The Youth of Today

[Padge]

Overheard an amusing exchange in the pub yesterday.

Four yoofs sat on next table.

Girl was talking about being tapped up previous weekend in a club.

He said "I'll give you my email address", being cool.

Reply "Where do you live"

Followed by "the 1990's"

 

[DavidM]

Jesus , I feel ancient . Me and my girlfriend at school actually wrote each other letters in the holiday 

[The Hallucinating Goose]

How many like times was like the word 'like' like used in the like conversation? Like? 

[Wiltshire Rhino]

12 hours ago, DavidM said:

Jesus , I feel ancient . Me and my girlfriend at school actually wrote each other letters in the holiday 

What's a letter?

[gingerjon]

Just now, Wiltshire Rhino said:

What's a letter?

You may joke but I've just recruited a new assistant who had to be shown how you pay cheques into a bank account. Absolutely not daft at all but had never received one, written one or had a chequebook.

[Just Browny]

1 hour ago, gingerjon said:

You may joke but I've just recruited a new assistant who had to be shown how you pay cheques into a bank account. Absolutely not daft at all but had never received one, written one or had a chequebook.

No doubt you thoroughly assessed her handball skills at interview though.

[gingerjon]

1 minute ago, Just Browny said:

No doubt you thoroughly assessed her handball skills at interview though.

Because of PCgonemadelfnsafetycantevenpattheirbumsanymore I had to remove the practical handball demonstration from the interview questions.

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, Wiltshire Rhino said:

What's a letter?

They were delivered by fast post rider and she picked them up at the local inn

[DavidM]

2 hours ago, gingerjon said:

You may joke but I've just recruited a new assistant who had to be shown how you pay cheques into a bank account. Absolutely not daft at all but had never received one, written one or had a chequebook.

 No joke . My friend is a teacher of English and as a test of changing times he did a test of how to write and structure a letter and write an address on an envelope , and not one had a clue . Writing a proper sentence was tough enough 

[Hopping Mad]

44 minutes ago, DavidM said:

 No joke . My friend is a teacher of English and as a test of changing times he did a test of how to write and structure a letter and write an address on an envelope , and not one had a clue . Writing a proper sentence was tough enough 

Jeez. I remember being taught how to do all that during the early years of primary school (in the first half of the 1970s).

[Bob8]

25 minutes ago, Hopping Mad said:

Jeez. I remember being taught how to do all that during the early years of primary school (in the first half of the 1970s).

True, but then I only learnt to email at university. That seems a bit ridiculous to the young. 

[DavidM]

7 minutes ago, Bob8 said:

True, but then I only learnt to email at university. That seems a bit ridiculous to the young. 

Yeh , it wasn’t a sleight , I think it was just a bit of a social experiment about how times and technology changes and how people at any time are used to and accustomed to it . 

[Kayakman]

1 hour ago, DavidM said:

 No joke . My friend is a teacher of English and as a test of changing times he did a test of how to write and structure a letter and write an address on an envelope , and not one had a clue . Writing a proper sentence was tough enough 

 

54 minutes ago, Hopping Mad said:

Jeez. I remember being taught how to do all that during the early years of primary school (in the first half of the 1970s).

Where have you guys been lately...you are in the dark ages...kids can only print now...no cursive writing whatsoever....get with the program will ya.

[M j M]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

 No joke . My friend is a teacher of English and as a test of changing times he did a test of how to write and structure a letter and write an address on an envelope , and not one had a clue . Writing a proper sentence was tough enough 

Even if the kids didn't know this as a matter of course because they'll rarely encounter it societally is that sort of stuff no longer taught as a part of basic English lessons at a pretty early stage? 

[NWDuk]

2 hours ago, DavidM said:

 No joke . My friend is a teacher of English and as a test of changing times he did a test of how to write and structure a letter and write an address on an envelope , and not one had a clue . Writing a proper sentence was tough enough 

 I'm in my early 30's and I think I could count on my fingers the number of times I've had to write and send a formal letter.

In fact, the first time I remember having to do it was to send a somewhat official complaint to a car dealership. At the time I couldn't quite remember what I had been taught 15 years ago... Was my address supposed to go on the right... or was it theirs.

It took me an extra 60 seconds than it might you old boys, but after a quick google I had taught myself the perfect format for the style of letter... If I had to do it again, I'd need the assitance of Mr Google.

Teach kids how to learn and give them an enquiring mind. Theres no point teaching them irrelevant things just because it "did us good". I dare say many could do things with databases and word processors that will send out properly addressed documents far more efficiently than most.

[distantdog]

32 minutes ago, M j M said:

Even if the kids didn't know this as a matter of course because they'll rarely encounter it societally is that sort of stuff no longer taught as a part of basic English lessons at a pretty early stage? 

Yes it is! 

[Kayakman]

35 minutes ago, M j M said:

Even if the kids didn't know this as a matter of course because they'll rarely encounter it societally is that sort of stuff no longer taught as a part of basic English lessons at a pretty early stage? 

Get your head out of the sand...no it isn't and hasn't been for many, many years.

[Kayakman]

4 minutes ago, distantdog said:

Yes it is! 

The odd school still teaches Latin too but it is not widespread.

[M j M]

9 minutes ago, distantdog said:

Yes it is! 

 

6 minutes ago, Kayakman said:

no it isn't

Come on guys this isn't the Brexit thread, there must be some truth out there somewhere.

[NWDuk]

I was taught how to write a formal letter in the early 2000's. 

If you want a more recent opinion you'll have to attract some younger people to RL and then onto the forums

[distantdog]

22 minutes ago, M j M said:

 

Come on guys this isn't the Brexit thread, there must be some truth out there somewhere.

Taught to a year 5 class just before Christmas. May not be taught in Canada but certainly is here. 

[CanaBull]

CV’s & resumé’s are another good example; back in the day quite tight expectations in terms of content and format, with probably good candidates getting binned for faults along those lines whereas now that’s not as important due to different programs being used to write, send and receive them.

That does, however, put more of an emphasis on content for those doing the hiring.  I’ll admit to being a bit of a dinosaur myself but slowly being released from some of the strictures of the past and looking more at the content and quality of the information, and of the person, coming through.

In the digital age, insistence of learning forms of communication prior to that, and which will seldom be practiced in future smacks more of my own resistance to change than anything else and does the next generation no favours; they need to learn, and we need to give them the tools, to excel in the world of today and tomorrow not the world of our childhoods.

When kids of different cultures from all corners of the globe are collaborating in real time, moving us forward and getting results, I can’t think of any better way of thumbing the noses of current establishments.  No matter how much they try to limit and control the net, it really satisfies the rebellious streak in me that the youngsters always seem to find a way around it and I love that.

[Kayakman]

40 minutes ago, M j M said:

 

Come on guys this isn't the Brexit thread, there must be some truth out there somewhere.

The odd teacher still does it but it is not standard practice...shows the great divide of what people think is happening and what is actually happening in this brave new world.  Ideas from 20 or 30 years ago are so out of date due to the changing nature of the world...school today is nothing like you remember it....the humanists have taken over for a long time now.

[graveyard johnny]

9 hours ago, Wiltshire Rhino said:

What's a letter?

try and fiddle your inland revenue and you will find out soon enough.

[Bob8]

I asked the Missus about this.

She started at school in Denmark in late 90's and has never been taught the proper format of a letter.