1) "Outside": one reason, I think, is that we live in a far more transient world than when I was growing up in L.A. Then we had neighbors that stayed there and I had friends on the same street that I played with all through elementary, junior high (now called middle school) and even high school. Not so much anymore. I see it here in our little cul de sac. People move in and out. People "flip" houses all around us. Houses are now looked at as a "financial investment" and no loner a "home". Because of this people can't just walk "outside" and call for a friend to climb a fence and play softball, etc. They communicate on-line and play video games together. That becomes addictive because its comfortable and there is never any boredom. Looking back I think boredom was a good thing. We had to make up stuff but we did it outside. Sometimes we did nothing-but it was outside. Today going "outside" and be alone can't compare to sitting at a computer playing a video game with a buddy.

2)"Aggression": I don't have an answer for that -just some thoughts. There is far more violence on TV than ever before-including of all things football-we see fights on plying fields that are highlighted on tv-so it inevitably becomes more acceptable and even cool to be an aggressor. Moreover, I think young people are more unhappy and less secure than they might have been "back in the day".I think they sense they will never have it as good as their parents have had it. Growing up, the goal was always to have a more secure life than what you had at home-a better life. Not today. Hence, alcohol, drugs, etc. And maybe at games we want to fight someone because its our one "day in the sun" since we have little else to be "proud" of.

Anyway, that will be $50.00 for paying attention.