Insulation....has anyone else noticed this???

[JimmyBlueEyes]

Maybe it's just me. I grew up in the late 70's and 80's here in NYC. It was common to be out playing with the kids on the block while the parents sat and drank coffee and tea on the porch or stoop. You got to know the people you lived around and a strong sense of a community, albeit a small piece of a larger entity.

Fast forward to 1985 when Crack came into vogue and NYC started to look like the Dodge City it has been portrayed as in many TV shows and films. My family moved up to the suburbs and this whole idea of playing with the local kids turned into more of watching them pick on others and disassociate themselves from those not in the "In Crowd". Parents, unfortunately, were not much different. I rarely saw any of my neighbors stopping by or hanging out on the porch with my folks. It was usually relatives or friends my parents had made through little leagues my brothers were in.

I noticed that people became more insulated. noticed it even more when I moved back into the city a few years ago. Older couple that lived next door to me yelled at the neighborhood kids for being kids. Apparently laughing and playing weren't on their calendar when they were 8 years old. You don't see the street parties like you once did or see organized baseball games on the street with garbage can covers for bases. Or chalk drawings on the sidewalk. I live now in a pretty quiet residential neighborhood that at times resembles an old age home. Dodging low flying planes is a hobby I have known all my life. Kids being kids is nearly non existent. It may be different in other places, and I kinda noticed the same thing in my journeys out west. My question is WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED??!?!?!?!

When did people decide to shut down everything?? Seems like they got wrapped up in their own lives and may not get the chance to know any one that lives nearby. Can anyone explain this phenomenon to me, or have you seen it too ??

[Silera]

I don't remember being in my apartment as a child.

I would play in front of the building with the entire neighborhood, red light green light, cops and robbers, summer time hydrant was always on, and my mom would just yell out the window and we'd come up for dinner.

I hate my neighbors and dont want my kids to be their kids friends because then i'd have to be their friends.

Therefore, I dont let them play in front of the building.

[Keyser Soze]

i spent an obscene amount of time playing outside as a child. we would play football, baseball, basketball, and manhunt pretty much until our parents dragged us in by our ears.

[IrishAlkey]

Elitist.

[header]

It's the same way down here in my tiny town these days. We all just stay inside and stare out the windows.

[IrishAlkey]

And eat?

[Keyser Soze]

i miss playing touch football in the street.

[madmick]

I blame Canada. They're the one's responsible for the hole in the Ozone.

[header]

Originally posted by IrishAlkey
And eat?

Only when I'm hungry.



Which is often! :roll: wooooo.

[Silera]

Parents were happier then.