Situation at Walmart -- or Clean-Up in Aisle 3

[artificer]

It's difficult for me to accept that this is a new feature of the younger generations, but it may just be the situation in which I grew up. I can point to writings of the past that are not so polite about differences...

Exactly.
Nothing is ever new with people. Situations just change that allow the same basic (base?) characteristics to manifest in new (and usually annoying) ways.

It used to be nasty notes passed in the halls, prank phone calls, certain innuendo scribed on bathroom walls, etc.

Technology has simply allowed for a much LARGER audience for people's unthinking cruelty to others.

[Scott West]

All I can say is "Benn there, dealt with that."

First, you're in Wal-Mart, a place in which the rules of common decency fail to apply.

Second, you weren't wearing clothes that came from Wal-mart, so you stood out.

Third, you were dealing with young girls who have no sense of manners, probably don't have an example of a real man in their lives, and a profound ignorance of the world and have probably grown up on the diet of "rich spoiled brat" reality shows that make me want to throw my TV into the street. They're ignorant jackals because they were raised by ignorant jackals. They're rude and stupid because their parents are the same way.

Bravo, VERY well stated, Whidbey78! Early in my kilting career I was walking through W/M on a late night junkit while wearing my first kilt, a SK All-Ireland Green, Guinness rugby shirt and Birkenstock sandals (I like the casual look here in Florida). As I walked past an individual sitting on a bench in the middle of the aisle, she had the unmitigated gall to laugh at me - while she was wearing a silver lame tank top, shocking pink shorts and rafia shoes (my wife calls them 'wedge heels')!!! I couldn't resist and said to her, "[disgusted chuckle] yeah RIGHT, YOU'RE laughing ME." She just stared at me, stunned and silent.

[Legba]

Being made fun of is not even on the radar for bad human actions. It may be rude, however, If we choose to stand out in the crowd, we will stand out in the crowd.

[Nighthawk]

Being made fun of is not even on the radar for bad human actions. It may be rude, however, If we choose to stand out in the crowd, we will stand out in the crowd.

I was thinking something similar at first. But last night in my martial arts class, we were discussing tradition and etiquette, and it came into my noggin that that's really the root of the problem- there is no sense of etiquette or tradition in America! I wore my wool Highland bonnet because last night was cold and windy, and after class, my head is sweaty, so I thought that to have it covered would probably be a good idea. I walked in the door to the school and took my hat off. That was when it struck me- I did that because my Irish grandfather had drilled into me that it was rude for a man to wear his hat inside! I heard my grandfather in his slight Irish brogue gently reminding me to mind my manners. Neither the people in a lot of those pictures, nor the people taking the pictures, had a Grandpa Leddy telling them "Your clothes aren't on straight. Never leave your dignity at home." Or "That lady may have problems. Respect her privacy and leave her with what dignity she has." We've totally lost that... A lot of the native Scots on this board sometimes wonder we in America wear the kilt and want to associate with our roots instead of shedding them. This discussion is exactly the reason! Being a fan of B science fiction movies, I have seen Screamers 2. There was a pilot in that movie who was of Norse descent. One of my favorite quotes ever came from that movie. He said "Without our traditions, we're nothing but animals." All you have to do to see the truth in that statement is to look at the People Of Wal Mart site- both in the pictures of a lot of those people, and in the comments of the people who read the website. I think People Of Wal Mart is a good thing- it reaffirms the need to keep tradition alive.

[wildrover]

"[disgusted chuckle] yeah RIGHT, YOU'RE laughing ME."

Well played, sir .

Being made fun of is not even on the radar for bad human actions. It may be rude, however, If we choose to stand out in the crowd, we will stand out in the crowd.

Also well put. We wear kilts, some more than others. Appropriate settings aside...can't take the heat? Wear pants.

"Without our traditions, we're nothing but animals." All you have to do to see the truth in that statement is to look at the People Of Wal Mart site- both in the pictures of a lot of those people, and in the comments of the people who read the website. I think People Of Wal Mart is a good thing- it reaffirms the need to keep tradition alive.

So right, Travis. I had a helluva good laugh (not a cynical laugh, an honest one) flipping through a little book in B&N entitled "Things White People Like" or something like that. In addition to being a hilarious backhand to Helpless White Suburban America, upon reflection, it also indicated an utter separation of Man from Roots.

PoWM is also a check, of sorts..."are you doing it right, or are you inviting derision?"

How many of us, if our picture were to appear there, would be willing to admit that we had Done It Wrong?

After long reflection on this thread, I realized it is nearly the same topic as another thread:
http://www.xmarksthescot.com/forum/f...t-rules-62618/

And now for my opinion...you were wearing a denim kilt. A denim kilt in WalMart, no less. I know some of you own denim kilts, and I know we're all one big happy dysfunctional family here, so there's no harm in me saying that while I am willing to accept your denim kilts, I'm not entirely cool with them, either. Maybe it's because jeans are ubiquitous. Maybe it's because it's neither a tartan kilt, a wool kilt, nor a UK. Maybe it's because the adaptation of denim to a kilt-like object appears more like a skirt than a kilt...that ever-elusive definition we've attempted to clear up in the past. Maybe it's because I see it as an attempt to mix Scottish roots with American style, but feel it misses both by just enough to suggest neither.

Regardless my reasoning, I felt you might like to know that while I will not be sneaking around WalMart trying to snap cell phone pictures of you that I will later post on Facebook and the rest of Teh Interwebs, I will likely be thinking "huh...denim kilt. Interesting. Not quite sure what to think." I would even be thinking it if I were wearing my own kilt, and I would be thinking it doubly so and potentially with a bit of derision, should I see it at a Highland games. As Travis pointed out, etiquette expects that I certainly will not say anything.

...So there's your dissenting opinion, it's worth about what you paid to read it, take from it what you will . This is Xmarks, we talk kilts here, if you're going to hear dissension, better here than on aisle three.

-Sean

[biblemonkey]

Not to belabor the negative aspects of the experience of wearing a kilt or teenagers in general but that kind of behavior is intolerable. I am still young enough to remember that being a teenager means not having any idea what "inappropriate" means at times, but if I had the urge to laugh at someone I had the common decency to do it out of their hearing. I certainly would NEVER have tried to snap a photo of them so I could make fun of them again later. Frankly, I know that kids are irresponsible and rude no matter the generation but the new sense of entitlement to do any and everything they want at all times seems disproportionate with the way I was raised during the 80's. Personally I would have insisted on having the kids detained and their parents called. Maybe if the parents had to take responsibility for their kid’s actions they would chew them out a little more often and the kids would behave like human beings in public. The thing that is amazing is that the internet provides access to any type of cultural difference you could possibly imagine and yet that kind of close minded, hateful behavior is only more prevalent these days because OF the internet and permissive parenting. People feel that they can say or do anything they want online with no consequences and that carries over into the analogue world. Disgusting.

[biblemonkey]

Being a fan of B science fiction movies, I have seen Screamers 2.

I take it then that you are a fellow MST3K fan? Or Mistie if you will? And that you would agree that Bruce Campbell is the man? If so, then ROCK ON! If not, then I don a sad face and shuffle away in my kilt.

[hootstwo]

Not to belabor the negative aspects of the experience of wearing a kilt or teenagers in general but that kind of behavior is intolerable. I am still young enough to remember that being a teenager means not having any idea what "inappropriate" means at times, but if I had the urge to laugh at someone I had the common decency to do it out of their hearing. I certainly would NEVER have tried to snap a photo of them so I could make fun of them again later. Frankly, I know that kids are irresponsible and rude no matter the generation but the new sense of entitlement to do any and everything they want at all times seems disproportionate with the way I was raised during the 80's. Personally I would have insisted on having the kids detained and their parents called. Maybe if the parents had to take responsibility for their kid’s actions they would chew them out a little more often and the kids would behave like human beings in public. The thing that is amazing is that the internet provides access to any type of cultural difference you could possibly imagine and yet that kind of close minded, hateful behavior is only more prevalent these days because OF the internet and permissive parenting. People feel that they can say or do anything they want online with no consequences and that carries over into the analogue world. Disgusting.

How? On what grounds, for being annoying and inconsiderate? You try somethink like that on kids that would do something like what we're discussing and you're going to find yourself in far more trouble than them.

[Tobus]

Maybe if the parents had to take responsibility for their kid’s actions they would chew them out a little more often and the kids would behave like human beings in public.

You'd be surprised. Part of the reason some children act like this is because their parents really don't care to correct them. I'd bet that if the parents of these two girls were summoned to Walmart, there's a 50/50 chance that they'd be more upset at everyone else than they would be at their own kids.

That's just been my general observation on parents of kids like these. You try to call them out for the behavior of their children, and they end up getting mad at you instead. They go into defensive mode, with the "how dare you question my parenting skills?" attitude. And to be quite honest, a lot of kids learn this behavior from their parents. So it's not very likely that there will be any consequences once the kids get home.

[biblemonkey]

How? On what grounds, for being annoying and inconsiderate? You try somethink like that on kids that would do something like what we're discussing and you're going to find yourself in far more trouble than them.

I'm just saying, permissive parenting has gone way too far lately and, though it's nothing new, it would be nice to see the parents called to task for the way they let their kids act. If I had done anything remotely close to that and MY mother had been called, you can bet she would have put the hurt on me. As she SHOULD. As their parents should. You can't disagree that that is what is right and that since that just doesn't happen anymore in the more "enlightened" circles, we are having more issues with kids acting out and teen depression and behaviour problems are on the rise. Kids need to know where the line is and that there are consequenses for crossing it and parents need to realize that it is THEIR responsibility to show them. When a kid knows exactly where they stand and are firmly, yet lovingly guided in the right direction (like nighthawks grandpa Leddy) there is far less of a chance of severe emotional and social problems later In life. Study after study shows this. Making the parents come pick those brats up might be the "last straw" that they need to vastly rethink how they let those kids act. Then again, nothing might change. I do applaud the man and his wife for getting them kicked out, though.