Awesomeness

[seanbrock 1,684]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M4IjTUxZORE#t=159

 

Anyone from my generation can relate.

[blotsfan 2,112]

So great. I can't stand all the "this generation sucks" talk. Thanks for posting.

[BwareDWare94 723]

I kind of agree with the talk, but just like the people in the video place certain atrocities on entire older generations, older generations lump us all into this group of barely there, technology dependent, absurdly lazy sociopaths in the making. And just like not everybody in the older generations is guilty of said atrocities, not all of us are barely there, technology dependent, absurdly lazy sociopaths in the making.

 

While there is certainly a large amount of people among our generation who deserve older generations' criticism, it isn't all of us, and that's for sure.

[blotsfan 2,112]

I kind of agree with the talk, but just like the people in the video place certain atrocities on entire older generations, older generations lump us all into this group of barely there, technology dependent, absurdly lazy sociopaths in the making. And just like not everybody in the older generations is guilty of said atrocities, not all of us are barely there, technology dependent, absurdly lazy sociopaths in the making.

 

While there is certainly a large amount of people among our generation who deserve older generations' criticism, it isn't all of us, and that's for sure.

 

If you take any large group of people, some will be assholes and some will be good. Blanket statements are always stupid.

[BwareDWare94 723]

Blanket statement or not, they have a point, man. Most of our generation sucks, and pretty damn hard.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

We're only a product of the environment that the previous generations created for us. That's the point of the video and it's true.

[BwareDWare94 723]

We're only a product of the environment that the previous generations created for us. That's the point of the video and it's true.

 

I disagree. We still have personal choice. People don't need to be addicted technology, incredibly lazy, and absurdly vain. They can certainly choose to avoid those vices.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Yea, everyone has choice, just like our grandparents chose to fuck us over by taking all our jobs overseas and raising college tuition to unbearable prices. Thanks for that.

 

Maybe we are vain, but as the video points out, they created us to be that way by always telling us we're the best even when we're not. Participation medals, political correctness to make sure there are no "weak links" etc...

 

Not our fault.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Sarge

[BwareDWare94 723]

Meh. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Just like I can't stand people who blame their faults on their parents, I can't stand the idea of citing older generations for the existence of our faults, you know?

[Sarge+ 3,436]

I think the average college graduate today tries twice as hard to get jobs as the previous generations did. Why? Because they have to. And who is at fault for that?

 

Just stating facts here.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Meh. I think we'll just have to agree to disagree. Just like I can't stand people who blame their faults on their parents, I can't stand the idea of citing older generations for the existence of our faults, you know?

I don't think this video is about us blaming the previous generation for our faults. I think it's about previous generations critiquing us when they're not perfect either without even giving us a chance to leave our marks on society. They had their chance and we can see what they did right and what they did wrong. They did a lot of great things, but we're just getting started and condemning us as lazy degenerates and failures is a bit premature, especially given the fact that we're going to be stuck cleaning up THEIR mess.

 

edt: and the fact is that the job market we're coming into as well as the political and predatory lending environment that we're being thrust into is pretty toxic. That's without even mentioning the environmental mess we've inherited. Our generation has a lot on our shoulders to carry. The fact that we might be too shallow or text and drive too much or are on the computer too much (something that everyone on this forum is likely guilty of) seem like small issues by comparison and by no means do they mean that we're lazy. We're the first generation with this kind of technology at our disposal. I also know a lot of people our age who use the internet and smart phones to expand their knowledge and to solve problems.There are two sides to every coin and like blots and sarge have said before me, blanket statements like that are dumb. Especially considering the fact that the generation before the boomers and generation x said the exact same thing about them when they were our age.

Edited November 29, 2013 by seanbrock

[GA_Eagle 595]

The fact that we might be too shallow or text and drive too much or are on the computer too much (something that everyone on this forum is likely guilty of)

 

 

I don't see that as a bad thing. I encourage my kid to use as much technology as possible. That's where jobs will be when they're working age.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

Bware, maybe this will make sense to someone like you. Think about how much a plant will suffer if it is put into bad soil. It doesn't matter how much you water it, get it sunlight, and otherwise tend to it diligently. The fact that it's not planted in the best soil is likely going to keep it from reaching its true potential, even though every plant has its own individual potential.

 

That's what happened to our generation. By the time we reached the age where we could do something to make a mark in the world around us, it was already a pretty grave place in all honesty. We're the ones that have to pull out of it. As sean said that's a lot of pressure to put on us, especially since our opportunities are limited to begin with, especially when you compare us to the same people that were our age after World War II ended. Those people were spoiled by opportunity. They literally could have done anything they wanted. We simply don't have the same access to jobs they did, and college costs a hell of a lot more... hell, everything costs a hell of a lot more. But the very people that created this mess are the ones judging us before we even have a chance to get off the ground, and you're siding with them. I don't get it.

Edited November 29, 2013 by Sarge

[seanbrock 1,684]

 

The fact that we might be too shallow or text and drive too much or are on the computer too much (something that everyone on this forum is likely guilty of)

 

 

I don't see that as a bad thing. I encourage my kid to use as much technology as possible. That's where jobs will be when they're working age.

 

I see your point, but still there's something to be said about reading a book or going outside and doing some yard work or tossing the football around. Personally I think one thing that I could do more is read. You can definitely spend too much time behind a computer screen. It's one thing to be technologically savvy,it's quite another to be consumed by technology.

[GA_Eagle 595]

 

 

The fact that we might be too shallow or text and drive too much or are on the computer too much (something that everyone on this forum is likely guilty of)

 

 

I don't see that as a bad thing. I encourage my kid to use as much technology as possible. That's where jobs will be when they're working age.

 

I see your point, but still there's something to be said about reading a book or going outside and doing some yard work or tossing the football around. Personally I think one thing that I could do more is read. You can definitely spend too much time behind a computer screen. It's one thing to be technologically savvy,it's quite another to be consumed by technology.

 

 

I agree, but that stuff comes without even trying. Kids naturally (at least mine does) want to play outside and even help around the house. The latter makes him feel more grown up. Reading is the same.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Books? What are books? Go online.

[Thanatos 2,847]

Sean is like... saying some eloquent things that make a lot of sense... the world must be ending soon.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Nah, Sean is fully capable of doing this regularly... It just depends how high he is on a scale of 1 to Seanbrock.

[SteVo+ 3,702]

If our parents' had been raised in the era of smartphones, they would have been addicted to them too. I agree with what Sarge said about us being a product of the environment given to us.

[Favre4Ever+ 4,476]

Isn't that kind of the generation we are living in though.. The one that blames everybody for our own misgivings and doesn't take responsibility? Granted, I think this whole thing is cyclical. Isn't every generation perceived to be the worst? lol

[SteVo+ 3,702]

Isn't that kind of the generation we are living in though.. The one that blames everybody for our own misgivings and doesn't take responsibility? Granted, I think this whole thing is cyclical. Isn't every generation perceived to be the worst? lol

 

We definitely need to take some responsibility. But not everything we complain about is just us being lazy. Some of it has merit. You're right about the cycle, though. Just wait until the smartphone generation has kids growing up.

[Sarge+ 3,436]

They totally ruined us psychologically, though. "Oh, you lost? Here's a trophy and some ice cream anyway. You're the best even though you're really not. Oh we gotta get rid of games like dodgeball, we can't have the weaker kids getting hurt or even feeling bad about themselves." They protected us too much, and now they wonder why we can't spread our wings and fly away?

[BwareDWare94 723]

They're responsible for some things, yes. The trophies and removing dodgeball and all that didn't quite reach my neck of the woods, but people knew that it happened in some places.

 

But what are we responsible for? What can we change? We're focusing on things we can't actually change, but there are some very important things that our generation can fix, if we focus on them.

 

We can fix our nonexistent work ethic.

We can fix our technology dependence.

We can fix our vanity.

We can probably fix our low self esteem.

 

All it takes is a little will power. If you decide you want to change something about yourself, you can do it. But how do we get our entire generation to consider these changes?

 

I think we've gotten to the point where we have to make sure we raise the next generation the right way, and often with some very simple steps.

 

1. Make them go outside when they're younger. Not only will it be better for them, physically, it'll start a process that hopefully avoids technology dependence because kids will know how to have fun without a multi-hundred dollar piece of technology.

2. Make them read. It'll open countless doors and be helpful in the classroom, no to mention teach them how to properly research when they're older and need those skills.

3. Make them work. Not only an outside job once they reach working age, but give them jobs within the home that teach them to understand that they have to earn what they have.

4. Help them avoid horrible sleeping habits. I think part of our problem as a generation is that many of us are regularly extreme night owls. When the real world dictates that many of us start work between 5 and 8AM, it's not healthy to be an extreme night owl, and many of those habits started when we were still at home. So, to help out our own kids, we need to help them avoid those same habits. Keep TVs out of kids rooms. Make them keep their phone on the kitchen counter at night, or something. Give them nothing with which to distract themselves into the wee hours of the morning. Help them avoid the horrible sleeping habits we suffered from.

 

Yes, these things are all remarkably simple, but I think they'd help future generations in ways that can't be measured.

[seanbrock 1,684]

Well instead of continuing to talk out of my ass which I'm pretty good at lol I found some people who have collected data about Millenials and the results were imo anyway pretty positive. Millennials are positive and up beat. We vote. We're not as violent as previous generations. I don't think we're lazy and I think there's plenty of hope. Check this out. It's a good read.

 

http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2010/02/24/millennials-confident-connected-open-to-change/

[blotsfan 2,112]

Isn't that kind of the generation we are living in though.. The one that blames everybody for our own misgivings and doesn't take responsibility? Granted, I think this whole thing is cyclical. Isn't every generation perceived to be the worst? lol

 

Yes.