The latest victim of this erosion is the domestic and global sporting landscapes. The weekend attending of sports fixtures across Australia every weekend has been a great pastime of Australian life since pre-World War 1.
Playing sport as a kid on a Saturday morning and then racing home for a quick shower and a bite to eat before heading out to the stadium to cheer for our favourite footy or cricket team.
The first time you walk into a stadium as a child it's like Christmas, you can't believe how beautiful the stadium is and your about to see all of your heroes. Then just when you think it can't get any better the crowd stands as one and roars and the hairs on the back of your neck stand up and you feel a shiver. What could be better than this?
Somewhere on the road, as always the changing winds of culture exist, this culture is now unfortunately evident in sporting crowds across Australia. From junior girls netball, right up to the Australian Open Tennis tournament, crowds are showing that we have lost the essence of rewarding athletes and teams with our admiration and support.
The recent events of the crowd booing an athlete because they had succumb to an injury was absolutely deplorable, and every bit reflective of the changing generation of sports supporters in Australian and global sporting culture.
It's time to take a step back and educate the younger sports supporter about the value of life and sport. We need to realise that these athletes have up's and downs like the rest of us. We also need to understand the effects negative behaviour can have on others mental and social health.
I hope Bernard Tomic comes out of this stronger and finds it in his heart to forgive the Australian public for such poor behaviour. I'm also sure he knows there are many of us out their who support him in his endeavours as a young Australian and wish him all the best in his future career and beyond.
Josh Hinds is a school chaplain on the Gold Coast, a family man and PSI's IT professional. Josh is an experienced writer on international sport.
Josh Hinds' previous articles may be viewed at www.pressserviceinternational.org/joshua-hinds.html