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The entitled generation....Are they right?
wreckedcarzz:
Darwin:
The majority of teachers at my high school will allow late assignments at half (or at least decreased) credit in relation to full (ex: at 50% off, a 75% late assignment would be 37.5% late). There is no deadline for late work other than the grading periods (2 per semester). When they end, no more late work can be put in. Also, for the most part, the kids in my classes do turn in work on time, so very few are the "Duh.. what question are we on?" kind.
herneith:
From what I see, it isn't that work is bad or anything, but that there is a massive lack of interest (who, in the general population, is going to need to know how to figure the radius of a circular prism times Pi*R^2 ... <insert long equation from last semesters Geometry class here>). Personally, I don't mind learning, but don't make me learn things I am not going to ever use. That is probably why I got a 69% in Biology - the class itself was good and somewhat fun, but I had almost no interest in the majority of the subject. In contrast, I got an 86% in Windows Programming, and a 79% in Computer Programming and Tech (and forgot to turn in my 20% Final Project... could have had an A >:()
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.
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100% true- and when it can be had for free, disposable income (if any) can then be saved for other things that can't be downloaded (like iPods, cell phones, etc). As for peer pressure: Everyone else has the new album from <your favorite band>, and you can get it in 90 seconds via <insert method here> with your friend <name here>'s 5MB broadband internet connection... what's stopping you? 90 seconds and a flash drive later and all you have to do is open iTunes and "Sync"
sgtevmckay:
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
-Darwin (May 05, 2009, 04:48 PM)
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I do not know; :huh:
I remember (yes more memories here), a time not so long ago, when I would here "oh, you have it so much easier than we did........blah blah blah!". I remember getting tired of hearing it.
It became a test signal in my ears, if you will.
I am certain a lot of folks have heard it, but how many tell there children this today, as opposed to yesteryear
As I understand it, this is contrary to the truth.
Today's generation most certainly does not have it easier, in fact they were born in a 24 hour world multi-tasking go go go world, not a 9 to 5. More is expected, less is given, and I constantly find examples of folks today that will not have the opportunities there parents did, or even my parents did.
This has been heavily documented in the last few years
I am not saying that, we, our generation, and possibly the one before us, are sharing, but we are learning, as is human nature. as we learn to cope with this brave new world we also seek our integration.
as has been said; when in Rome, do as the Romans do"
Of course this leads to the next inception of thought along these lines.
I find, and as I believe a study has been done, that children are now smarter(?) more worldly(?) than their parents. in the last few generations we have stopped looking to traditional areas to learn. Especially when the parents can not help, because they do not know. In this case; do the children lose faith in the prior generation?
And has this new attitude created this "Entitled Generation"?
There was a time not so long ago, when trades and some education was passed onto the children, the problem today, most parents can not comprehend what their children are doing, and possibly the worst type of mistake; the parents are going to their children to learn.
More memories here; I remember when the first digital watches came out, and the school teachers, parents, and parents friends would come to me to program them. I remember the first VCR's and Beta machines, and the adults coming to me to set them up, set the time and the timer. I learned by reading directions until it became second nature for me with technology.
I also remember looking down on these people for their inability to learn, or want to learn, I work and live with like minded adults every day.
I learned to look down on these folks and despise them. I did not learn to be proud of the work I have done until much later in life.
Some times we learn things at the expense of our morals and character.
It also raises the question; has this generation entitled themselves, because we as adults could not stop them?
CodeTRUCKER:
I am astounded and amazed that the name "Horatio Bunce" has not surfaced in this debate! :o
While the "Bunce" link above is of American heritage, the message is applicable to any peoples which must live under the auspices of a political "State." It serves as an education and a warning to free persons anywhere on the globe.
I am especially fond of this part of Mr. Bunce's wisdom...
"... In the first place, the government ought to have in the Treasury no more than enough for its legitimate purposes."
May I suggest that creating entitlements are not "legitimate purposes" of government.
To get squarely back on topic... No, they ("The entitled generation"), are not right. The very nature of entitlements require someone (The "Provider") to work for something that they are mandated not to be able to keep so it can be mandated to give to someone else (The "Consumer").
Because the "Providers" are forced to give up the fruit of their labor by legislation, the "entitlements" are no different from a "wad of bills" that a bank robber might pitch at you as he speeds away from the scene of the crime.
At the very essence, "entitlement" is theft.
herneith:
I hear you Wreckedcarzz. If it's any consolation, kids today aren't that different from those of yore. My 95 year old grandmother regaled me with tales of the youth in her time. It appears that smoking and drinking moonshine liquor was their thing. There was also the stories of girls who left town for a year or so to take care of an 'elderly relative' when in fact the girls were pregnant out of wedlock and left town to have the child. They would return when they thought the air was clear but everyone knew or had an inkling as to what was going on. You see the kids were not that different than they are today. People tend to have selective memories. If it's any consolation, each preceding generation has similar complaints about the next one. According to my grandmother, great-aunt and various relatives from previous generations the young people in their respective generations were not that different than they are today. The only things lacking were the technologies, economic times( The Depression, World War II, rationing etc) They just adapted and made due with what they had. My grandmother in fact told me of a girl in her circle of friends who had a fur coat and believe me they were quite envious of this girl. These stories were, are anecdotal, but I bet if you were to speak to multi-generational persons they would have interesting tales to tell. The stories my grandmother relayed to me were apparently tame according to other family members. The only thing I can say is that they were more secretive in nature. As for not needing to know or being able to utilize some of the learning in your schooling now, you will find the same thing when you embark upon whatever profession you have or will choose. There will be aspects of your employment where you shake you head and say what use is this, school prepares you for this. You never know, you may need some of the 'useless' knowledge someday.
40hz:
Illiad got me thinking (see below)...
Call it theft, liberation, entitlement, borrowing, or what have you - is the rate at which such activities occur fairly constant? And if so, does that indicate that there's a certain (relatively fixed) percentage of the population that's comfortable with 'just taking' something if they can? Because if that's the case, the reasons given for 'why' almost become moot.
My Grandfather used to say that there are basically three types of people that make up the general population
* The Makers
* The Takers
* The Fakers
Maybe this debate is just another example of the dichotomy between those who actually make things as opposed to those who merely use things?
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