Column: Dave Foe’s View
Wednesday night’s post-cup riot has sent photos and videos around the world. Of course, the best pictures were not captured by media but by the narcissistic schmucks with their iPhones, Blackberries and other little electronic toys their mommies and daddies pay for because they have yet to find themselves and drag their self-esteem-glazed backsides out of their parent’s basement.
That is a generalization, to be sure, but the notion the Vancouver riot was caused by a small group of anarchist hoodlums is bovine fecal matter and simply a matter of politicians talking out of their posterior orifices. If there were anarchists there Wednesday night they were still narcissistic schmucks with their iPhones, Blackberries and other little electronic toys their mommies and daddies pay for because they have yet to find themselves and drag their anarchistic, self-esteem-glazed backsides out of their parent’s basement. The only difference is they have the skill set to organize themselves into a group.
Riots – hockey or otherwise – are nothing new. What is new is the ubiquitous presence of narcissistic little twits with their cellphone cameras looking to get the next EPIC picture for their Facebook page or Twitter feed. And apparently they are willing to engage in or cheer on chaos to get it.
That is not to say cellphone cameras are to blame or even social media. What is to blame is three decades of the cult of self-esteem that has created a generation sociologists regard as the most narcissistic that has ever existed. When a 27-year-old male still living in his parent’s home and still suckling his mother’s teat (figuratively if not literally) has been told from day one he is the centre of the universe and only his views matter, it only stands to reason he will have no regard for persons or property and want to take plenty of EPIC pictures to show his equally going-nowhere friends on Facebook. Just go to Facebook. They started a page just to post them.
So what to do to curb this sick trend in society of exposing ourselves for all to see like a New York congressman, but without the apologies and divorce papers. Well, perhaps if parents grew a little backbone and kicked their kids out on the streets, those kids might not be as inclined to light the streets on fire whenever their team loses and their self-esteem is bruised.
I agree with your view on the Vancouver melee. If these rioters were responsible citizens, they would not have been part of this. They have no self-esteem and gain a short-lived high by doing such shocking acts. If the Justice system allows the charges, pressed by the police, on these characters to stand, perhaps a lesson will be learned -‘ that the world does not revolve around me and I need to take responsibility my for chosen actions’. Of course, the system will have to deal with the parents who will continue to rescue their child and will do everything in their power to have charges dismissed. Common sense should dictate that these people need to ‘hit the brick wall’ and suffer the consequences for such a display of unacceptable behavior.