* * * * *
                                        
                  I'm surprised we survived as long as we have
                                        
I blame the the 24-hour news cycle [1] for this [2] (link via Instapundit
[3])—kids stuck inside all day because parents are afraid of shadows. I
remember as a kid spending hours outdoors with my friend Duke wandering
around the forest surrounding his home up in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The
only thing we worried about was getting back in time to watch Batman [4] and
then getting back in time for dinner.

Heck, I walked home from school [5] more times than I care to remember as a
kid (and one time, I walked to school because I missed the school bus and
didn't want to get into trouble). And when did it become Florida law
mandating bicycle helmets for 15 or younger [6]? I never wore a helmet. Nor
knee pads, elbow pads, or gloves. Yes, attempting to skid the tires but
having the bike shoot out from underneath and ending up with a bad case of
road rash hurts, but it also teaches a valuable lesson—skidding a bike is
stupid!

I also learned how to ride a bike in three days, but that was purely self
defense on my part. My uncle would sit me on my bike, and shove hard. Losing
my balance, I had two choices—turn into the closest large obstacle (telephone
pole, corner mail box, a large rose bush) and crash headlong into it, or roll
onto a four-lane road and crash headlong into traffic.

Fun times indeed.

But today?

As insane as some of the stupid things I did as a kid, parents today are just
totally insane.

[1] http://people.howstuffworks.com/culture-traditions/tv-and-culture/24-hour-news-stations-affected-society.htm
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=is5W6GxAI3c
[3] http://pjmedia.com/instapundit/210716/
[4] http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-reasons-60s-batman-tv-show-better-than-you-think/
[5] http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/03/02/parents-investigated-letting-children-walk-alone/24265981/
[6] http://flbikelaw.org/2013/05/kids-without-helmets/

Email author at sean@conman.org