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I think the main difference is absolute lack of social skills (conversation, look someone in the eye, pay attention, stop talking about yourself, wait your TURN to speak and STOP STARING AT YOUR PHONE while others are talking) and respect.
Those two skills can make up for a LOT. And millenials do not have either.
I think the main difference is absolute lack of social skills (conversation, look someone in the eye, pay attention, stop talking about yourself, wait your TURN to speak and STOP STARING AT YOUR PHONE while others are talking) and respect.
Those two skills can make up for a LOT. And millenials do not have either.
I wonder if you have anything interesting to talk about.
I wonder if you have anything interesting to talk about.
Millenials sure don't.
The dental assistant at a friend's dentist will actually be ON HER PHONE during exams and cleanings. She'll stop working, check her FB or cat dancing or new cute shoes, and then go back to work. While my friend is in the chair.
Zero attention span. No awareness of other people. Self absorbed. Inability to function without an idevice in hand. PANIC if disconnected for more than 4 minutes.
The dental assistant at a friend's dentist will actually be ON HER PHONE during exams and cleanings. She'll stop working, check her FB or cat dancing or new cute shoes, and then go back to work. While my friend is in the chair.
Zero attention span. No awareness of other people. Self absorbed. Inability to function without an idevice in hand. PANIC if disconnected for more than 4 minutes.
Perhaps the millenials sense your disdain for them. Then again I can't imagine anyone of any age dying to talk to someone with such a cranky disposition.
OK, I'm not going to attack or defend millennials. (Full disclosure: I am one.) I'm going to answer the question: What can we do to help the next generation?
Others have talked about the parenting aspect so I'll skim over that, just saying that I agree a lot of the problem with my generation is that we were "hover-parented", never pushed outside of our houses or our comfort zones, etc.
Another thing: society needs to value hard work as well as intelligence/high education. According to what we've been taught (and is still being reinforced), if you don't know what you want to *do with your life*, better to be unemployed or pursuing yet more education than to go mop floors for a while. Because if you're getting a master's degree you're going places, and if you're putting money in your pocket taking orders at McDonald's you're not. So you're wondering about Millennials who are unemployed and watching Netflix? Look, if I'm going to be told I'm lazy, then I'm actually going to be lazy so I can enjoy it, instead of working on my feet all day and still having someone say I'm doing nothing in life.
As for social skills... I just don't know. Being naturally shy, I'm all right with polite small talk but I can never figure out how to ask people questions to keep the conversation going. I'm always afraid I'm coming off as "too interested"-- even though I know people love attention.
OK, I'm not going to attack or defend millennials. (Full disclosure: I am one.) I'm going to answer the question: What can we do to help the next generation?
Others have talked about the parenting aspect so I'll skim over that, just saying that I agree a lot of the problem with my generation is that we were "hover-parented", never pushed outside of our houses or our comfort zones, etc.
Another thing: society needs to value hard work as well as intelligence/high education. According to what we've been taught (and is still being reinforced), if you don't know what you want to *do with your life*, better to be unemployed or pursuing yet more education than to go mop floors for a while. Because if you're getting a master's degree you're going places, and if you're putting money in your pocket taking orders at McDonald's you're not. So you're wondering about Millennials who are unemployed and watching Netflix? Look, if I'm going to be told I'm lazy, then I'm actually going to be lazy so I can enjoy it, instead of working on my feet all day and still having someone say I'm doing nothing in life.
As for social skills... I just don't know. Being naturally shy, I'm all right with polite small talk but I can never figure out how to ask people questions to keep the conversation going. I'm always afraid I'm coming off as "too interested"-- even though I know people love attention.
Now here is a good post! Thank you for contributing. And I can relate to being shy at that age. I could do fine keeping a conversation going with people I knew well and felt comfortable with, but in other types of situations, I lacked the confidence. That's about age and shyness, not about being of a certain generation.
I think the parenting issue is the key to answering the OP's question (which, we've acknowledged was painted with an overly broad brush). Could you tell us a little more about what it was like being helicopter-parented? Did it feel smothering? Is that still going on in your life now? (= are the rumors of Mom and/or Dad following kids to college and helping with homework, or accompanying kids to job interviews true?) I sure would like to know where such a crazy parenting style came from; what motivated its sudden popularity.
Quote:
Originally Posted by newtovenice;
I think the main difference is absolute lack of social skills (conversation, look someone in the eye, pay attention, stop talking about yourself, wait your TURN to speak and STOP STARING AT YOUR PHONE while others are talking) and respect.
Those two skills can make up for a LOT. And millenials do not have either
I don't know about the avoidance of eye contact; I don't know why that would be a somewhat common issue. Lack of confidence, maybe?
But as to talking about oneself too much, and interrupting others, I think the Boomers have a corner on that market. X-ers, to a less extent. My observation is that it's a cultural thing. For some reason, it's an epidemic in the US. I haven't run into it anywhere else; in other countries it's regarded as a pathology, a symptom of trauma--often, bereavement. I haven't encountered it among millennials, but it's probably out there. I would find it hard to believe, though, that people observing this among millennials haven't encountered the same among their own generation. Just saying: "Let him, who casts the first stone".... etc.
Perhaps the millenials sense your disdain for them. Then again I can't imagine anyone of any age dying to talk to someone with such a cranky disposition.
Not sure why you are attacking me personally rather than addressing the comments I've made. Walk around, take a look and tell me that ANY of those observations are wrong.
Then post objectively rather than using insults. That's a millenial tactic.
Now here is a good post! Thank you for contributing. And I can relate to being shy at that age. I could do fine keeping a conversation going with people I knew well and felt comfortable with, but in other types of situations, I lacked the confidence. That's about age and shyness, not about being of a certain generation.
I think the parenting issue is the key to answering the OP's question (which, we've acknowledged was painted with an overly broad brush). Could you tell us a little more about what it was like being helicopter-parented? Did it feel smothering? Is that still going on in your life now? (= are the rumors of Mom and/or Dad following kids to college and helping with homework, or accompanying kids to job interviews true?) I sure would like to know where such a crazy parenting style came from; what motivated its sudden popularity.
I don't know about the avoidance of eye contact; I don't know why that would be a somewhat common issue. Lack of confidence, maybe?
But as to talking about oneself too much, and interrupting others, I think the Boomers have a corner on that market. X-ers, to a less extent. My observation is that it's a cultural thing. For some reason, it's an epidemic in the US. I haven't run into it anywhere else; in other countries it's regarded as a pathology, a symptom of trauma--often, bereavement. I haven't encountered it among millennials, but it's probably out there. I would find it hard to believe, though, that people observing this among millennials haven't encountered the same among their own generation. Just saying: "Let him, who casts the first stone".... etc.
It's because they can't take their eyes off their phones. They have never learned to have a one-on-one face-to-face conversation. They cannot function without continual interruption and staring staring staring at the phone. Oh there's a person there? Wait I need to take and post a selfie.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
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Guess who volunteered to stay late at work to help me out with a short staff situation? A millennial? I agree with the post above, the hiring process you here, not Generation Y.
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you here, not Generation Y.
