Why my generation seems to not try and turns to drugs and crime..... (ethic, holidays)

[GregW]

I am damn glad I am on the other end of the age scale. I look on retirement as a great time to start over but with the basics already taken care of by my investments. This is going to be fun.

[txtqueen]

I would love to see less government control.
Stay out of peoples uteruses and bedrooms.
Live and let live, FFS atheist are allowed to get married so should gays.

I would love to see the government focus on what is most important, our economy and education.

I would love to see marijuana legalized and treated like alcohol. Tax it.
There is much more revenue in it being legal than illegal. It'll create more jobs, growers, dispensaries.

I would love to see us pull out of foreign affairs and stop wasting our money on other countries. We need to focus on ourselves, we're neglecting our own country.

I would love to see us educate our youth better and make college a realistic idea for more people. We need to quit outsourcing our jobs and give them back to Americans.

We as a country need to be more self sufficient, stop importing so much from other countries and create more jobs by growing or making those thing over here.

We do need to progress and move forward and thrive.
It does not matter who we vote for as president, WE THE PEOPLE need to take charge of what goes on in our own country.

We need to crack down on immigration.
15 year old Susie doesn't need to be battling it out for a fast food job with 38 year old Jose who barely speaks English and isn't here legally.

[FinsterRufus]

Originally Posted by txtqueen

She let her lawn guy of 6 years go and I now do all her yard work, mowing, edging, weed eating and shrub/tree trimming with no expectation of money.
I go grocery shopping with her since its so hard on her.
I got down on my hands and knees and cleaned around her toilet because she can't do it.
I help her put her sheets on her bed for her because she can't do it anymore.
Tomorrow I am watching my great grandmother all day because my grandmother is going up to Kentucky to her late sisters house to assist her niece in getting rid of some things. Tomorrow is lawn day as well as making sure my great grandmother takes her meds and eats lunch and dinner.

Read that list. Seriously, read it and stop whining.

This is stuff people do every day of their lives, and most don't get a free house and car out of it.

Gawd.

A good friend of mine just nursed her husband through stage four liver cancer and he died within three months, completely a wreck of his former self. It was her birthday this week. She's trying to sell his motorcycles and tools. She's completely heartbroken. She doesn't whine. Thank God you aren't actually representative of your generation.

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I work a lot, I keep up two acres, take care of two dogs, keep a whole house clean, and help my grandmother when ever she ask for it. I'm not out here partying it up with a joint between my lips and my boyfriend between my legs. I'm miserable because day in and day out I break my back and have nothing to show for all the work I do and all the sacrifices I've made. Good people get good things or at least they did. I just get shat on.
DB works 6 days a week, 730am to 500, I wouldn't know what sex was if it bent me over.

You have no kids and a double income, and no house payment. Why is it you can't get ahead?

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I'm angry because it's so hard to get ahead and I watch all these people come in with EBT cards buying food I dream of buying. Why because since moving I've been doing what's responsible and right and what people say you should be doing and it's not doing a damn thing for me. While all these people I see are freeloading and have it easier than I do. I hate them.

Put some of that energy to good use. Be thankful you don't need foodstamps.

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I don't want to be a corporate slave, a government puppet or anyone's biatch.

Then don't be. No one's stopping you but you. You need some balls.

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I want to finish college, I want to start my own business but in today's world it doesn't pay off. You end up working your life away to barely get by or end up in so much debt your children end up with it. No thank you.

Says who? What a load of absolute rubbish. 99 bucks at legal zoom will get you an LLC. Don't be so defeatist. The only one stopping you is you. Your generation is pulling some of the greatest entrepreneurs ever out of the ether. They don't make excuses.

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I haven't posted in any other forum in awhile, you don't know me or who I've become.

Ah but I do, it's on crystal clear display right here.

Trying to excuse your inertia by lumping yourself in with your peers' challenges is not working. Are you not an individual?

[maciesmom]

You say you've changed and for your sake I hope you have. What I see is still someone who focusrs on what they don't have instead of what they do. You started this thread about how hard it is for those "without" money to get started in life. So hard that you understood that being a valid reason for turning to drugs and crime. You clearly included yourself in the "have not" group. Yet you have $5000 in a college fund, a newer car, a rent free place, and 2 incomes. That is much more than most people your age. Yet you are still whining over what you perceive as lacking in your life. Hardly any kids I know had college 100% paid for by someone else. That $5000 could have made a good dent in an AA degree - especially if you would have stuck with any of the numerous part time jobs you've held over the past 4 years. And you describe kids who get academic scholarships as "lucky". Have you to this day ever filled out a FAFSA? Have you ever visited with the financial aid officer at a CC? Or even a guidance counselor to help you figure out where you are and where you are going? All of this has been suggested to you over the years but you continually ignore those suggestions, hop to a different dead end job.....and complain that everyone else has it easier than you. It sure doesn't seem like much has changed.

[joeymags]

I would save your money and skip college. A degree is a piece of paper telling people you have the ability to learn. But you clearly don't have the mentality that will allow you to be successful in the workplace that would make a college degree worthwhile.

This is a self pity and whine fest. My mother was a nurse and my father sold beer and soda for a living. My sister and I both went to a state school and now work on wall street, living in manhattan. There's tens of thousands of other people our age here 'making it.' Some were privlidged, yes, but most not.

PS....some days I wake up wishing that today is the day some little punk tries to take something of mine that I have worked so hard for.

[Free-R]

Originally Posted by BMORE

Honestly, I believe that our generation has generally avoided heavy usage in compassion to previous generations; marijuana is in heavy usage these days amongst us but cocaine, acid, meth, and whatever else hard drugs are out there aren't used by us much. Living in DC, I barely if ever see any young crackheads on the streets, those on crack seem like they were born in the 60's, and 70's.

Now in regards to working, I agree that our worth ethics are far different than the past generations, it could be that we were raised to be more selective in choosing jobs as we won't take farming jobs as the past generations glady would've or it could be that our parents generally were born into a credit-driven society that is fading within our generation solely because credit cards and loans are more complicated to obtain therefore they could supply us more of what we wanted or needed without requiring much out of us. Of course there are other scenarios as well, but from my experience those are the typical scenarios.

Going back to my NC days, I would literally apply for jobs for about five-hours a day everyday, I would call the places and all and they'd never hire me; now if I were irrational or limited in opportunities as other teenagers were my age, I probably would've began not so pleasant activities. Sad reality? Yep, but luckily I moved to the DC region and found a job with the limited experience I had within two weeks, that is unheard of NC. Therefore I don't believe there is a lack of a work-ethic amongst us, we are more selective in choosing jobs and there is a lack of opportunity depending on the region in which one lives.

I feel optimism with our generation, I have friends marrying now, a decent amount of people including myself have just graduated and are planning to pursue our masters, some are even purchasing homes, and plenty are having children. We didn't grow up during the best of times, being born into a crack epidemic and growing up during one of the largest recessions in history isn't the ideal childhood for us but nonethless we will make it.

_________________________

In regards to college debt and future finances your depressed state is totally understandable, for one I'm coming out of college with about $80k in debt and the lenders are already asking for their payments by next month. It's sad that some people I know who attended my GWU with me are going back to graduate school to avoid debt payments, the obvious would know that leads to an even deeper hole of debt. I'm far from a socialist or believer in completely free education, but nonetheless I believe the students need a bailout to pump money into the economy. If the Feds can pump $85 billion in monthly and give out $16 trillion dollars for bailouts, then they should be able to reduce our payments by half while also implementing tougher loaning restrictions.

1) "I'm far from a socialist or believer in completely free education, but nonetheless I believe the students need a bailout to pump money into the economy."

2) "Now in regards to working, I agree that our worth ethics are far different than the past generations, it could be that we were raised to be more selective in choosing jobs as we won't take farming jobs as the past generations glady would've..."

Problem #1 is solved by reversing the situation in #2. That's a recipe for a bail-out free existence.

[Kibbiekat]

Originally Posted by txtqueen

Never said I was partaking in their activities too. I simply know people from do, some are from work who I don't associate with outside of work.



I have less than $5000 in there it's not enough to get a degree.



She let her lawn guy of 6 years go and I now do all her yard work, mowing, edging, weed eating and shrub/tree trimming with no expectation of money.
I go grocery shopping with her since its so hard on her.
I got down on my hands and knees and cleaned around her toilet because she can't do it.
I help her put her sheets on her bed for her because she can't do it anymore.
Tomorrow I am watching my great grandmother all day because my grandmother is going up to Kentucky to her late sisters house to assist her niece in getting rid of some things. Tomorrow is lawn day as well as making sure my great grandmother takes her meds and eats lunch and dinner.

KMA dude.... I have changed so much since moving here.
I work a lot, I keep up two acres, take care of two dogs, keep a whole house clean, and help my grandmother when ever she ask for it. I'm not out here partying it up with a joint between my lips and my boyfriend between my legs. I'm miserable because day in and day out I break my back and have nothing to show for all the work I do and all the sacrifices I've made. Good people get good things or at least they did. I just get shat on.
DB works 6 days a week, 730am to 500, I wouldn't know what sex was if it bent me over.

I'm angry because it's so hard to get ahead and I watch all these people come in with EBT cards buying food I dream of buying. Why because since moving I've been doing what's responsible and right and what people say you should be doing and it's not doing a damn thing for me. While all these people I see are freeloading and have it easier than I do. I hate them.



It's called the pill sweetie and I'm on it.
I don't plan on popping out any babies till I can afford them so don't worry yourself.



You are so my hero.



I was going to school part time, working part time at a retail job and was a live in nanny, I didn't sleep or eat and was treated like shat by the family I worked for. After going back to my moms I spiraled into depression because she's always been a mentally abusive person. Not long after I moved she told me to never speak to her again because my brother said he wanted to join the marines and she thought I was talking him into it. I barely speak to my brother.
I didn't want to become a cop because I didn't want to work with corrupt bastards who don't follow the law themselves.
I have become very involved in following politics and I don't like what I see and I don't agree with a damn thing.

I don't want to be a corporate slave, a government puppet or anyone's biatch.


I want to finish college, I want to start my own business but in today's world it doesn't pay off. You end up working your life away to barely get by or end up in so much debt your children end up with it. No thank you.


I haven't posted in any other forum in awhile, you don't know me or who I've become.

you live in her house for free. all those tasks you named don't come close to equalling what rent would cost you. you have 5000
to put toward school. you don't have a car payment. let me know when you start wiping behinds. then you'll qualify as an actual caregiver. i've been telling you for years to go to trade school. you could be an xray tech, or something, working m-f for more than you make now. you dont want to work for someone else, you don't want to start your own business. how do you think you're going to earn a living/ ffs you complain about every aspect of life. you are really good at complaining about what you don't have and don't want, but wtf do you want/ where do you see youself in 5 years, 10 years and how are you going to get there/

[TigerLily24]

Originally Posted by txtqueen

Never said I was partaking in their activities too. I simply know people from do, some are from work who I don't associate with outside of work.



I have less than $5000 in there it's not enough to get a degree.



She let her lawn guy of 6 years go and I now do all her yard work, mowing, edging, weed eating and shrub/tree trimming with no expectation of money.
I go grocery shopping with her since its so hard on her.
I got down on my hands and knees and cleaned around her toilet because she can't do it.
I help her put her sheets on her bed for her because she can't do it anymore.
Tomorrow I am watching my great grandmother all day because my grandmother is going up to Kentucky to her late sisters house to assist her niece in getting rid of some things. Tomorrow is lawn day as well as making sure my great grandmother takes her meds and eats lunch and dinner.

KMA dude.... I have changed so much since moving here.
I work a lot, I keep up two acres, take care of two dogs, keep a whole house clean, and help my grandmother when ever she ask for it. I'm not out here partying it up with a joint between my lips and my boyfriend between my legs. I'm miserable because day in and day out I break my back and have nothing to show for all the work I do and all the sacrifices I've made. Good people get good things or at least they did. I just get shat on.
DB works 6 days a week, 730am to 500, I wouldn't know what sex was if it bent me over.

I'm angry because it's so hard to get ahead and I watch all these people come in with EBT cards buying food I dream of buying. Why because since moving I've been doing what's responsible and right and what people say you should be doing and it's not doing a damn thing for me. While all these people I see are freeloading and have it easier than I do. I hate them.



It's called the pill sweetie and I'm on it.
I don't plan on popping out any babies till I can afford them so don't worry yourself.



You are so my hero.



I was going to school part time, working part time at a retail job and was a live in nanny, I didn't sleep or eat and was treated like shat by the family I worked for. After going back to my moms I spiraled into depression because she's always been a mentally abusive person. Not long after I moved she told me to never speak to her again because my brother said he wanted to join the marines and she thought I was talking him into it. I barely speak to my brother.
I didn't want to become a cop because I didn't want to work with corrupt bastards who don't follow the law themselves.
I have become very involved in following politics and I don't like what I see and I don't agree with a damn thing.

I don't want to be a corporate slave, a government puppet or anyone's biatch.


I want to finish college, I want to start my own business but in today's world it doesn't pay off. You end up working your life away to barely get by or end up in so much debt your children end up with it. No thank you.


I haven't posted in any other forum in awhile, you don't know me or who I've become.

Welcome to adulthood.

So sorry, it sounds like things really are spiraling out of control for you.
Most of what you perceive as extraordinary burdens are just regular everyday things that people deal with successfully each and every day.
Finding a good mental health care professional might provide some benefit.

[DewDropInn]

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I don't want to be a corporate slave, a government puppet or anyone's biatch.

So Maciesmom is 100% correct. What you want is a job where you can do what you like and be paid scads of money because YOU are not going to be put down by The Man. And because you're..... you.

Got it. Of course there's a whole bunch of slackers and dreamers and guys living in someone's basement who want the same thing so be prepared to stand in line the day you fill out the application.

[GTOlover]

Originally Posted by txtqueen

I look at my generation and I see two groups of people who have gotten ahead, those who's families have money and they were able to go to college or the incredibly smart ones who got lucky and landed a scholarship to a decent college.

My friends who didn't come from money have either little to no college, this group includes myself.

While I can't speak for everyone, I feel like I can speak for a few more than just myself.

My outlook on society and life is a bleak one. I see very little light at the en of the proverbial tunnel and still not quite sure if that light is a train, I'm hoping not.

I feel as if I have two choices, continue on my current path and forever remain in my position or throw myself into insane amount of debt with student loans to obtain a degree which may or may not get me a job, mind you a job that may or may not be enough to cover my finances and the loan payments.
Keep in mind I would be fighting against others my age and people my parents ages for these jobs because 24 and 44 year olds are battling it out for a min wage position at your local Walmart.

So my view and I feel a substantial few other feel the same as I do.

Why try?
Who knows 3 years from now when I finish said degree the economy could be in an even worse state.

Last night I had an epiphany, my mind was opened to a whole new thought, theft.
I see why people turn to it, I understand it, not saying I'd do it but I fully get it. I work hard for what I do have and I still don't have much. It's a terrible feeling.

I see why people put their last little bit of money into something to get them drunk or high, not because they are too lazy to try or are terrible people or because they don't care. It's because they realize they'll spend their whole lives trying for something they'll never obtain, they get high because they do care and it hurts to care and feel helpless and like nothing is going to get better. They do it so they don't feel because they know no matter how hard they try it'll never get any better.


Things aren't like they used to be, college isn't cheap an it'll take you about the same amount of time to pay off as a house.
Jobs that make enough to live on are scarce, require a degree and then you have to battle it out with everyone else with that degree an who are they going to hire? The 24 year old with no experience or the 38 year old with experience and a family to help support?

Now please don't make this about me and my story, I was only giving you my side to give a detailed insight into how I know and feel it is for others and why I think things are the way they are today with my generation.
Why my generation seems to just be floating in limbo.


I do plan on going back to college in the fall and using the last bit of college money I have left, about 3 semesters worth and if things haven't turned around by then (next december) I won't be going back till it does.
I'm not going to put myself into crazy amounts of debt without a guarantee.

What do you think has caused the pattern of behavior in my generation. (I'm 23).

Skilled trades are where the money an d demand is at and you would have a job while you went to a certified trade school and have an apprenticeship and after you get your 4 years in become journeyman.

Your working hard but are you work towards something I mean with in Reason but still aim high you want and are you working smart or just going through the motions by heading to college and not heading into the trades since you guys seem to miss the demand for people who can fix a HD Diesel engine or be a metal fabrication, Electrician, Pipe fitter, Carpenter, Automotive or Aerospace production and mechanics in those two fields these are all jobs that are not job that are able to go offshore.



Heck most people are seeming to have little to no basic understanding of how a internal combustion engine works and or how a Coal, LNG, Nuclear or Geothermal or Hydro electricity is produced and they all have one thing in common and I bet no matter what the power plant is fuelled or Run by it is probably using a GE, Westinghouse or Siemens AG built high pressure Steam, Hydro or wind turbine and our power from either the east and west coast Grids being all rebuild and modernized across both Canada and the U.S.

So the east and west grid connect the the worlds largest and 4th largest power producing and consuming countries in the whole world and Re-building it across the 2nd and 3RD Largest countries in the world by land and water mass that have the largest distance between population

So even just a trade being in that one field when it happens means getting good paying job for people that have a trade in that filed would be easy and in demand and long term work since we have no choice and it is either rebuild it all or keep having massive blackouts and power outages.

so your Generation has no choice but to live in the dark or fix some serious infrastructure that is going to be done at such a large scale that we do not have enough people in the trades tings are falling part faster than we can fix them and the boomers are the ones that have the knowledge and skills to take on apprentice and pass it on three is no app for that kind of hand on real world knowledge.