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I'm glad I rejected most of what the boomers, gen Xers, and broken school system attempted to force down my throat. They can have the mess they created.
I'm glad I rejected most of what the boomers, gen Xers, and broken school system attempted to force down my throat. They can have the mess they created.
What did you do that was different from what your elders suggested that you should do? And how well did it work out for you?
Most people just need a trade, not so much college. We really don't need more retail managers or Enterprise Rent-A-Car "Manager trainees".
As for the "communist revolt" with jobs being automated or outsourced at alarming rates it wouldn't surprise me at all in the future if some kind of basic income system was established. You'e already seeing it, but currently it's sort of a "workfare" program where someone works part time at Walmart and collects a government check.
What did you do that was different from what your elders suggested that you should do? And how well did it work out for you?
I just worked hard and didn't whine. That's it. That's all many companies are asking for, if someone wants to make a living working for someone else.
The only thing I have ever advocated is working hard and learning as much as you can, even if it means on your own time. There are no guarantees of anything in capitalism, which is the model we subscribe to. But hard work and knowledge makes a person more capable of achieving success, in most cases.
I just worked hard and didn't whine. That's it. That's all many companies are asking for, if someone wants to make a living working for someone else.
The only thing I have ever advocated is working hard and learning as much as you can, even if it means on your own time. There are no guarantees of anything in capitalism, which is the model we subscribe to. But hard work and knowledge makes a person more capable of achieving success, in most cases.
This is good, but generic, and is what pretty much what's been going on already. SUre, you hear folks whining on C-D, but better here than IRL. I'd be concerned if I were entering the workforce with the figures shown in the chart.
I've talked with some millennials, and they've been working hard and learning what they could. The rest are from online sources who I of course don't know in person, but I'm giving them the benefit of the doubt. [shrug]
I just worked hard and didn't whine. That's it. That's all many companies are asking for, if someone wants to make a living working for someone else.
The only thing I have ever advocated is working hard and learning as much as you can, even if it means on your own time. There are no guarantees of anything in capitalism, which is the model we subscribe to. But hard work and knowledge makes a person more capable of achieving success, in most cases.
Were you out of touch with the reality of the job market for new entrants because that is not where you started, you did start at a similar wage but you pulled yourself up through your boot straps and earn a lot more now, or you feel as though your peers have given up prematurely because of the odds that they are against?
It was never easy in the job market. Not now, not 100 years ago. There have always been obstacles. When jobs were plentiful, particularly when jobs in labor were plentiful, they may have paid more but the work was intense. Robotics, automation, and new processes makes labor a much better situation now than it was for my father and for his father. You can actually do the job and retire from it in good health, without destroying your body or winding up with arthritis or any other number of physical issues that come from doing that type of work for 40 to 60 years. At the same time, you have data entry people that suffer injuries because of the way they hold their wrists above the keyboard for hours at a time. It is always something. So they may have been paid more but their contribution was that much greater. I don't envy those guys because I've seen what happens to a lot of them, and how much they struggle with the new reality of how things have changed. Even if they did purchase a nice home from working at GM or Ford.
You mention learning on your own time, which is something most Americans will not do. But I don't think that has ever changed; my parents, and their parents, knew what they needed to do in order to be proficient at whatever job they had. Knowing that now, at your age, gives you an advantage over most other people, at any age.
These figures are low primarily because many millennials are still in school or just starting their careers. That said, I think other contributing factors may include:
Poor work ethic -- Technological advances have enabled millennials to get information, products, and services on demand. This has eroded/degraded work ethic. Need a certain product? Just go to Amazon. Need to figure out how to do something? Just go to YouTube. Need to do research? Just go to google or Wikipedia. Need to find some information in a book or manual? Just download and search the digital version. Gone are the days where you would drive from library to library to find the book(s) you needed to research a topic, at which point you would spend nights and weekends reading through hundreds of pages of material to find the information you needed.
Edit: I am not suggesting that we go back to the old way of doing things. Not by a long shot. I am simply pointing out that technology has made much of what we do a great deal easier. As a result, growing up, millenials haven't had to deal with many of the same struggles and frustrations as earlier generations, so they aren't as well equipped to deal with these challenges.
Too many distractions -- Technology has created all sorts of distractions. Instead of working longer hours (e.g., coming in early and leaving late, working during lunch, etc.), working a second job, or networking at different business functions, many millennials spend this time on email, Facebook, YouTube, or forums (like this one).
Poor interpersonal skills -- Email, texting, Facebook, and other forms of online communication have all served to degrade the interpersonal skills of the average millennial.
A sense of entitlement -- Millenials grew up in a society where it was customary to reward youth just for "showing up" or participating. Also, thanks to technology, millennials are used to getting what they want, when they want it, from an early age. In the workforce, there are no participation rewards -- you don't get anywhere by doing the same thing that everyone else is doing; you succeed by "winning," which typically means doing superior work in less time. The job market is and always has been intensely competitive, and promotions have never come quickly or easily to any generation. In every generation, workers have had to spend years working their way up, taking every opportunity to take on new responsibilities (even without additional pay) to demonstrate their value to the employer.
Millennials face the same challenges as other recent generations (Gen X'rs, etc.) with respect to increased automation, which replaces certain types of jobs with other jobs, and declining employee benefits, especially retirement benefits. I can think of only one challenge that is unique to millennials (and the tail end of Gen X) -- the high cost of education; education costs have increased dramatically over past 20 years, and now most college graduates have significant debt upon graduation.
Millenial here. I joined a labor union. I'm not rolling in money, but my eyes are forward looking to my next opportunity to make more money take on more leadership roles, improve my trade knowledge, and organize with fellow union members to improve our working conditions and wages.
I live in a small 1960's built home but in a quiet safe neighborhood with my wife and son. This labor union has provided me with more financial security than what would likely be possible with most non-union companies in my area. But these privileges are not a given. The union is a tool for working people to bargain with, but it needs to be maintained (like a vibrant democracy), and there's always room for improvement.
Many of the low-wage jobs available to less skilled young people are incredibly hostile towards unions, in fact they do a good job at scaring young people out of ever considering to join one. You always have a better chance of earning more when you negotiate as a group, so it is typically in your best interest to do so. Millenials tend to be tech savvy, organizing is easier than it ever has been before.
Millenial here. I joined a labor union. I'm not rolling in money, but my eyes are forward looking to my next opportunity to make more money take on more leadership roles, improve my trade knowledge, and organize with fellow union members to improve our working conditions and wages.
I live in a small 1960's built home but in a quiet safe neighborhood with my wife and son. This labor union has provided me with more financial security than what would likely be possible with most non-union companies in my area. But these privileges are not a given. The union is a tool for working people to bargain with, but it needs to be maintained (like a vibrant democracy), and there's always room for improvement.
Many of the low-wage jobs available to less skilled young people are incredibly hostile towards unions, in fact they do a good job at scaring young people out of ever considering to join one. You always have a better chance of earning more when you negotiate as a group, so it is typically in your best interest to do so. Millenials tend to be tech savvy, organizing is easier than it ever has been before.
Millennials in low wage jobs just work them until they can find something better. They have no intention of staying, and certainly no intention of trying to unionize. Besides, if you look at a place like Walmart they'd rather bulldoze the store down than allow a union.
These figures are low primarily because many millennials are still in school or just starting their careers. That said, I think other contributing factors may include:
Poor work ethic -- Technological advances have enabled millennials to get information, products, and services on demand. This has eroded/degraded work ethic. Need a certain product? Just go to Amazon. Need to figure out how to do something? Just go to YouTube. Need to do research? Just go to google or Wikipedia. Need to find some information in a book or manual? Just download and search the digital version. Gone are the days where you would drive from library to library to find the book(s) you needed to research a topic, at which point you would spend nights and weekends reading through hundreds of pages of material to find the information you needed.
I completely disagree with this statement, at least in regard to methods to gather information. It doesn't make sense to spend the time and gas to go to a library with the off chance you'll find the exact information you're looking for, if you can google it on your phone. This is a HUGE improvement on information gathering. I've seen big construction jobs where the foremen and general foremen were getting questions answered through a quick google search. It improves efficiency, and hastens a person's productivity. Yes, there is value in a library, and sit-down class time and some homework.
Hell, I've seen 3 year apprentices correct their 20 year journeymen by doing google searches.
And if it takes you 100's of pages to find one bit of information then you suck at information gathering. You'll be left in the dust.
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