Chauncey-1177234, I completely agree with you on this. I worked in huge schools and a teacher and as a secretary and your comments are right on target. It has always been and always will be the same. As far as the teaching profession goes I know first hand how many hours you put in per week. I tracked a couple of teachers jotting down the hours in-house not at home and if they worked year round they'd still be putting in over 40 hours a week. To me that is a fantastic work ethic.

As a secretary I was told not to help staff by my first administrator and the Principal's secretary. I ignored them as I felt the staff needed as much backup as possible. As it happened I was in great favor for bailing them out when their computers messed up, printers wouldn't work, copiers on the blink or printing all of their report cards because they did not understand a new program. It was the toughest job I've ever had and the most satisfying. What can you say to over 700 kids and a staff of over 60? Dream job!

I agree with Chauncey about it varying person-to-person. I see hard-working 20-somethings working very hard; harder than some 40-somethings. However, as a society, I think a lot of our parents are failing this younger generation growing up with their constant enabling and praise. Young people today think that they get 77 chances to do everything and deadlines don't matter. They are praised and rewarded for things that they should be doing, and I find it ridiculous. Getting paid for grades, and they still don't get A's? I'm from generation X, and good grades were simply expected, or it was my ass! There aren't any consequences with teeth for a lot of these kids, and the real world will knock them on their ass later on!

Completely agree as well. As a former supervisor for a coffee shop at the age of 23, I would work extra hours, pick up shifts, and do part of the managers job just cause the store needed it.

There are those out there that know the quality of work is better though in that industry those are far and in between. Out of possibly 40 people that were hired at that store, about 5 of them actually worked hard and had no problems, the others, to be honest, are the ones that we would write-up constantly, have to call to check if they're coming into work, argue with the manager to let go, etc, etc.

But the bad is usually seen a lot more due to outrage and frustration then those good that everyone just nods there head at in approval.

Chauncey, in every generation, you will have self righteous people with nothing better to do than trash the generation that comes behind them. When I was a twenty something, I worked hard at both school and work. My children are now doing the same thing. I will say that when I was a twenty something, there were plenty of people who were slackers - just like there are now.

I will say there was a comment about quality of life a few pages back. As Americans we work harder and have less vacation time than most other countries. Are we better off for it? I'm not so sure. It's a given that we live a less healthy life-style and die younger.

I see family time and children valued much more in other cultures than they are in America. I know a wonderful couple, both nurses, who work three days a week and love it. They are long hard days, but that schedule allows them to fully enjoy each other, their children and the outdoors. They won't be rich in things that many workaholics value the most - material things - but they are rich in so many other ways. : )

The baby boomers and generation before me brought this country $12 Trillion into debt and ruined the job market just in time for my graduation from college last year.

Don't blame and call me lazy because no one will hire me. Though, we can brag about being the most educated college attending generation except maybe for the Greatest Generation of WWII, considering all the baby boomer burn outs, liberals and hippie pot smokers from the 60s and 70s........ Where the ideology of "living beyond means", reckless liberal spending and Obama was born.

Me, well I can't find a job (actually I should say I found and applied to 1000s but didn't get hired), so I self-taught myself computer programming, made my OWN job with an online business, and web management. Almost no costs and all gains. Plus a BS degree in physics for when this crappy job market and any company finally hires me.

Maybe it's your charming personality that keeps you from getting hired. Sorry, but I am an employer and personality matters. As far as reckless liberal spending goes, Bush inherited a surplus and manged to use that surplus to bring this country to its knees.

The youth of today have been raised in a scared, sheltered world. Their universe lies within an Nintendo, X-Box, iPod, Rasberry, Facebook, Twitter pseudo-existence. Their upbringing is to fear and revile everyone and everything and they are thus incapable of dealing with and facing real life expectations.

They have been programmed by political correctness that has not allowed them the pleasure of independent thought. No true freedom of speech exists in our country any longer. It has become better to not express yourself than to possibly hurt some, usually a minority groups, feelings.

They have been de-educated by the liberal public school system that does not accept failure. No F's can be given even though the high school student can't spell girl. No red ink is allowed to grade papers as it may deflate their tender ego's. No "Honor Rolls" exist to reward the worthy so as not to punish the undeserving.

Youth sports do not encourage competition. Everyone is a winner, even if you lose you get a ribbon or trophy. No effort to strive is encouraged or promoted. Complacency is replaced by contentment.

Idol replaces Jeopardy. Lost replaces Discovery. Madonna replaces Sister Theresa. Mmmm mmmm mmmm Barack Hussein Obama replaces the Star Spangled Banner. Bill Maher replaces Thomas Jefferson. Kanye West replaces Martin Luther King.

BILL GATES' SPEECH TO MT. WHITNEY HIGH SCHOOL in Visalia, California.

Love him or hate him, he sure hits the nail on the head with this!

To anyone with kids of any age, here's some advice. Bill Gates recently gave a speech at a High School about 11 things they did not and will not learn in school. He talks about how feel-good, politically correct teachings created a generation of kids with no concept of reality and how this concept set them up for failure in the real world.

Rule 1: Life is not fair -- get used to it!

Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something BEFORE you feel good about yourself.

Rule 3: You will NOT make $60,000 a year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.

Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait till you get a boss.

Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your Grandparents had a different word for burger flipping -- they called it opportunity.

Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault, so don't whine about your mistakes, learn from them.

Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you are. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parent's generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.

Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life HAS NOT. In some schools they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as MANY TIMES as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to ANYTHING in real life.

Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you FIND YOURSELF. Do that on your own time.

Rule 10: Television is NOT real life. In real life people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.

Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one.

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Maybe the Mils will grow up enough to understand those 11 rules. They're timeless.

I'd like to add 1 more.

Rule 12. The world does NOT revolve around you or what you want. Get over yourself. In the grand scheme of things, you are but a speck of sand on a very large beach. It takes trillions of specks to make that beach.

I work in Data Transcribing in a very large room with approximately 200 other people ranging in age from probably 18 to 70.

It never fails to amaze me that most (though not all!) of the 20 somethings seem to feel entitled to use their cell phones at work! They talk on them, they play games on them, they text on them - and all on company time!

On average these 20-somethings waste 2-3 hours a day on their cell phones - not work related, mind you! - and they seem to think that there isn't anything wrong with using company time to catch up on their social networking!!!

I agree with the above comments - schools are at fault for their "everybody wins" mentality, and tv programming is at fault for shows that teach our youth that it's fine to take a "shortcut" to get what you want - but most of all parents are at fault for giving their kids everything instead of making them earn it!

That address made a splash, but while some of it rings true (to young people of every generation, imo) there's a LOT of it that simply is not any reality I know of.

Red pens are a REQUIREMENT for my nieces kids in shool right now. They use them to correct each other's papers.

Participation awards are common in things like pee wee t-ball. We're talking four and five year olds people. I don't see that as a bad thing. Once they enter little league, it's extremely competitive. I've seen coaches tell their players to hit the other team members with balls. And the bashers here have a problem with participation awards for pres-schoolers?

As a parent, though, I did not allow them their own computers (at all - we had a family one) or cell phones until they were of legal driving age. No way was I going to raise a child who had to be plugged in constantly.

Look, I love children as much as the next person, and I hated to see my daughter disappointed. But I won't hesitate to tell you that the "everybody wins" mentality is not good for them!

When I was a kid you had to work to win awards - and the pride in a job well done was worth all the effort. It provided a sense of accomplishment.

It isn't going to permanently damage a child to experience disappointment. In fact, I would argue just the opposite - it gives them a sense determination to do better next time.

Furthermore, it leaves them ill equipped to handle the real world - the world that doesn't hand them an award (or a raise!) just for showing up, a world in which they are only "entitled" to that which they earn!

So you're saying that getting a participation award at age 4, leaves them ill equipped for the world. Really? I'm sorry, but I think that's ridiculous. I noticed you didn't bother to mention the outright insanity of sports parents and coaches and the need to push these kids to win, win, win. I think that attitude is more dangerous than a small participation award given to a pre-schooler.

My kids received participation awards and are VERY equipped to handle the world. They ended up receiving more than just participation awards. They have received multiple WELL EARNED academic achievement awards as well. Those were NOT given to every-one, by any means. Maybe you need to place your blame elsewhere.

Did you tell your children not to talk to strangers? Why? So that they wouldn't be kidnapped or molested, right? To protect them, right?

You teach your children not to talk to strangers because the reality is that there are very bad people out there and you want to make them as prepared as possible so that they don't get hurt.

By pampering and over-protecting we are not preparing our children for a world in which they can easily get hurt. Teen and young adult suicide rates are higher than they have ever been.

Why is that, do you think? Maybe it's because our children aren't equipped to handle rejection, everybody wins, remember? Maybe it's because they lack the ability to handle reality. Why? Because they've grown up believing that everybody wins when, in fact, the opposite is true - everybody loses at some point in their life.

Your intentions may be good - but your reasoning is faulty.

Sorry, but I am so very glad I was not your child. Giving a very young child an award for participating in a group sport, is hell and gone from offering them to strangers.

I'm not saying that children should be praised from sun up to sun down for things they are supposed to do. That was/is not my parenting style. I believe that becomes patronizing and it can indeed be harmful. But things like group sports can be challenging for some kids and a little encouragement to very young children after completing a season is not going to make them jump in front of a car.

If your child has struggled, I highly doubt it's from your supportive parenting style.

My "child" is 26 and has a very lucrative career as a stylist and photographer.

My "child" has been working since she was 16 - sometimes two or three jobs at a time.

I paid for her schooling, but she paid for her car insurance, her cell phone and her gas. She also paid for her school supplies and her clothing.

My "child" is now helping raise her fiancee's three children - and doing a damned fine job of it.

My "child" is a beautiful, compassionate and caring individual who has a strong character and work ethic.

So, apparently, even though I didn't hand her everything on a platter I must have done something right because she makes me proud of her each and every single day!

Oh, and BTW, I notice you didn't address the part about teen and young adult suicide. Care to explain why you think the numbers are so high?

So now a small sports award meant for pre-school aged children is handing them everything on a silver platter? Wow!

I hope her fiancee is a supportive/caring parent. One can be a success in business and still be cold as ice to children if they were raised by a cold as ice parent.

I

You really do have a one-track mind, don't you?

If you can't understand my response let me spell it out for you.

It isn't just the small sports award for the pre-school aged children - it's the parents who don't make their children earn their cars and cell phones and other "toys."

It's the everybody wins mentality of the schools that would have the children believe that there are no losers.

It's the sense of entitlement that kids are growing up with that leads them to believe that the world owes them something.

And honey, you don't know a damned thing about my heart - so keep your self-righteous BS to yourself, won't ya?

When you work for non-profits for little pay and even less recognition, when you stop and buy the homeless guy on the street corner a meal, when you clean up puke at an alcohol and drug abuse center you might - might - have the right to call me cold hearted.

And you never, ever have the right to call my daughter cold hearted.

GOT THAT?

I'm guessing that your children got their academic smarts from their father because from your posts it appears to me that you sure didn't contribute!

I can tell you're just a stellar, caring human being. : )

I was referring to those small awards given to pre-schoolers in MULTIPLE posts ..as were you. According to you, giving a four year old a printed out certificate at the end of T-Ball is the number one cause of suicide in our youth today. : )

Incredibe. And you're questioning my intelligence? I'm not your 'honey'..and my husband is indeed a WARM and intelligent man.

That isn't what I said - you know it, I know it and anyone who has actually read these posts knows it as well.

The only time I mentioned awards was to say that when I was a child we had to work to earn our rewards and that the pride in a job well done was worth all the effort.

Other than that, yes, you did keep going back to the pre-school awards over and over and over again - ignoring everything else I said in an effort to make it appear that I am a cold-hearted bit*h that apparently hates little children.

I have absolutely no need to question your intelligence - that much is obvious...HONEY.

Sorry...but I think you two just need to agree to disagree...think you have both said some uncalled for things!

Judy -

Devon has followed me from post to post putting in her two cents worth.

I didn't start with the snide remarks, she did. And I certainly wasn't going to stand by while she insinuated that my daughter was some cold hearted monster.

However, I am done with her and her juvenile behavior.

Children brought up in an atmosphere of respect will thrive. When a child makes a mistake and the parent discusses the ramification of that mistake it often offers full conclusion. What is hard for children are inappropriate behaviors going unattended and the confusion the child has when finally confronted. This draws resentment, as the child feels cheated and embarrassed by this confrontation. On the other hand when a child succeeds time and time again without recognition they often feel defeated and unmotivated to try as hard as they once tried. Rewarding children for all good behaviors and making sure mistakes are immediately addresses helps to create a well-balanced child.

I didn't start with the snide remarks, she did.

I'm sorry but "She started it!" isn't a very mature argument. That entire thread was just sad. That's 5 minutes of my life lost that I will never get back. There are some ANGRY people on here! Jeesh!

WOW. What the heck is eating you?

Wow... I need my axe sharpened... sounds like you're qualified!!

When I am not jealous of their youth I admire 20somethings.

They are spoiled to the core, they don't respect their elders.... I'm not that far away from my 20's either and I notice the difference.... its really sad.

How would you expect the first generation of yuppie puppies to turn out? when kids are raised having their asses kissed for them every day by their elders, this is what you get.

That said, I am in my 20s, and I turned out alright. It really comes down to how young people were taught by their parents. Too many were spoiled from day one; pampered and treated like kings instead of children. If everything is given to you from day one and you never have to earn anything for yourself, then you never learn to take pride in doing a good job. Blame the parents, they are the ones who created these monsters.

I'm 23 and know that I'm not entitled to anything that i dont work my ass off for. After getting out of the Navy, my wife and i are both working 40+ hours a week and both working on our degrees. To say that we are deadbeats, worthless, spoiled brats, have no work ethic and no morals shows that the only way you get your info about us is by watching all those rich screw-ups on TV. And your right i could give a damn what you think about me because i know what i do and dont need anyone to give me an "atta boy". Saying that we have no empathy for others is also proof that you have no idea whats going on in this country because it seems to me that we are the ones that want everybody to have health care and its the older generations that think one should take care of their own and everyone else be damned. The "green movement" is bigger than ever and is being lead by myself and those of my generation. So think before you tear us apart so harshly with your words cause your parents and their parents probably thought the same about you and your generation.

Bmorris, Every generation has a group of people that spoil and forget about guidance and structure so it can't be pinned on one group. On the other hand I know many young adults with the finest work ethic and are a joy to work with. To me, at age 66, it is the same old, same old. I'm very happy to hear your parents did you right!

#2.6: its the older generations that think one should take care of their own and everyone else be damned.

Ummm... not true. I'm 66 and if you followed anything I've said on the vine, you know I believe we are all in this together and we should all be willing to help others.

That said, I do think we have a preponderance of youth who believe they are entitled. They think that they should start at the top, rather than work their way up. They spend far too much company time texting, web surfing, and making/taking personal phone calls. They call in sick with little or no reason, arrive late and leave early and get upset when asked to do some real work.

BUT... I have worked with some 20-somethings that would be first on my list of hires if I owned a business; and I've worked with 60-somethings who should be forced to retire for all the good they did at work.

I somehow doubt that the situation has changed much over the course of my working years... but I also think that today's young people have far too many demands and distractions in their lives, they suffer from serious sleep deprivation, and that something should be done with kids in their formative years to limit exposure to new technologies until they have had the opportunity to be self-reliant without the iPods and texting devices. Kids should learn to focus, first, and then be allowed to add to the distractions in their lives. I do think that people today (and not just kids) are suffering from information overload, and it really isn't helping anyone.

Hi,bitemore!

That said, I do think we have a preponderance of youth who believe they are entitled. They think that they should start at the top, rather than work their way up.

My Mother-in Law said this same thing to me in 1967! I felt she was wrong.

Saying that we have no empathy for others is also proof that you have no idea whats going on in this country because it seems to me that we are the ones that want everybody to have health care and its the older generations that think one should take care of their own and everyone else be damned. The "green movement" is bigger than ever and is being lead by myself and those of my generation. So think before you tear us apart so harshly with your words cause your parents and their parents probably thought the same about you and your generation.

YES! When so many of our youth are risking their lives in TWO wars, it takes big ones to trash the entire generation. When I think of the ME generation, I think of SENIORS. Watching the town-hall meetings really opened my eyes to the values of the older generation.

PLEASE! Not all of us are like them!

When I was young and hopeful I thought my generation would come up from the ashes to remember our history, our mindsets and opinions and help the next generation as well. The Vietnam War was raging and the population was ranting resulting in our very young coming home from war and treated abominably. Now another war is raging in other countries and right here on the home front. I guess I didn't get my wish but I won't ever stop hoping that our society will get themselves together and stop being so single-minded and self-involved.

It is wrong to say that "all" of a particular race, religion, creed, color or age is bad, worthless or otherwise "less" than any other denomination.

As I previously stated, I work in a large room with about 200 other data transcribers. There are several 20 somethings who have excellent work ethics - but there are even more who haven't got a clue what a "work ethic" is or why they should have one!

I don't care what age group we are talking about - nothing burns me more than to be working my a*s off while someone else (who receives the same pay as I do) is d**king around all day long on their iPod - and they don't have a clue why I get angry! After all, they "aren't doing anything to me personally" - why should I care?

Um... I don't know - maybe because I'm having to pull my weight and yours, too? Maybe because you are getting paid to do a job and you should be doing your damned job, just like I do?!?

If they are so awful while you are so ethical, maybe you need to seek a promotion.

They aren't all awful - there are 3 our of about 25 that actually take the job seriously and do their work without complaint. The other 22 are worthless.

And when I am promoted I will see that the lazy ones get a pink slip!

How long has it been since you've been promoted? Why are you working with such lower life-forms if you are so superior in every way? Just wonderin'...

Unlike you I don't feel that I am superior - but I do know that my work ethic is superior -the fact that I earn well-deserved monetary awards is proof enough of that.

And I'm just wonderin' if you have ever held a job outside the home...

I think you do. We've owned a small business for years now and I've seen your type before. You are that forty or fifty something who comes in with a chip on your shoulder, pays much more attention to what everyone else is doing than actually working, and then you are stunned when the younger person is promoted ahead of you.

I am here to tell you, entitlement does not just occur in the younger group. I've seen plenty of middle aged people arrive at work, on time, with attitude plus, complaining from the time they get there until the time they leave, then throw a FIT when they don't get a promotion. Little do they know, many of their employers just want them to go.

In our case, we've had more issues with our middle-aged workers than with our younger ones.

Uh-huh. I believe you...

DeeDee-911031, A number of years ago I had a friend working for the state. She would call me during her working hours and want to chat. I refused to chat with her during her working hours and of course this upset her. I worked with another that did the same thing and I would often have to pick up the slack. I don't know if it is resentment as much as overwhelming wonder as to how no one watches out for this. In the latter case although the woman was good at her job she only "worked" a couple hours a day. The rest of the time she was shopping on line, running out to do errands, talking on the phone with friends and family. She came in 10-15 minutes late every day and left 10-15 minutes early every afternoon. I'm sure she felt that if no one said anything it was perfectly acceptable. I finally spoke up to our administrator and her solution was that I should get to take time off to match her "errand" time. This is the last thing I wanted. What I wanted was a bit of back up when there were 5 sick kids in the office needing attention, 5 or 6 parents needing something, staff requests and the phone ringing off the hook. I knew better than to ask her to clean up a child who had vomited all over themselves but couldn't she take the temperature of the other 4? I think frustration was what I was feeling more than resentment.

Are you for real kid? I work with 20-30 age range and 95% of them care only for themselves. Yeah, they are acting outside the box and sure are "free-spirited" if you call doing whatever you want with no respect for anyone and any type of authority. And your idea of "pushing against the characterization.." Hahaha. That equals = Don't give me too much responsibility at one time!! i.e.- SUMMER jobs.. (Sniff, sniff..)

please, give me a break. i work with kids (19 to 26 years old.) all they are interested in is getting high at lunch. would not give a plug nickel for the lot of them. it is always the same b.s. need more money, mad at boy/girl friend. ALL live with mommy and daddy and or public housing. been on my own since 18 and have a great wife, 3 kids (2 lawyers and a doctor) who did it all on their own. the good ol' u s of a is goin' to hell in a basket and it is all because of "the future of tomorrow kids." they need to suck it up and stop living off momma's teet's and get off public assistance.

merr17, As a mother, grandmother with over 20 years of working in public schools, I'm with you. I simply think some have selective memories. Great post, by the way.

Hey Merr17,

I recently completed some undergraduate courses as a post-BA student. Surrounded by students half my age, I was taken by how bright, inquisitive, energetic, and optimistic they were. What's more, they treated me like a prince. When those in my own generation couldn't figure what studying theoretical math could ever "get" me (and took every opportunity to drive the point home), it was the students your age who never thought to doubt my presence. If this is what it means to be free spirited and against the oppressive work fetishes of the past, then don't for a second let the bitterness you see in so many of these posts ever stand in your way!

Not to mention that it is ironic that the older generations have saddled the younger generations with tons of debt but then have the gall to accuse them of being lazy.

I hate to deflate your balloon about the debt and older generations, but you don't have to look any further that the 8 years of Bush to figure out where the debt came from that EVERYONE including us 65 year olds that have to continue to work to survive are going to be paying off for as long as we live.

Dom-1729386, It's a classic case out of Bye Bye Birdie...What's the matter with kids today...Nothing!

From the 1960's Musical:

Kids!
I don't know what's wrong with these kids today!
Kids!
Who can understand anything they say?
Kids!
They are so ridiculous and immature!
I don't see why anybody wants 'em!
Just you wait and see
Kids!
Kids! They are just impossible to control!
(Soon you'll be old enough to be)
Kids! With their awful clothes and their rock an' roll!
(Another teenage delinquent)
Why can't they be like you were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids to--
Kids!
What the devil's wrong with these kids today?
Kids!
Who could guess the they would turn out that way!
Why can't they be like we were,
Perfect in every way?
What's the matter with kids?
What's the matter with kids?
What's the matter with kids today?

Oh, and I suppose that the democrats' give-away programs, bail-outs, and higher taxes treat you well, too? Yeah, it's not over with Bush...

Agreed.

It is a moot point that's for sure. My parents thought I was lazy but I don't think that way about the young at present. I think as people mature they forget themselves and I didn't. Whenever I see a young person I see potential and hope. I know I am not alone but if we truly want to evolve we need to remember our own "laziness" and lack of motivation for work in our youth.

Yeah... When I was young I would clean my teachers houses for money to buy the things I wanted - because my parents damned sure didn't just hand it over! I was also a babysitter and cook at home to earn my "allowance." And I performed these duties to the absolute best of my ability - no slacking.

My siblings all left home and also left me to do their chores. There were the animals to care for, housekeeping, meals, laundry and driving my mother around to various appointments. The minute I hit the door my mom would bypass, "Hello, how was you day" to "you'd better get those dishes and chores done so you can start dinner". I would turn up the rock n roll and happily set about my duties. My mom resented my happy work ethic but I had so much responsibility I had to make it fun as time to myself was extremely limited. No allowance for these jobs. I had to baby sit, pick beans and berries and other jobs to make money. Yet, to my parents I was lazy. It is all a matter of perspective.

"free-spirited" = Don't give me too much responsibility at one time!! When you get to my age (45) you can thank Barack Obama for the soupline you will be standing in for your next meal.

In your statement lies the problems. No respect for anyone except yourselves. You only care about what is best for you and not for anyone else. Grow Up!!!!

Owen - Hang in there. Not all of us geezers are mean. My 1st thought was "look at all these people who are jealous of youth!"

I am so impressed with your generation. You guys will be OK - don't let all the Chicken Littles and Scrouges get under your skin. Keep your spirits free and stay out of the box!

Owen: I applaud you. Just don't lose sight of what's really important as you age. Don't kill yourself for money, but don't let life fly by in a haze of video games, either.

Don't lose sight of what's really important -- knowledge and relationships!

Talk to your spouse, when you marry. Even if she sometimes sounds meandering and screwy, try and listen anyhow. (Sometimes, you'll sound like that to her, too.) Tell her you love her, every day. Show her that she's important to you. Make her and your children a priority in your life. Play catch with your children in the yard. Read to them. Take them fishing! Do everything you can to be a good role model, so they don't just hear about good values, but see them demonstrated on a daily basis!

You can do it! Don't let anyone convince you otherwise!

Owen, I am not that much older than you.... so its not just the baby boomers that feel this way.... sorry

I am in my 40's and I do not necessarily see this as a lazy generation. I see employers as back stabbing liers therefore they often do not deserve the respect and loyalty of there employees, the youth of today has watched my generation get screwed by employers and figure why the heck should they go through that..so yes, I see them as thinking outside the box to create their own security and future.

Nobely....smartypants....And coming from a babyboomer with a High IQ and retired at 44....taking one day off work to help raise my niece....cut the crap on ur generation being so family orientated. It's how ur brought up and the value's that u keep and display to other's....period. Oh and the babyboomer's have the majority of wealth in this nation and will maybe be passing abit along to your generation or not....u do have to prove your worth somewhere down the line.

Owen,

I couldn't have said it better myself! You have described our generation to a "T" (I'm 20) and I applaud you for trying to dispel some of the lazy generalizations we receive.

Here's to the millenial generation! Free-spirited, Free thinking, and loving it. :)

Right on, brother!!! Our generation is about loving and respecting other people. Our generation is about unity. Our generation is about giving back. Our generation is about looking out for the "little guy." We're not out of touch with reality. We know what kind of world we're inheriting from the greedy, impatient, cruel hands of our parents and grandparents. We know that their generation wants us to sacrifice our souls to the almighty dollar. We know that their generation values being right over doing what is right. Be strong! Keep the faith and continue to be the change!

Ghamina - did you copy this out of my college diary?

dorrit "Ghamina - did you copy this out of my college diary?"

Or, mine from 1964?

Owen -

Let's hope you grow up and change your tune - otherwise you are all going to starve to death when there isn't anyone left to take care of your sorry butt!!!

Ghamina -

How do you expect to be able to look out for the "little guy" when you are too free-spirited to care about money and work ethic?

Good luck with that!

Love is an ability.
Choice is an attitude.
Grace is a result.

dorrit -

Nice.

Reality is that we all need food, clothing and shelter.

Reality is that we all have to work to make money for the above-mentioned food, clothing and shelter.

Reality is that an employer is only going to keep you if you are adding to the organization's bottom line.

Realilty is that work, no matter what it is, is very important, but it is not all there is to living a full life.

Reality is that if there are problems in the workplace, lashing out and holding grudges at whole groups of people will not solve a one of them.

dorrit -

I don't believe that I said work was all there is to life.

And I know that I have stated several times that it isn't every 20 something - just the majority of 20 somethings that I work with.

Reality is that I believe you shouldn't get a paycheck for not doing your job.

If you believe that these kids should get paid for sitting around on their phones and iPods then you are as much a part of the problem as they are.

Dorrit and Jr-445607,

I hope so. College students of the 60s rocked!

DeeDee,

I do work hard. I don't even have an iphone or an ipod. I even work hard (harder, in fact) when I'm volunteering. I look out for the "little guy," by trying not to be greedy, helping out at the community center, and mentoring a kid for my community. I donate some of my paycheck to charities and causes that I think are important. I'm not talking about never working and expecting society to give me a handout. I'm talking about being willing to live at a sustainable level and not taking so much so that someone else can have more. I'm talking about being willing to share. I realize that I'm young and I still have a lot to learn about life, but I do know that if you want to change things it takes hard work. Movements don't happen when people are lazy.

Ghamina, Great post. Work ethic and quality of life are not always connected to mega-bucks, as we both know. Involvement in activities that make me feel happy usually means someone in need is involved. I, like you, feel giving gives me great satisfaction and I understand it is a bit of a selfish thing being joyous while working or volunteering but that's just how it goes.

That is totally not true. I'm 35, right in the middle of GenX and we are all just starting to have kids now. The earliest year of GenXers are 45, so they could have young kids, but it stretches all the way to 1981. So sorry, I think the tail end of the Boomers are more responsible for these kids.

And quite honestly, Gen X is one of the most ignored and misunderstood generations out there right now. But we ain't bad at all:

http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1731528,00.html

No really, GenX did raise GenY. I'm 28 and my oldest sibling is 14 years older than me. My parents were so busy with trying to operate my dad's private practice with few staff, parent 6 kids (evidence that birth control does fail!), and manage a 7 acre property. As a result, I spent A LOT of time on my own or with my siblings. I'm stuck in the crack between GenX and GenY because there are behaviors from both that I can relate to. Have you ever noticed in movies from the 80s/90s about GenY always being babysat by GenX while the boomer parents were always working/going to dinners/socializing/whatever?

And when YOU have to start actually working for a living, it's going to be a rude awakening for you.

Not ALL old people are whiny! Granny says that the ones who whine are not the busy ones.

If it wasn't for us whinny old people, your mother or father wouldn't be alive to give you life. Don't be so selfish and ungrateful

I'm a granny and I love kids and do not resent them one bit. We all evolve in one way or another but for now kids and old people are easy targets!

anon -

The young people where I work aren't doing their jobs - I'm doing their job! And I'm not whining at all, I'm raising seven kinds of Hell! In fact, I'm also making an all out effort to get a cell phone ban in my work place so that I don't have to do twice the work while the 20 somethings spend hours with their social networking.

Wake up and smell the coffee, honey, we don't owe you squat!

Another case of "same song, second verse...could get better, could get worse....".

In every work place in every generation there are those OF ALL AGES who pull more of the workload than others. It is just a $#!++y fact of working life.

Thankfully, the work environment is not the be all, end all of life unless you want to "sell your soul to the company store."

dorrit -

My daughter is 26 and she has worked sometimes as many as three jobs. There are 3 of the 20 somethings where I currently work that pull their own weight and then some.

However, among those I work with and friends of my daughters that I have been acquainted with for many years I can say, without doubt or hesitation, that this generation isn't like earlier generations.

For the most part they have no respect - not for their employer, not for their coworkers, and not for themselves.

They have an unprecedented sense of entitlement and believe that the world owes them.

The work environment has never been my "be all, end all" but I have always held that if I am going to do something, I am going to do it to the best of my ability. And if an employer is paying me a salary - which in turn pays my bills, provides a roof over my head and food on the table - then I am going to do my level best to earn that salary.

I will agree that in every generation you have those who claim to be "free-spirits" - which is just another way of saying that they don't have to work for a living because the rest of the world will provide for them.

"Free-spirit" my ass! It's called being a lazy bum!

DeeDee-911031, Your post could be written in 1900/1920/1940/1960/1980/2000. Those words, "However, among those I work with and friends of my daughters that I have been acquainted with for many years I can say, without doubt or hesitation, that this generation isn't like earlier generations."

My father was born in 1902, my mother 1913, sisters 1937/1939, brother 1943 and me 1944...to our parents we were all slackers as young adults. It will go on and on throughout eternity.

Explain how the GenXers have done you wrong please. Generally I see my generation as being sort of quietly innovative and trying to be good parents, good workers and putting value on quality of life instead of money. At least all the ones I know are like that.

As for toothless, there is power in numbers and there are just not that many of us compared to the generations on both sides. We are more of a generation of individuals than a big group, but I hardly think we're much to blame for the ills of the world.

Toothless? Excuse me? We were reared by a bunch of self-obsessed, sadistic sociopaths! We've endured more hell than you can imagine! Change the world? Honey, most of us congratuate ourselves to this day that we managed to crawl our blackened, burned husks painfully away from the hell that spawned us! :P

You think all elderly people are backward? Hah! I will tell you something about the Great Generation, who most of you never met. They were our grandparents. They had morals. They had VALUES. They understood the importance of stability, hard work, and living up to your end of the deal, be it socially or financially. Finally giving up on their children (the Boomers) in disgust, they tried to pass those values on to us. We hold the keys, but we are so emotionally crippled, psychologically scarred, and generally @!$%#ed up by a childhood of relentless abuse that WE CAN'T USE THEM! We do what we can to create a stable home life for ourselves and our children, yes. We do use them there, because we'd sooner kill ourselves than subject another generation of children to what we went through.

However, our efforts generally ends at the front door, because we simply don't have the strength to carry it forth into the world. We guard ourselves with eternal, unyeilding vigilance, lest we become the monsters who raised us. And it saps us! You have no idea how much. Learned helplessness is also a factor. Google it. It's quite common in survivors of the sort of abuse we suffered. Google it, and learn.

All we can do is pass the keys of our grandparents onto you, and pray that your generation has the wit to make use of them... that you guys have the strength to turn this nightmare around.

Our society teeters on the brink of oblivion, and you are our last hope.

Either you will be the last of our generations, or you will save us all.

Which shall it be, I wonder?

And to think, the "greatest generation" reared us! One day THAT will get some publicity! They may have been great before and during WWII, but when they came home and had kids like they invented it, they rode the post-war wave of jobs and prosperity. Their whole beings were based on appearances, keeping up with the Joneses, having trophy wives and children, and being better than anyone else. Many were drunk. Many never got over WWII. And their"behind the scenes" actions make the hypocrisies of today child's play!

It is amazing that I am reading that my kids are suppose to be these horrible people populating the world now. I have always heard that if your children turn out better than you, then you have done your job as a parent. With that in mind and looking at the generations with your logic, then the so-called greatest generation did not do so well! How come my kids are good people who are respectful of others' rights, devoted to their families, earn honest livings by honest means, give back to their communities, and are very concerned about their kids' futures as we continue to pollute the earth. They don't advertise their "goodness" - they simply are. I am happy for their accomplishments and honored to be one of the older parts of their families.

Throwing out talking point generalities is not reality. Turn off the TV and radio and get out, move, and live! Life is too short to spend it with big chips on your shoulders!

Please remember that the Boomers that caused all the me-me-me attitudes and the financial greed were the Yuppies! The ones who sold their souls and our country out to Big Business.

The rest of us evolved from the "beatniks" before us. If it weren't for the rest of us we would still be in Nam, drafted to give YOUR lives to support the modern industrial complex.

Sure, there were some no-brainers who joined in because to them it was all a fad. And sure, just as with the Republican Party of today, we has some who had personal problems and some who took it too far by using hate and violence.

If you hate us all so much, then give up all the freedoms we won for you!

All this either/or thinking and flame-throwing blame does not build a thing, does not accomplish a thing positive, and certainly does not solve a problem. Do you have any constructive thoughts or are you content to spend your whole life blaming and hating others?

Why not try building rather than tearing down? Here is my hand, outstretched in peace....are you willing to shake it and have a real conversation? If not, how do you expect that to help you, help the country. We are all having hard times - of course! What do you expect after that happened! Shouldn't we be pulling together rather than tearing each other apart?

If Vietnam had stretched on much longer, we'd have had a second civil war. To say that it still would have been going in 2010 is disingenuous, at best.

That aside...

The Great Generation wanted what all good parents want, really.

They wanted better for their kids than what they had, growing up.

This is not so incomprehensible, is it?

The Great Generation grew up during the Great Depression. Unavoidably, a fair bit of of their "better than what I had as a kid" urge focused on material goods.

"I want my kid to not have to make do with mended hand-me-downs."

"I want my kid to have shoes that fit."

"I want my kid to never go to bed hungry."

"I want my kid to have toys that aren't sticks, rocks, or badly carved bits of wood."

These reasons are noble. These are honorable, are they not?

And yet... they went overboard. Food, shelter, clothing, some decent toys... those were good. However, they went far beyond that. They showered material goods on you fellows until you came to believe that life wasn't possible without these trinkets, that you were somehow owed these things, that self-indulgence was the highest possible form of good.

It's not! Greed is not a form of good. Promiscuity is not a form of good. Getting bombed out of your mind on drugs is not a form of good. Refusing to make a reasonable effort to get along with your spouse is not a form of good. Taking your frustrations out on your children is not a form of good. Doing everything you can to destroy a society for the sheer hair-raising joy you take in destruction is not a form of good!

If you hate us all so much, then give up all the freedoms we won for you!

Which freedoms are you referring to, exactly?

The "freedom" to watch our jobs get outsourced in the name of a corporate bottom line?

The "freedom" to sexually service a regiment's worth of men to our own detriment, instead of focusing on finding one guy who would make a good husband and father?

The "freedom" to slave our lives away to make other people rich, while our children call underpaid daycare workers 'Mommy'?

The "freedom" to never discuss social issues in public, for fear of breaking a 'politically correct' speech code?

The "freedom" to pretend to enjoy sex, because all the dynamics that make sex more fun for us than watching the news are considered 'unfeminist'?

The "freedom" to watch systematically emasculated men lurch zombie-like through life, because you've successfully convinced them that they are disposable, dispensible, and completely obsolete in today's world?

Most of all, the "freedom" to be called a mentally defective traitor who is keeping her "sisters" down, for disagreeing with you in any way whatsoever?

And why? Because your mother asked you to not tell the neighbors that Uncle Bob was a drunk and 'keeping up appearances' got under your skin?

ROFL. Come on, better excuses rolled out of the stands at Neuremburg!

Who exactly are you trying to kid, here? If you want peace, then speak truth! We grew up playing in ashes and ruins! Communities shattered, even the concept of family rendered a sick joke! Freedom of speech, gone!

The living room, the school room, the street, all battlegrounds! Hatred, violence, chaos, and conflict were all we ever knew!

And now, we stand waist deep in ashes, and you speak of peace.

Now that Rome is burned to the ground... now you lay down the fiddle, and ask why we can't all just get along?

Give me #2 anytime over the #1 idiot. Oh, and I bet you that #1 couldn't figure out WHY he was fired either, right?

Actually, it's not be married to the job that counts; it's actually showing UP for for and doing the work without whining your a$$ off and texting every 5 seconds. It's actually doing the work you're paid to do within the time period you're supposed to be working. It's paying attention during a meeting and NOT texting or tweeting or playing with your blackberry. It's also knowing how to relate OFF the computer and cellphone, in person, with people. It's also not expecting to be paid $$$$$$ for a job that you haven't earned the right to that $ because you're on the bottom of the totem pole and haven't paid your dues to get the $$$.

And no, I don't CEOs should get big bucks for running a company into the ground either. It's the old John Smith (you DO remember him, right?) theory - no work, no eat.

1cooldaddyo - Get used to it. If you don't serve the ends of Boomers and cater to their every whim, you are less than worthless in their eyes. All they care about, all they ever cared about, was narcissistic supply.

Welcome to who raised Gen X. Perhaps you can see why we turned out the way we did.

*shudder*

So, do you actually intend to do any work to rectify the problem you preceive, or do you simply intend to whine about it and then expect to be paid for sitting on your duff, playing with your phone and/or computer?

No kidding with the video games.. We had Atari. Good enough until we GREW UP. These kids playing games and worse of all.. texting! It's all a waste of time after you graduate HIGH SCHOOL.

True. After you graduate, you have to grow up, something some of the kids don't seem to grasp.

Or maybe they had jobs and were relaxing in their free time. Maybe not. I worked a warehouse job with a bunch of older whining racists, alcoholics and wife-beaters and they assumed I was a low-life living on a trust-fund when I was in fact busting my hump paying rent, student loan bills and medical insurance premiums. And what's more, I not only had to do the work, but also put up with their crap. We're just the generation boomers (in my case) will never forgive for being born.

Boomerde, I feel your pain! There are many who don't get what is really going on in life only what they think they want to see. Doesn't matter if there is any proof it just is what it is for them.

Actually, the mil's are pretty much the off-spring of Gen X, not the Boomers. I am a boomer and do have a mil, but I waited until I was 35 before I had my daughter. She's been working since she was 16, tho, cause her dad and I put it to her that we were NOT going to blindly hand her $. She's now in college, and working 2 jobs as well as school. Doing pretty good, too, if I might add, and we're VERY proud of her.

As I said in an earlier comment, I was born in the middle of the generation and all of my friends are just now starting to have kids at 35 too. Since the generation barely started in 1964 and lasted until 1981, there would have had to have been a LOT of people having kids at in their very early 20's in the early part of the generation to have a bunch of 25 year olds now. Considering how much smaller our generation is compared to both the Boomers and the Mills, well that would have been a lot of Gen Xers having huge broods in their early 20s back in the 80s. Sorry, not buying it. These guys fall squarely in your lap.

JKLD and anyone else making the same mistake,

The youngest boomers were still of child-bearing age into the mid to late-'90s. and even the older boomers were still spawning in the '80s. I'm early 20s, the child of late period boomers. My peers almost all have boomer parents and anyone a couple years older almost certainly does. Millennials born after 1994 or '95 don't factor into this discussion. They are only just reaching working age.

We are the children of boomers. This is important to understand because otherwise boomers will blame Millennial problems on Generation Xers, who were mostly still selling us movie tickets in the '90s.

It would behoove us to stop stereotyping people and let them just be people doing what they do. My first and last children are nearly a generation apart and their work ethic is amazing. Some people take well to responsibility and being a stand up worker and other's don't. This is the way it is and always will be so playing the Blame Game is moot and ludicrous.

Thank you!

My daughter began working at 16, too. She paid for her own gas and her own car insurance.

She wanted to be a stylist and I did pay for her schooling - but she paid for everything else, including her clothing and the materials she needed for school.