Still on the subject of girls behaving badly: Recently there was a vicious fight between girls in the Murray St Mall that was captured on video and
uploaded to YouTube.
Obviously, such events are not entirely new. Kids can certainly be bloodlusting little brutes! I remember when I was at Mt Lawley High School back in the late seventies and early eighties. Occasionally, after school, there were fights at what we called “Smelly Lake”.
These were like theatrical attractions. Protagonists would challenge each other earlier in the day and there'd be a real sense of anticipation and excitement about what would actually happen. They were usually not nearly as spectacular as everyone expected and tended to last no more than a minute or two.
Needless to say, most of these stoushes took place between boys. However there was at least one I can recall that involved two girls. It stands out in my mind because it was so unusual.
But nowadays, these "cat-fights" seem to be almost as frequent as those between boys. And those confrontations are much more frequent than in days gone by.
Somethings has really shifted in society. The usual suspects of family breakdown, poverty, and lack of good role models are obviously powerful factors. Then there's the media factor.
Reality TV has taught many kids that you don't have to work hard or excel at anything to make your mark. Merely being obnoxious and aggressive is enough to get people's attention these days. And getting attention is what it's all about! Being able to draw a bunch of gawking onlookers seems to be justification enough for any action, no matter how repellant.
That's why such displays often happen in crowded places like the Murray St Mall. Then there's the knowledge you can achieve a measure of internet “fame” by being seen on YouTube. I don't think this is the primary motivation for such aggressive action but it must be a factor. Just as people often act violently when stirred up by a crowd, the knowledge that they might be the subject of still more attention online is surely something that provokes them further.
