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« on: April 17, 2009, 06:25 PM »
I have pondered this for a few days, and having been raised by grandparents, and great relatives, in my younger years have given me many unique perspectives.
I will start with a few quotes:
"You have to work for your freedoms"
"The price of freedom is eternal vigilance."
"From time to time; the tree of freedom must be watered with the blood of patriots."
"If it's free there is always a price"
" 'free' is a four letter word"
And I could go on and on.
I have had an opportunity to watch and watch closely, being a Generation X'er, I have watched as the "Entitled Generation" has grown up.
I am part of the beginning of the "Entitled Generation", but the new Entitled generation has something else attached to it!
A friends son's incident sums it up nicely for me, and I will relate the story to you:
my friend's son (I will use the name David for him) came over to the house a few days ago, and he was cursing up a storm. He stated to us that while riding his bike, he was almost hit by a truck. he explained the situation to us, and after understanding his location and the maneuver that he made, I realized that he had cut off the driver, and was riding his bicycle in the middle of the oncoming lane.
I was flabbergasted, I could not believe what I was hearing, and what I could not immediately comprehend is the "fact" that he thought he was in the right.
David exudes the Entitlement Generation: he has a college education, and does nothing with it, as he has trouble understanding why someone has not handed him a 6 digit career on a platter. Therefore David is a waiter/busser at the local Casinos. David's grades and education are such that he could become and ambassador to a foreign country. He has Schools loans, and received subsidiaries from his father to support his education, but because his education has not served him any, he believes he has no responsibility to pay his loans, and when he gets warning bills, he comes to his family, and literally telling them off, explains that his failures are not his fault, therefore he should not have to suffer these harassments, and that his family should cover his expenses.
He does not understand why, or the concept, of patience or job application or interviewing skills, although we have all offered to assist.
He is also a pirate!
David will openly discuss that he downloads all types of software, music, movies whatever, and he seems proud of the fact, but in the same breath I will hear him curse the folks that would pirate software music and movies, and then sell them.
I could go on, but the bottom line is that; he feels self justified in what he does.
I believe the that we are now not only dealing with a group of folks that feel Entitled, but also a group of folks that feel They can Do No Wrong!!!
David is by no means poor by any standard and makes decent money in what he is currently doing, he recently went out and paid cash for a new Toyota Hybrid, out of his own back pocket.
It is not that they are "Right", but rather they have been doing things the way they have been doing things for so long, that now they are being told "No" they do not understand.
It is like convincing yourself of a truth, and after awhile it must be so.
As for the record companies and it's agents I think the are at the other end of the extremes.
And as we have all learned two extremes butting heads is a battle of amusement and overall damage, eventually it is the folks stuck in the middle that get hurt.
But I will point out there is a group that is missed in all this.
The poor.
I have found a lot of "poor" that pirate, and they do so based in the fact they can not afford various what have you. These folks are not Grey/Black hats, but they pirate none the less.
I am not saying it is right, but I do not blame them, especially at the expense of some of the better software.
I have acquaintances that are still running windows 98 on older systems, because the can not afford new systems, or OS upgrades, and refuse to pirate, and I applaud them.
But I hold no harm from those that do pirate, but have a consciences about what they have done.
I have a personal friend that must have pirated about $12,000.00 of software about 6 years ago. He then took what he pirated and built a business, and eventually paid for the software, and upgrades he was using, even though he knew he could pirate it. He paid.
By pirating are we taking food out of the mouths of hard working people? somewhere along the line the answer has to be; Yes.
I have a friend that has built ad-dons for FireFox for years, and recently stopped, because he was tired of the "Entitled Generation" Demanding he do this and do that.
Do I believe the "Entitled" are Right; Possibly
But only based in the fact that folks have continuously let them get away with the things that are freely offered.
Understand; the Entitled Generation does not understand the concept of respect. Respect of others and their accomplishments, and others works.
But that being said, do I believe that the Entitled, can do no wrong, self righteous are correct: NO!
One simple reason, they have not earned the right.
Even war time Vet's still pay taxes, work hard and support their countries and the capitalism market, and I think such people "Deserve" it, and are "Entitled", but these folks never feel they should it on a platter.
I use Vet's as an example there are folks everyday that sacrifice for themselves and others that "deserve" more, that "Entitled" to at least some respect.
I feel ultimately it is a battlle of extremism, and unfortunately the various record and movie companies are right. Not because it is law, and they have money and power to manipulate law, but because they have been getting away with bilking the singers and the public for so long, it must be right.
The "Entitled" are wrong not because they are pirating, but because of the selfrighteous, 'I can do no wrong" attitude.
Although ultimately both are wrong and neither will compromise.
I will say it grinds my butt, when a person goes to a "free" software site, gets the software, does not donate to, or respect, the hard work and time that the developer has placed into the work, and then "Demands" that certain changes and updates be made.
I have no understanding of this.
I do not believe in the "Free" software.
I am poor by any countries standards, but I donate what I can, when I can.
My recent donations to DC add up about 2% of my annual income last year.
But I donated and gladly so.
I would also point out that the "Entitled" makes up for a larger group than represented. I see folks all the time complain about this and that, these people also feel disappointed they have to do anything to get their Needs and Wants.
These people are miserable and have no understanding.
On and up note though, I would like to congratulate the folks at ADOBE, they have just opened a program for the low income and students, where you can currently apply and get there new web building software for free, and a full version to boot. Apparently their is talk of expanding this to there flagship software and packages.
Now I understand that this is in the hopes that they will bill potential customers for products later on, but it is the emergence of understanding from big software sellers that is coming through.
I am just sorry it came at the expense of the current world economy.
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