Feral


‘Feral’ is a term usually applied to domestic animals that have returned to the wild.  Lions and Tasmanian Devils are not feral animals.  They are wild animals. They have generally never been domesticated.  But I’ve seen a feral cat out in the bush – and feral goats, horses and camels are a common problem in some places in Australia.  A feral animal is a domestic animal that is no longer tame and hence uncontrollable.

In recent times I’ve noticed the term ’feral’ increasingly being applied to young people.  In Melbourne recently there has been a spate of attacks by young people carrying machetes.   Not so long ago Alice Springs was struggling with a huge problem of youth crime.  In Brisbane the problem became so serious that the present State government got elected on the slogan: Adult crime, adult time!  In all three instances it was not uncommon to hear the label ‘feral’ applied to young people displaying anti-social behaviour.  Feral kids are children and young people who are no longer controllable.

So what is it that produces ‘feral’ kids?

If your answer is “bad parenting” then you need to think a little more deeply about the issue.  This morning I saw a cartoon on social media where a kid is standing by a window holding the remote control of a television set.  Through the window one could see a very angry man approaching the house.  The caption read:  “Guess what, Mum?  Our remote control also operates Mr Wilson’s television.”  The young lad in question..?  Dennis the Menace!  U.S. artist, Hank Ketcham created Dennis in the 1950s to remind us that parents who take their parenting role seriously can still end up with a ‘feral’ child.  Neighbour, George Wilson’s evaluation of Dennis was, “You’re a pest.  A menace; a selfish, spoiled little boy and I’ve no use for you.”

In the 1980s and 1990s American Cartoonist Bill Watterson did the same thing with Calvin and Hobbes.  Calvin is the ‘feral’ lad who is the bane of his teacher, his baby-sitter and Susie – the intelligent, polite and studious neighbouring lassie.  He too is a reminder that we live in a fallen world where good parenting does not automatically produce good kids.

I got to thinking about this recently when we took a friend out to lunch in a shopping centre.  I’ve noticed that very often – particularly on weekends – we see, in such places, solitary young men treating young children to brunch or lunch.  I don’t think I’m far off the mark to suggest that many of these men are having their access weekend with the children from their broken marriage.  On this particular occasion I watched, what I assumed was a dad with his daughter, as they took a seat near us and ordered a meal of pizza.  Lovely... to see a man spending time with his daughter whom I figured was probably in first grade at school.  My admiration didn’t last long.  From the moment food was ordered the man took out his mobile phone and became totally absorbed by that little square screen of technology.  That’s not exactly rare in our present day society but, sadly, his daughter’s attempts at conversation were met by silence and an occasional monosyllable reply.  The all important thing was whatever was on his mobile phone.

I don’t like being a judgmental person but I couldn’t help jumping to some conclusions.  If my guesses about his domestic situation were true then was it any wonder that the man’s marriage broke up?  He may have been taking his daughter out but I saw only a self-absorbed male who was not keen to have his ‘screen time’ interrupted – not even by the little lady who was (presumably!) getting her access time with Dad.  And as for parenting...?  It’s one thing to admit that sometimes good parents can end up with a Dennis the Menace; it’s quite another to suggest that you can default on your parenting responsibilities and then expect to end up with a well-adjusted child who will grow up to be a pillar of society.

Am I too far off the mark when I suggest that the youth crime problems in our society are largely because we’ve replaced the worship of the Lord with the worship of technology?  I readily admit that my children have had to forgive me for mistakes I made as a parent but at least they were raised on the assumption that Jesus is our greatest safeguard against having ‘feral’ kids.

John Westendorp
2MaxFM 23/11/2025

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