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Serious answers please. I realize this is hardly a matter of great philosophical importance, but I'm just curious and it's a counter to the threads such as this one:
Some people simply must complain about "them". It might be the opposite sex, another race or religion. Or it might be another age group. We see someone doing something we don't like and throw them into some group so we can complain about the whole group.
I see the same thing from younger posters, except they complain about older people, especially the baby boomers.
Let's face it, there's plenty to be upset about with every generation, but there's also plenty to be pleased with.
Serious answers please. I realize this is hardly a matter of great philosophical importance, but I'm just curious and it's a counter to the threads such as this one:...
[I am just shy of seventy-six, by the way.] I am inclined to feel that while the complaints are pointed toward a group of human beings, i.e. "younger generation," that in fact the complaints are aimed at something else, and the "younger generation" is only emblematic of it.
Younger people as a group epitomize the accumulated social, political and technological changes of decades. And I feel that it is this new way of life that the younger generation lives that is the target. The lifestyle they are living will in a decade or a little more be the dominant everyday lifestyle and values of the entire culture. No ifs, ands or buts. And it is ahistorical, anomic and one in which the accepted meaning of life is the pursuit of distraction.
This essentially throws many things that are significant to older generations, and which have made their lives meaningful, into the rubbish. That is intimidating to the max, and it can provoke a barrage of futile anger.
The social and economic changes are a juggernaut - though one which we older people do quietly cherry-pick benefits from, nevertheless - these changes are implacable and totally beyond the control of all individuals, and beyond the control of any of the combinations individuals may group themselves into - protest movements, political parties, churches, etc. etc. etc. They are indomitable, and they have already won.
By focusing fear, expressed as negative criticism, onto those people who are already - in the present - completely living the older person's concept of a dystopian future, it allows us to create the illusion that the situation is simply a matter of a "bad" bunch of people out there doing "bad" things. It allows older generations the comforting fiction that what is being denounced is abnormal social behaviour, rather than accept (capitulate to) the fact that it is actually a matter of massive social changes which are a done deed, of which these "bad people," i.e. - the younger generation, are simply the joyful, unquestioning inheritors and consumers.
The fictional character Auntie Mame said, "Life is a banquet and most poor suckers are starving to death." For many older people too large a part of that banquet now consists of disturbingly grotesque looking and downright puke-inducing dishes, with most of the old favorites missing, and they are really pissed off at the people they see chowing down on it with gusto.
Sic transitgloria Betty Crocker, or something like that.
Some people simply must complain about "them". It might be the opposite sex, another race or religion. Or it might be another age group. We see someone doing something we don't like and throw them into some group so we can complain about the whole group.
I see the same thing from younger posters, except they complain about older people, especially the baby boomers.
Let's face it, there's plenty to be upset about with every generation, but there's also plenty to be pleased with.
Actually no. I created this thread because of the dozen or so posts I've encountered on this forum bashing Gen Y, accusing us of being entitled etc. So perhaps it's time to switch the debate around and figure out why many older people feel this way. I am just trying to understand, not insult.
Hey, it took a long time for us to get to be the older generation. We served our time as the younger generation getting gripped at by the older generation.
We need to vent now and it is the youngsters turn to be in the box.
Don't worry in 50 years you will be the old fogies gripping at the younger generation.
that is true there is that tendency kids will be kids boys will be boys. but in my youth we did not gang rape the teacher.
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