Where have all the heroes gone?

(DISCLAIMER: I wrote this while in a bad mood.)

Are people getting increasingly pathetic?

It used to be that when a person committed themselves it meant something.  It was a promise and a promise was a precious thing that should not be broken.  I wonder if that still holds.

Do we molly-coddle our children and young people too much?  Do we indulge them so much that their backbones fail to develop properly?  And at what age does someone become an adult these days?

In days of yore children (there where no kids in those days just children) left school at 12 years old and did one of two things:  they either got paid employment or they worked in the house.  Over the years that age has been pushed up and up to reflect the importance that society has placed on education and I for one think that is a good thing.

The problem is that along with lengthening the period of full-time education the period of childhood has been artificially lengthened in the process.  I fell foul of this myself, I didn't leave home until I married at 28, I should've contributed more to my family home whether with money or with practical things.  In spite of this I still knew what responsibility was, I still knew that if someone was relying on me I had to follow through; if I had made a promise I had to fulfill it.

I'm tired.  I'm busy.  I need a social life.  I'm not feeling well.  These all seem to be acceptable reasons for letting people down, they're not.  (And while I'm at it; 'sorry' seems to no longer be the hardest word.  It's used frequently and disingenuously.)

Not all young people are like this of course.  I know a few who are real corkers, unfortunately they are becoming few and far between.  What do you think?

Above all, my brothers, do not swear—not by heaven or by earth or by anything else. Let your “Yes” be yes, and your “No,” no, or you will be condemned.

James 5:12