Funny, Old YouTube Chat with a Fellow Classic Film Lover

Coincidentally, I was looking through my old messages on my YouTube profile the other day, and I discovered an old and rather funny correspondence between a fellow YouTuber and classic film lover, OldHollywood93, and myself. It actually ended up being pretty interesting, and I just had this crazy thought to publish it for all of you fellas to see ... and possible relate?

It started out with the former sending a message to all her/his friends on YT, which I (of course) couldn't help replying with a looong and bit overstated answer (to my defence, at that time I was working on a paper for psychology on the exact same problem - and I think I got a bit carried away in my answer). S/he was so nice not to take me for one of those creepy, complacent and a bit too eager online people out there, and wrote back a kind answer. I was so excited that s/he wrote back in first place that I just had to make one more point before I could let him/her go (poor human). S/he still took it nicely and even gave some very flattering comments on my "insight"... hm-hm, not that my ego need any of that, of course. Anyway, all in all a very nice tête-à-tête which I now post for your pleasure and not only to demonstrate my own bright insight I assure you(!) ;)

PS. If it so happens that you come across and read this too, OldHollywood93, I hope you'll forgive me for making our correspondence public, but I just find it so very funny and sweet - and likewise insightful - that I just couldn't let it stay hidden. Hopefully, you'll have a little laugh as well :)

OldHollywood93:

In this world we live in today, people like us are rare. 

People who appreciate old times, people who apprectiate manners and respectful behavior and people who I'm sure see the faults in today's society. 

I'm sending this to you, because recently some of my fellow teenage "friends" have done some things and changed in ways that have upset me greatly. However, the behavior of these friends isn't uncommon in the world we live in today, especially among the youth. 

I'm writing this to you to say... 

Women, please be ladies. 

Conduct yourselves in a classy, charming and gracious manner always. 

Men, please be gentlemen. 

Conduct yourselves in a respectful, charming and smart manner always. 

This world needs less Lindsay Lohans' and more Grace Kellys'. 

And less Chris Browns' and more Cary Grants'. 

Please, don't be like everyone else. 

Be better than them. 

xo

Me:

Dear friend

Thank you for this very elegant and interesting message (and here comes my very long and wearily answer, hehe). 

I'm sorry for your disappointment regarding your "friends", though I don't want to meddle, I would like say that they should have known better, and I'm sure they'll soon regret losing your regard, if not even your friendship. 

I quite agree with you, the society could learn a lot from old times and how to behave and conduct oneself in a respectful manner. I do not shun or despise my generation for being who they are, that is, a product of their/our time, as am I, but I too find it difficult to understand those who have no intention to learn from the past and our history. I don't think they were less flawed back then; many things in society have changed to the better I think, while other things have worsened. Who's to blame, I'm not sure, if not time and the ever inconstant human being... 

Today, the growing individualism, materialism and narcissism (influence from the parents as well as the media and the environment) among young people have many advantages and many disadvantages. The road to an identity isn't easy and we often try out different arenas, values and other identities to find the one that suits us -- the one we can rely on. In doing so, we often test our own and others' limits and rebel in some sort of way. This could be an explanation for the odd, disrespectful behavior? In addition to that, the many possibilities followed by a growing responsibility to make the right choice early on, and the demand of perfection regarding looks, competences, family life, morality etc. put a huge pressure on young people; some make it, others don't. Sure, I don't know exactly how it felt like being a teenager in the old days, but I think it was sort of the same. Of course, it was much more limited in possibilities and stronger in traditions, religion and expectations when it came to the sexes and their roles in society. This was a pressure as well, wasn't it? I'm certain many of our old Hollywood idols had trouble coping with the demands of their time, and that many of them also rebelled somehow or another, don't you think? 

Well, anyway, I don't think I could actually LIVE back then; I'm probably too free-spirited to cope with some of the very old-fashioned demands from that time (though time-travelling could be fun). Still, I admire how they conducted themselves and how they were dressed. Always classy, elegant or just nice and simple. Though I'm sure they had bad hair-days too, not to mention that some smoked like a chimney, drank like a fish, partied all night long and often swore under production (see some of the funny videos here on YT). They were after all humans, just like us (just better actors perhaps, hehe). ;) Yet, after so many years, they remain classics and immortal, and I don't know if we tend to glorify them just because of that, or if we feel bitter and think that everything was a lot better back then, or if it was because they actually gave us something so essential and distinctive that we would never forget it... Who knows? I just know that I'd be a whole different person, if I had never been introduced to classic Hollywood movies.

Sorry about the long answer -- it is hard to edit when you're passionate about something.

Still, I hope to hear from you again ;) Have a great week!

Yours sincerely,

M.

OldHollywood93:

Your answer was not weary at all.

It fascinated me. The points you brought up were quite interesting.

I know times back then weren't perfect and that some of the bad things happening today were happening back then.

But I still think young people today lack a sense of respect and selth-worth.

I must tell you, some of the things other girls at my school do shock me.

But at least back then, girls who did that sort of thing were seen as bad.

Not like today, where you're actually seen as a reject if you're not "up to no good."

Thank you taking the time to enlighten me :)

xo

Me:

Thank you for your reply. I'm glad you liked my answer and found it interesting. :)

I quite agree with you - I also think that many young people today lack a sense of respect and self-worth, as you say. I too have experienced a lot of shocking behaviour from boys as well as (or mostly) girls my age, and I also think that the meaning of "being bad" isn't what it once was. Perhaps because of "the worse behaviour the better"-morality that the media sort of practise today. People can rise to fame just by exposing themselves on TV or on the Internet, and bad behaviour has been sort of legalized. And young people look up to it and imitate it! I find that very demoralizing and frustrating. How can you say what's right or wrong, when society (or perhaps mostly the media) doesn't distinguish between them?

Well, I don't know if this someday will take a turn for the better, but you can only hope.

Yours,

M.

OldHollywood93:

Wow, you're so insightful and your views are completely right!

I couldn't said what you've said better.

Hopefully things will change for the better.

I'm really worried about my future children (if I have them).

Because even if you rasie them right, there's no protecting them from the filth that's all over television, magazines and even just on the streets outside.

Just a little illustration ;)
Cary Grant and Rosalind Russell in "His Girl Friday" (1940)