GEN-Z BADDIES.

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I can't help but be grateful to my parents for instilling discipline in my siblings, especially when I see people, especially the Gen-Z baddies. No offense; embarrassing their lineage on the internet. One logs into social media to surf through the news and catch up on what is happening, but sees ridiculous things instead.

For instance, the majority of the youths of which I'm a part see it as a normal thing to discuss and justify numerous body counts and glorify the use of hard drugs such as crack, cocaine, weed, ice, and others. It doesn't stop there; one of the most annoying is the flaunting of ill-gotten wealth from fraud and other vices on the internet. One can't help but wonder, Where did our morals go?

There's also an unhealthy number of people who are not compunctious about insulting adults, other people's parents, or men of God. Don't get me wrong, some adults really do need to be put in their place for numerous reasons, but where do we draw the line? I have no affiliation with pastors and religious leaders, but anytime I see stories of evil things done by the supposed men of God or preachings that don't quite resonate with me, I'll rather scroll past. These people are some people's parents, and what usually comes to mind on occasions like this is how I would feel if someone insulted my parents; we would die there.

Nude pictures and sex videos are trending for whatever reason, or is it in fashion now? I don't understand. You then hear the actors in the sex tapes come out to deny that they didn't release it. I call them actors because for you to set up a camera to record a private act like that, you have the mindset of putting on a show. Tell me again: What are those who perform on screen to entertain audiences called? They are called actors and entertainers, if I'm not mistaken.

As if that is not enough, the pandemic of podcasts is so rampant that one hardly goes a day without coming across an irritating one. Podcasts are generally good to discuss sensible issues, not issues like clubbing, partying, cheating on one's partner, feeling entitled to another's person's money, and stupid stuff like that. If you ask me, there should be a permit for airing podcasts. I mean, people who intend to host podcasts should be made to submit an application on their intended topics and the guests they intend to feature. It's shocking how much brain dust most of the people we call celebrities have. It's none of my business, but it hurts sometimes when you encounter foolishness in a place where wisdom is expected.

Only this morning, I read a story of a woman narrating how she cheated on her husband with her neighbor. While this might not necessarily be true and it was told for clout, it's hard not to feel ashamed on her behalf. I pray I never reach the stage when I have to post shameful things like that for content. Lately, it feels like if you don't have a sex tape out there, you haven't accomplished your full potential as a celebrity.

My parents were the strict type, and you dare not misbehave; otherwise, the story would be like a tattoo in your mind. They certainly didn't spare the rod while training us, and while that may not have been ideal, it brought out fear in us whenever we wanted to succumb to peer pressure and misbehave. Even though we are adults now and my father is late, the thought of how he would feel makes us, or, shall I say, me? have a rethink whenever I get an embarrassing idea.

The one thing I don't particularly like about my upbringing is the beating used to put the fear of God in us.

I have kids now, and seeing how rotten society has become, I fully intend to discipline them in a manner that doesn't necessarily have to involve canes. My siblings and I were lucky to have been on good behavior because of canes. There are other kids whose fear of reprimand made them do horrible things. I'm going to be the kind of parent who is both flexible and rigid—rigid in enforcing laws and flexible in exacting punishments. I wouldn't want my kids to misbehave because they fear that my knowledge of certain acts would fetch them canes. I really don't blame my parents when I see what society has become, but that still doesn't mean it's the right way of parenting. It's the 21st century, and I plan to make my kids my best friends to always come to me first, with their fuck-ups, and in the first instance, ensure they don't get into any or very few fuck-ups if I can help it. So help me, God.