I am a 21 year old college student. With that said, here is a direct quote, from a typical piece of baby boomer propaganda, the likes of which our generation comes in frequent contact with, and not by our choosing per se, which happens to be on my desk at this very moment:
"What will your PayDay look like?
Some High School $21,600
High School Graduate $30,800
Associate Degree $37,600
Bachelor's Degree $49,900
Master's Degree $59,500
Source: The College Board, "Education Pays, 2005: The Benefits of Higher Education for Individuals and Society""
If this article is correct in implying that there is in fact no real link (at least in the current economic situation) between level of education and a well paying job, then we have truly been fed a continual load of total bunk by the older generations for the entirety of our thus far short life spans. I don't see how we could possibly be the ones to blame for that. And I'll be graduating this spring, just so y'all know. What fun. And thanks. (sarcasm intended)
Basically we've all been told to rack up a bunch of debt to accquire an empty promise.
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(the previous post had ended: "We spoiled Gen X and they in turned are failing us all now with their greed which will ultimately destroy them, they will never ever be satisfied or happy. They will always be searching for the next best thing to fill the empty hole we all have in our hearts. A hole only Love can fill and who is Love Gen Y? Who is Love?")
God is love, and He does not rely on money for His strength.
I am a Y, and so I guess it is appropriate that I answered your question...but sadly, I am a poor representative of my generation. It would seem that most of us don't know the answer to the question. If we no longer have our dreams to chase, we will be...so... ...lost.
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Well, there are good jobs...it's just that it's something of a gamble to get one of them, and they are relatively few and far between. But yes, a very few people still rake in millions...which I assume could be considered a good job.
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Crying is an incredibly healthy activity, just like laughing. So is losing. Stoicism is a faulty concept. Supressed emotions can cause a world of harm. They must be let out, albeit in a healthy manner. And yes, the "everybody's a winner" bit does make me sick, and it seemed to be a movement gaining momentum as I left the public school prison system. I am now a college Senior--and a rather frightened one at that, considering the loathing for my generation that I sense eminating from the older generations throughout this conversation. And yes, I did get spankings as a child. I am not scarred for life, at least not any more than I would have been by not getting spankings as a child. Corporal punishment isn't the fix-all solution, however. It works better for some than for others. It didn't work that well for me. I'm not sure what I needed, but actually I don't think whatever it was ever got done...but no parent is going to be able to perfectly raise their children, and I think I turned out ok despite everything...depending on who you ask...
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(in response to a grumpy old man doing the "we worked hard and you're a bunch of slackers" bit--the first part is my response to his assertion that we need to, and don't know how to, do...well, the following)
21 y.o. Yer here...Well, maybe I would have scooped some poop if my uncle hadn't gotten rid of the cows (nowadays it's "farming? what farming?"...or so it would seem--at least regarding small family-run operations. My older cousin(s) helped out there quite a lot when they were in high school though) and let's see...digging ditches...as in construction work? I hear that actually pays fairly well, and with today's machinery isn't that bad of a job anyway. Working in a warehouse? Well, I was transfered there for a while after shoving a piece of metal through my thumb (accidentally, of course) at the fabrication building where I worked the past two summers, when not in school. That was after 3 or so summers of McDonald's.
And yet, while all this work experience would appear to serve as a rebuttal to your accusations, I still feel like I am indeed missing something...knowledge, or wisdom...an overall understanding of how things really work, and what is really wanted of me, and how hard it will be to finally enter the "real world" "for real" upon college graduation.
Others have pointed to a disconnect between the goals of our educational system and the demands of the workplace. I am inclined to agree with this observation.
Back at it's ancient origins, the university was simply a place for people to discuss issues in a controlled manner...in many ways similar to this site. Conversations such as these are where the real learning takes place...not in the overly formalized educational system which we have come to mistakenly know as the only way to reap real knowledge. It has become scarcely more than jumping through the right hoops, moreso for some majors than others, however.
This conversation as a whole has been very informative and helpful, and I would like to thank all of it's participants, grumpy, offended and/or defensive though a number of them may be, as well as the geniuses who invented this site.
My advice to fellow posters: put aside the offendedness and defensiveness and learn, and contribute, and seek solutions. And rejoice where you find disagreement, for that means that free speech is yet alive and well.
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Well, ok, so we have two groups outlined in this tidbit: Parents who did a crappy job and produced spoiled brats, and parents who did a good job and produced better (nobody's really good) kids. So the original point stands: those who have sown poorly, now reap poorly. Kaotcgd said nothing of the children raised correctly, so I don't know why those of you who raised children correctly are getting so upset about it.
If the description (indictment?) fits, learn from it, if it doesn't, ignore it.
You will have a much more peaceful life if you follow this way of thinking.
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(the post was describing unruly behavior of gen Y airline workers)
How does this compare to what the other generations were like when they first started out? Is this ignorance just part of the learning process? If not, what vital bit of behavioral instruction was left out, and when, and by whom?
Now I'm curious, too. They don't clean up in the breakroom? What all do you mean by that? I'm genY, I cleaned up my trash at McD's when I was working summers during high school (and that was 4-5 years ago already)...so what's up with that?
And yes, cell phones ARE evil. In an odd twist on this phenomenon, considering your comments regarding it, I plan only on purchasing one if and when my future job demands one.
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Why are we all getting so defensive? Why do we need to protect our respective generations? Do we not know that a human is a very special kind of being, one which can exhibit the greatest intelligence here and greatest stupidity there, the pinnacle of moral achievement one moment, the greatest of all sins the next? There is no limit to what each of us individually can do, be it for good or ill. But this is the concept of free will. Throw us all together and it's no wonder the world isn't perfect. Why do we expect it to be? It isn't going to happen. Ever.
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"That seems to be very true...watching TV shows..."
Well, that's a definite problem...you're getting your information about our generation from TV??? Good grief. TV only chronicles the lives of the rich, famous, and spoiled. I can't believe you would try to use that as your source. Maybe if you didn't watch as much you'd be better off. As my generation is to computers, yours is to the TV. And re: the post above yours, a SUV and a BMW? What in the world? Generation Y abhors SUVs, and BMW??? That's what our hippie/yuppie professors drive around, not what we drive. We drive those rust-bucket 4 cylinder cars from the 80's that y'all sold to the 2nd-hand auto dealers 20 years ago. You know, the ones that make a lot of noise 'cause the muffler fell off, which makes you grumpy 'cause you're trying to sleep when we drive by. Most of us are happy just to have cars start up more often than not in the winter. And I personally haven't even had a car for the entire length of my college career.
(Ok, I'm liking this space-and-dash-and-parethetical-italics format, I think that's how I'll do it now)
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