Asyiqin: Chain Email

1. Those children who grew up in the 50’s, 60’s or 70’s, although advanced technology was not yet born, enjoyed the most glorious and carefree days of childhood.

2. Rhetorical question: ‘Remember accidents?’
Repetition: ‘…broke bones and broke teeth…’
Alliteration: ‘…cold cruel world…’
Opinion as fact: ‘This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors, ever.’
Pronouns: ‘We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles…’
Flattery: ‘And you’re one of them. Congratulations!’

3. I am not convinced that the children then were more fortunate by this chain e-mail. The generation of people who were born in the ‘50s most likely suffered the devastation of the world wars and the difficult times where the world was trying to rebuild itself. We, who are born in the present, cannot imagine life without the technology we have now thus the idea of the time then seemed really harsh and demanding.

It was probably more dangerous then as there were no seatbelts or airbags in cars, the children rode their bikes without wearing helmets and there were no such thing as ‘childproof’. Therefore the chances of fatal injuries were higher if an accident or a mere slip were to occur due to the lack of safety devices. Speaking of safety, the absence of mobile phones increases the probability of peril.

No one cared much if the children got hurt, even if they were just cuts or bruises because the adults were probably against the idea of spoon feeding their child. The parents then encouraged the corporal punishment upon their children if the misbehaved in school unlike nowadays where most teachers fear parents because their opinions were prioritised.

The idea of indirect kissing through drinking out of the same bottle, drinking directly form the garden hose and eating creepy crawlies is revolting and unhealthy for the people of the modern world.

Education was not important in those days compared to the present so females were not forced to attend school because they were only required to learn the basic ways of life in order to become an eligible wife.

In conclusion, the children now are more fortunate because we are blessed with the most advanced technologies, a wide range of education and a more comfortable life.

4. Children nowadays have to be taught:
 About the rule ‘safety first’.
 To be considerate and mindful of their surroundings.
 That education is important.
 That violence will not solve anything but will make things worse than they already are.
 To be independent thus they won’t always lean on others.