AOL: The New Kama Sutra?

I have long wondered just what is missing from society these days. Being a front-edge Baby Boomer, of course I am now old enough to have seen it all. But still I'm surprised almost daily by the depravity all around that is apparently acceptable to the younger generations.

I've almost gotten over the wearing of shorts and flip-flops to the theater. I'm no longer amazed at seeing people wearing pajamas and bedroom slippers in supermarkets and on airplanes. And general personal grooming seems very unimportant circa 2026, at least here in Maine. Still, I can be shocked, and this morning was one of those times.

Logging onto AOL to check my email, along with the usual meaningless schlock stories was an article about "a new way" to have oral sex with your partner, detailing an advanced approach to the traditional "69" position. I didn't click since I've read the Kama Sutra and I doubt A.I. can top that, but the promo promised detailed instructions and illustrations. (How nice for the children.)

Then it hit me: What's missing these days is dignity. There's no trace of it anywhere, certainly not in the Super Bowl half-time spectacles where crotch-grabbing and ass-thrusting are de rigueur. Or at the Emmy or Oscar award shows, where showing as much skin while still technically clothed has risen to an art. If someone claims to be offended, they are instantly mocked and labeled a "Karen" -- or worse. 

For those young people who may be reading this who are unfamiliar with the very word, here's what it means:

dignity /dĭg′nĭ-tē/ noun

The quality or state of being worthy of esteem or respect. 

Inherent nobility and worth.  

Poise and self-respect. 

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition