history. We have torn their lives apart with our affairs and divorces. We have walked out on our own churches. We've made money a God.

But you know what? Many of these kids and young people move forward, creating beauty and love whereever they go.

I love them. And I have real hope for them.

Wow, Mr. Dark. Those are inspiring words. It kind of makes one feels as though things aren't so bad as we think. Thank you for that.

I think there have always been those who are going too fast to know what grass is. There is a nostalgic way of thinking that makes us all think things used to be so great. Before technology, there was so much more work to do, how could anyone find time? I think there will always be those who do and those who don't, it's just that nowadays, there's more who don't. It's the entertainment age, and we must set our priorities. We must make time for life.

Just a thought.

Remember when we were told, "Ain't, ain't a word" and the most defiant response we had was something like, "Then why does Bugs Bunny say it?" Mr. Dark points out that someone has flubbed "fareght"(fahrenheit), and he gets called an arrogant snob. Each generation does it's hardest to distance itself from the previous one, but to what point of moral decline will we find ourselves?

[This message has been edited by grasstains (edited 02-20-2004).]

When I was a boy, I spent a lot of time on my feet. I walked, and walked, it was the only way to get to the library, and away from my family. It was a four mile trek. I thought my city, Pittsburgh, was the most beautifull thing in the world. It just took a few miles on my feet every day to realize it.

The Morale of the story is, there will always be the lost ones that find beauty.

"he gets called an arrogant snob."

Grassstains,
No one here called Mr. Dark an arrogant snob!? We all hold his(?) wise writings in the highest esteem!

About the loss of values that is now happening amongst kids:
While reading through the Odyssey, I came across a point where Odysseus tells one king that kids these days are loosing their ancient ways, they rebel, and do not follow in their father's footsteps. How's that for an old train of thought!
Cheers,
Translator

Graffitti found on a wall in ancient Pompeii: "Nothing is as good as it used to be and everybody wants to write a book." Pretty much sentiments often expressed here?

Dandy, and this one:
Just finished reading and discussing Usher II, from MC (in Lit. 12). I also have an RB Theater episode with Patrick McNee as Wm. Stendahl. This is a great rendition on screen of a very intricate RB plot.

It is RB at his finest in some respects. His trademark author/title allusions, twists, suspense, imagery, and fine & rare irony. I guess it could be considered "SF" as the androids and humans are fooling one another from start to finish.
IE-
Garrett the investigator from Moral Climates questions, "For God's sake what are you doing?"

Great come back line:
"I'm being ironic. Don't interrupt a man in the midst of being ironic, it's not polite. There!" As the chains are attached to the investigator's wrists.

I always loved teaching that story and regret that it's not on my syllabus anymore. It's good on so many levels, and seems so timely, even after fifty years. (I realize that is true of much of Ray's writing--no matter how old it is, it always seems new.) I love all the Poe references and many of the lines, but here's my favorite: "...they lined them up, St. Nicholas and the Headless Horseman and Snow White and Rumplestiltskin and Mother Goose--oh, what a wailing!--and shot them down, and burned the paper castles and the fairy frogs and the old kings and the people who lived happily ever after (for of course it was a fact that nobody lived happily ever after!), and Once Upon a Time became no more!" Such a cool line!!

I salute you guys. very inspiring. i wish i could have exerienced the 60s. (has nothing to do with this i just got reminded of it some how.)

OK, Skipper, since you brought it up, why isn't "Usher II" on your syllabus anymore?

When my school switched from a junior high format to a middle school one, the principal wanted us to choose books that coordinated with the time periods studied in the seventh grade social studies curriculum so we could do units together. Their curriculum goes only to the 1800's. Hence, Martian Chronicles had to be dropped. (Don't even get me started on the stupidity of this logic.) She's a very controlling, in your classroom, in your face type principal, so I didn't have much choice. The good news though, is now that principal is gone and the new one trusts us to set our own curriculum, as long as we are meeting state standards. I most likely will be bringing the novel back next year!!

Wow. There's certainly nothing like losing your freedom to make you appreciate it even more when you get it back.