When we think of anti-social behaviour we tend to think vandalism, personal abuse and bad neighbours perhaps but anti-social behaviour covers a much wider field. I suppose you could say that anything done against society can be deemed anti-social. Take petty crime for instance. We might not consider that thieving from a shop is anti-social or speeding on the highway is anti-social but they are. Anyone who disregards the rules and laws set up for the majority, in fact everyone, is being anti-social. We need to keep order in our society for the alternative is chaos and a free-for-all. In maintaining good order we make it possible for the less fortunate to be able to live amongst us. If we didn’t keep order we would have a system whereby only the very rich and influential could have a say. They in fact would be in control and in a position to do as they wished with perhaps a complete disregard for anyone who didn’t find favour. Even today it is the wealthy and influential amongst us who have some sort of control. The difference today is we have laws and regulations set in place for the benefit of all. Anyone who opposes the system becomes anti-social. Today my youngest son earned himself three points on his driver’s licence and a fixed penalty of £60 for using his mobile phone whilst driving. He was calling me. He didn’t see his actions as being anti-social but in fact that is what it was. I had sympathy for him because he is my son but no sympathy for his actions and subsequent penalty. I have strived to bring my children up in the right way and by and large they are indeed a credit to me but like anyone else they make mistakes. I hope they will learn from them. Some people unfortunately do not learn by their mistakes and persistently offend, perhaps to fund a bad habit or to ‘sponge’ off Society with the attitude that the world owes them a living. They would rather be thieves than earn a living. I can think of many ways people act in an anti-social way and most probably you can too. Is this something we simply have to live with or will mankind finally get its act together and live in harmony?

Shirley Anne