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The entitled generation....Are they right?

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nosh:
OK, time to flame Brandon!!  :mad:

For the technology portion: More security, tighter security, and more laws won't stop people. Only people will stop people. And people won't stop until they can afford their usual real life luxuries, plus their virtual ones, with money to spare. And that doesn't look like it is going to be anytime soon.
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Well said! And thank you for not being a hypocrite.  :up: Hope you can hold on to that when you get to the "ethical" side of the age divide.

Darwin:
Well... I just spoke to a high school teacher friend and the endless rewrites/chances issue here (in British Columbia) is PROVINCIALLY LEGISLATED. WFT?!

Bring on the mediocrity  >:(

This type of self-entitlement appears to be endemic in other areas of life such as education.  The students seem to think they are entitled to good grades for showing up to class and handing in their assignments on time.  http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/18/education/18college.html?_r=1
-herneith (May 04, 2009, 07:28 PM)
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In my experience, that totally "wouldn't" be because every single one of my high school teachers thus far has said "If you show up in class and turn in [most of] your work, you will pass" or "As long as you show up and turn in your work, you're almost sure to pass" or "As long as you don't sleep, and you turn in your homework and pass the tests with Cs or better, you will pass"...

That isn't an assumption at my high school - it is told to us as fact. Naturally you're going to carry that with you to college/university because you have been told by a certified person, with a degree (!), that you can pass by sitting in your chair and doing the majority of your work.-wreckedcarzz (May 04, 2009, 10:30 PM)
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Brandon, I think what you're teachers are saying is that if you show up for class, pay attention, and complete the assignments and exams you'll pass, correct? I don't see how this causes a sense of academic/intellectual entitlement. It's a very obvious statement - pay attention and do the work. Simple. Your teachers are merely telling you what they require for you to pass the course. Or is it that your peers filter out the work angle and focus on the warm body in a chair aspect? At any rate, and regardless of the answer to that question, what seems to be being missed - at least up here on the wet coast (and it is VERY wet this week) - is the deadline/responsibility part of the equation: tradiationally, one of the requirements for passing a course/graduating from high school in general has been that young adults learn to work under pressure and to complete tasks to a deadline. Failure to learn teach this lesson is going to cost us all. Big time.

herneith:
My sister is a high school teacher here in Toronto.  She is constantly bothered by the fact that many of the students lack basic comprehension skills.   School is preparation for the 'real' world as Darwin said.  You go to a job and feel if you just show up and do the minimal amount of work required, you will be okay.  Maybe so in certain types of employment.  If however you wish to enter any of the professions or trades where pressure is constantly applied to produce, you are going to be in big trouble.  Failing at various endeavors can produce two results; you will strive harder to achieve a better outcome thereby improving yourself, or, you will abandon that particular endeavor as not being conducive to your likes, dislikes or ambitions in whatever regards.  Growing up I was constantly told sink or swim, the three 'G's, get a job, go to school or get out by my parents.  A bit harsh but effective for me.  If you failed a course at school you either went to summer school to improve your marks or didn't bother.  If you didn't bother, this would diminish your overall average which in effect would influence you future prospects should you had wished to pursue post-secondary education thus limiting your employment prospects.  Yes, they did fail you despite showing up and doing the course assignments if you did not comprehend  what was being taught.  With that being said I don't purport to say that the current system or the time I attended school is better or worse.  As with anything there are probably pros and cons.  My references are anecdotal  as I am not basing any of my perceptions on research. Two of my nephews are in University and another one is in the trades.  Guess who has the best employment prospects?  It appears that the trades are not actively encouraged and as a result there is a dearth of trades people resulting in high demands for such.  The trades are not being promoted as viable alternatives to University.  To my thinking today's youth are in an unenviable position, the pressure is on!    As for pirating software movies, games etc, I suspect it has to do with lack of disposable income.  A popular refrain amongst kids I speak with is 'Why buy it if you can get it for free?'.  Their reasoning being that they don't have the funds to procure these items. Factor in peer pressure which causes embarrassment and and loss of esteem in some instances.  For many, appearances are all such as who has the latest 'thing', you get my drift.   That is the reasoning many have relayed to me.  I think many in previous 'generations' suffered from this when they were teenagers and young adults.  They just didn't have access to today's technology in order to download pirated copies of media items, software etc.  From my prospective, there is no excuse for this as someone worked to create something and presumably worked hard and should therefore be compensated accordingly.  I doubt most are exceedingly wealthy as a result of their toils.  On the other hand easy access to pirated software, music etc was not available as it is now.  Who knows if the people of my generation would have resorted to the same actions had they the current technology at their disposal? 

sgtevmckay:
Z
:up: Hope you can hold on to that when you get to the "ethical" side of the age divide.
-nosh (May 05, 2009, 02:26 AM)
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I think this brings up another issue.
As I have clearly stated I am about 40, and I am aware of numerous folks around my age range the exude this "entitlement" attitude.

My set of beliefs may have also come from being raised by my Grandparents at an early age.

Either way, I guess the question becomes; where is that "age divide" today?
It seems awful blurry with a growing section of gray!

It was once said, by someone notorious that I will not mention here; "Your children will one day rule (Conquer?) you."

Have we reached that marker, and is the older generation taking on characteristics they have learned of the current generation?

Darwin:
No, sgtevmckay, while i feel that our generation is raising the next to have this sense of entitlement, I don't *think* that we necessarily share it. Turned 40 myelf a month and a half ago...  :o

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