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I am a mid-boomer who has worked with young people for thirty years now. I do agree that this current crop seems intellectually passive, a trait I attribute to several recent cultural developments:
1) many Americans' sense that children must be directly supervised at all times (some of my students have never wandered the woods or even parks by themselves);
2) the increase in high-stakes standardized testing, which has led to school curricula being highly scripted, with little to no room for individual initiative on the part of teacher or student;
3) the increase in media consumption (television, internet, video games) as opposed to actual social interaction (probably related to #1, as kids in the house with electronic devices are perceived as protected from the dangerous outer world).
All that said, these young people are emerging into a less-friendly economy and society. Thirty years ago, I was hired at my community college with a master's degree and one year of high school teaching experience. Such a resume would not make it through the initial screening process today because of the number of highly qualified applicants we receive for every opening. At the time I was hired, the state provided tuition waivers (and university departments saw part of their public function as the training of teachers for smaller schools), so I drove 100 miles each way to our flagship university every week until I earned a doctorate in my teaching field. That program no longer exists.
^ What is funny here is that half of this post about cries out "woe is us," and then you smack down the "victim mentality" while judging some choice disenfranchised groups you don't know anything about. (Not to mention the closing with your Notradamus-esque predictions.)
You can't have it both ways. You need to reconsider your political stance and stop contradicting yourself if you want any intelligent person to care what you have to say.
(So "no," you don't need to go on until you start taking some responsibility and stop blaming everyone but yourself. "Welfare moms" have nothing to do with you.)
A couple of points:
1.) Having a victim mentality and being a victim, are two different things. All of the points I listed about the state of the Economy are facts and real data, and they make it harder for people in my generation to get ahead and STAY ahead. In that case, we are victims (of a bad economic situation).
2.) Having a victim mentality and being a victim, are two different things. I know all about welfare mommies, thugs, drug dealers, criminals, and convicted felons who are ENDORSED by the far left as "being victims" when they actually are not victims. How does laying on your back and creating children with broke, bum, and deadbeat men....make YOU (and not the child being created rather) a victim?
3.) Do you care to refute any of my points in terms of the economic situation now and going forward?
20 year-old Millennial in college here to weigh-in... Raised by helicopter Baby Boomer parents...
I have no feelings of inferiority, jealousy, or doom. Because I'm well aware that you guys screwed up the economy (and several generations of kids), I knew that I couldn't pursue the career I really wanted (education). Sure there are jobs for teachers out there, but the salary is very low (with little room for growth) and not many jobs are available. So, I chose another career path, speech-langauge pathology, where I can find a job anywhere in the world.
My parents told me I could be anything I wanted, but changed their minds once I started high school (2008) because of the economic downturn.
We don't give up easily. At least my classmates don't. I believe that the folks who can't find a job (which I find odd because many of them have the things I don't have (a) extensive work experience (b) a degree) are a bunch of copouts. They probably have poor interview skills and a crappy resume.
I still aspire to be the President and by the time I'm of age to do so, all you Baby Boomers will be dead or senile (THANK GOD!).
State your case young man. So many millenials give up so young. When I was 25 and with a MBA in hand I was offered a job in senior management at IBM. You kids fail to make the world your oyster of opportunity and success.
Look at that successful man! I would like to see you pull that same thing off today. You would be lucky to get an Entry level job at IBM with the same qualifications.
State your case young man. So many millenials give up so young. When I was 25 and with a MBA in hand I was offered a job in senior management at IBM. You kids fail to make the world your oyster of opportunity and success.
How do you even know that poster is a "young man". Maybe you are looking for an excuse for "reverse age discrimination?"
There are millennials that have accomplished far more than an MBA and a job in senior management at IBM. I'm sure Mark Zuckerberg can turn around and ask what you've done all this time.
I am a mid-boomer who has worked with young people for thirty years now. I do agree that this current crop seems intellectually passive, a trait I attribute to several recent cultural developments:
1) many Americans' sense that children must be directly supervised at all times (some of my students have never wandered the woods or even parks by themselves);
2) the increase in high-stakes standardized testing, which has led to school curricula being highly scripted, with little to no room for individual initiative on the part of teacher or student;
3) the increase in media consumption (television, internet, video games) as opposed to actual social interaction (probably related to #1, as kids in the house with electronic devices are perceived as protected from the dangerous outer world).
All that said, these young people are emerging into a less-friendly economy and society. Thirty years ago, I was hired at my community college with a master's degree and one year of high school teaching experience. Such a resume would not make it through the initial screening process today because of the number of highly qualified applicants we receive for every opening. At the time I was hired, the state provided tuition waivers (and university departments saw part of their public function as the training of teachers for smaller schools), so I drove 100 miles each way to our flagship university every week until I earned a doctorate in my teaching field. That program no longer exists.
Now this I would agree with. If we solved #1, realized that the chances of your kid getting abducted in the woods or park is very slim, and encouraged their natural sense of exploration and wonder, it would help with #3. (After all, we've had TV for 60 years and video games for over 30 years so we still have the middle aged generation to compare and contrast).
Although I will have to say I disagree about getting hired at community college these days. Its way tougher now to get a hired on a full time position, almost like winning the lottery. But if you don't mind adjunct positions, you CAN make an ok living IF IF you live in a large metro area, with multiple institutions within a commutable distance, and there are strong established unions. (I make about 50K as an adjunct in SoCal). But yeah, it is very different now. The whole adjunctification of faculty.
I still aspire to be the President and by the time I'm of age to do so, all you Baby Boomers will be dead or senile (THANK GOD!).
I'm a 26-year-old Millenial and this made me laugh out loud. The oldest Baby Boomers are approaching 69, and the youngest just turned 50 this year. In 15 years, when you are of age to become president (after all, 35 is the minimum age), the oldest surviving Boomers will be in their mid-80s, while the youngest will be close to hitting full Social Security retirement age. Nice try, though.
I am a baby boomer and I took advantage of the economic system at the time to drag myself out of poverty. I joined the Navy to get some experience and the GI Bill for help with my education. While I was in Vietnam 65-67 I was a River Rat. Some of the lessons I learned still bring on nightmares. One of the lessons was if you screw up you were likely to get dead. The other was not to trust you leaders. They were just as ignorant as the rest of us. Only the millennials that got stuck in our imperial hellhole in the Mideast have learned those lessons.
As a Boomer I do not completely believe the OP's claim. Besides the IBM of today is not the IBM of the 1960's. His tale sounds more like luck and arse kissing than "taking advantage of opportunity".
I have seen some millennials that are very successful and others that are not. I have heard of a bunch of brothers in Colorado that have become multi millionaires by developing an alternative non subsidized agricultural business. I know a couple around here that are reasonably successful lawyers and others that are gifted school teachers. I also know others that match their arrogance with their ignorance.
My goal was to achieve a pleasant retirement with good health insurance. I did as much as needed to achieve that goal. I probably could have done a lot better by selective arse kissing and trusting authority. That person would not have been me.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by orangenj
I'm a 26-year-old Millenial and this made me laugh out loud. The oldest Baby Boomers are approaching 69, and the youngest just turned 50 this year. In 15 years, when you are of age to become president (after all, 35 is the minimum age), the oldest surviving Boomers will be in their mid-80s, while the youngest will be close to hitting full Social Security retirement age. Nice try, though.
Hopefully the OP will spend some time reading and brushing up on math before attempting to run for office
and dealing with the boomers in congress at that time. Even today, the average age in congress is 57, senate 62, with 8 in their 80s, Ralph Hall of Texas is almost 92, and people are living longer every year.
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