madlad7773
Active member
I left Boro back in Jan 1990 and have been back periodically ever since. I live in Northumberland now, but like others have said, it isn't the place I grew up in. Less shops, less police, areas seem to be run down a little bit more. I was having a similar conversation the other day with a mate of a similar age (i'm 49 and hes 50 and from Leeds) and we agree a few things have changed. As a young un, you knew there would be occasions when you'd get into some bother with d***heads, but it was pretty much always fisticuffs and a bit of posturing. Nowadays, social media has driven all kinds of hatred, arguments and whats amplified this rage is the carrying of knives and other weapons. Used to be sort of an "unwritten rule" if you had a scrap and the other person was either on the floor or not fighting back anymore, that was it. Sadly, the norm now is to attempt to put that other person out of commission for good.
The other thing we both agreed on was mobile phones, the internet and social media have been, in equal measures, the best and worst inventions of our lifetimes. Also, everyone wants things NOW, not next week...must be immediate. I miss the days when you waited for stuff, looked forward to a new album coming out, bought it, read the inlay card etc....it was an experience. Now its buy now, sod the consequences, hence so many are in debt keeping up with the Jones'. It's usually younger people influenced by SM and trying to emulate that lifestyle. Might not be the popular view, but I'm just being honest. I still have my manners and I'm polite. I also dunno where those things have gone in modern society either!
The other thing we both agreed on was mobile phones, the internet and social media have been, in equal measures, the best and worst inventions of our lifetimes. Also, everyone wants things NOW, not next week...must be immediate. I miss the days when you waited for stuff, looked forward to a new album coming out, bought it, read the inlay card etc....it was an experience. Now its buy now, sod the consequences, hence so many are in debt keeping up with the Jones'. It's usually younger people influenced by SM and trying to emulate that lifestyle. Might not be the popular view, but I'm just being honest. I still have my manners and I'm polite. I also dunno where those things have gone in modern society either!