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by jpbikerfreak from Overland Park, KS

Last Post 2 days, 1 hour Ago


Blame Mr. Rogers?
May 28, 2008 | 10:15 AM
Category: News
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60 minutes ran an interesting (and depressing) piece last Sunday evening about the "millennium generation". These are the kids who are now beginning to enter the workforce.

They are the 20 somethings who were raised to believe that everyone is a winner, everyone is special, everyone gets a trophy, and probably that everyone should get a paycheck just for showing up to work.

These kids expect to be able to move back in with mom and dad after graduating college, waiting as long as it takes to find that perfect job. Which, from what I saw, was a job that allowed them to wear their backwards baseball hats, t-shirts, dirty ragged jeans and neon pink flip-flops in every day. It also would ideally have a nap room, a break time for little parties and socializing on myspace, and other features of an adult daycare.

The sad thing is, the parents of these kids are STILL baby sitting the kids. They are calling college instructors complaining about the kids' grades. They're even going so far as to call HR departments to chew them out about a poor performance review that their little junior received. When will this madness end?

There is now a new multi-million dollar industry popping up to teach the kids how to dress, eat with manners, and probably even wipe correctly. These same consultants also teach managers how to 'coach" (read: baby sit) these kids rather than give them something to do and expect them to get it done.

Well one of the guests blamed it on Mr. Rogers. He's the one who started all this nonsense of every kid being a winner. Now don't get me wrong, my parents swear up and down I loved Mr. Rogers, and I do recall good memories of watching him. He was a great guy. But that didn't warp me into becoming a thumb sucking dependent at age 26. In fact I was out of the house at 18, before even graduating high school, and never went back.

The scary thing is, we're going to be handing off the largest debt in the history of the world to these kids.

Nope, it isn't Mr. Rogers who corrupted the kids. I suspect he may have corrupted the parents though.

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BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 12:27 PM

So people complain when parents are involved? People also complain when parents are not involved which happens to be much more the case now days. I happen to be a twenty-something and can't think of a single friend who lives at home. Our generation is termed as dumb, but are any aware that algerbra is now taught in the second grade? Or geology during first grade? Oh, what about computers? Doubt many can work a computer as well as a 12 year old. On another note, what about the children who have ballet, music, softball, basketball, volleyball, etc.... and still manage good grades?

Really, kids wouldn't need to be taught manners had they had a better example to follow. You learn what you live.

Seriously, wasn't Mr. Rogers in re-runs when I was little?

Food for thought- How many people were thrilled about the idea of the "hippie" generation running our country? From what I understand they had sex in groups in front of hundreds of people practicing free love. They spit on soldiers. Oh, and the generation before hung black people just for the color of their skin.

All I am saying is prior to looking down on this generation look at how wonderful the previous generations were.
jpbikerfreak read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 12:30 PM

Good point. I'll write a blog bashing them next!
jpbikerfreak read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 12:34 PM

BTW- on an unrelated side note-

Doesn't EVERYONE live at home?

Wherever you live, that is your home, right?

Just never have understood that expression.
Searchingtoo read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 12:43 PM

Maybe the fact JP is that we are now old enough to say the same thing our grandparents did about us.. and look we turned out fine.. uh,yeah.... LOL

But I do get your point about coddling your kids. I think they need to toughen up..oops... grandparents used to say that too!... L OL
jpbikerfreak read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 2:02 PM

ya but when I screwed up, I really put alot of effort into it. I mean I REALLY got in trouble. These kids are too lazy to even get themselves thrown in jail for God's sake.

And for the record, don't ever confuse the ability to operate a machine (computer) with education. They're completely different.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 2:04 PM

Ok live with their parents. I am pretty much saying what searching is.

It seems like a contradiction though to say stop coddling your children, when so many say "break down of the family". What is it? Kids are too coddled or are left alone to much.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 2:20 PM

Jp- how is the ability to operate a computer and education two different subjects? Education- the expanse of knowledge either hands on or through text. Many adults on this site have "educated" themselves on different subjects. So is the ability to self educate only limited to adults?
jpbikerfreak read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 2:55 PM

Operating a computer (which I do for a living, so this is not a put down), is a trade. it's a skill that is learned.

Education, at least in the classical sense, is learning to think. It's learning about ideas, not the mechanics of operating a device.

It's more abstract than just learning that if I click here something comes up. It's learning to reason.

And you know I'm just kicking stuff around here, having fun with it!

Every generation does think the next one has something wrong with it, but the trends are interesting to watch. It's always something different in a sense, but I'm sure nothing really new in the long history of mankind.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 3:05 PM

Point taken. I guess I could needlessly argue what education is and isn't, but I am just to lazy. LOL that was sarcasm not meant to be snide.
Mama_Kat
May 28, 2008 | 4:05 PM

I can't believe we still have "summer vacation" for schoolchildren.

We are no longer an agriculture-based society ("It's harvest time, get the kids out of school and back to the farm to help!") and there is so much more to learn.

Why don't our kids to year-round yet?
Mama_Kat
May 28, 2008 | 4:06 PM

Sorry - "go" year-round yet.

Guess I needs to get me booty back to skool for sum larnin' !
BasehorLady read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 4:48 PM

Not only are people still raising their grown kids, but some of them are having to raise their grandchildren because their own kids can't get their heads out of their as-ses...
BasehorLady read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 4:54 PM

BeStrong: If you are still in your 20's, hold on... Before you hit 40, one of your friends will end up moving back in with one of their parents. It's almost inevitable in today's society.

One problem with today's society, is that children are not allowed to know what failure is. Everything is doing to prevent the kids from failing at anything. A little failure here and there is a good lesson in humility. If we don't let our children fail now and then, we're aren't helping them grow into well rounded adults.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 5:33 PM

So not one person in your generation has moved back in with their parents? Is there any data that supports more adult children live at home per capita than twenty or thirty years ago. Need I aslo remind everyone of the looming recession. It in some cases helps both parties. Really... if a parent doesn't WANT their adult child living with them... the solution is really simple.. kick em out.

It is always with todays society well tell me what was so wonderful about all the punk 80's teens which I believe most of you fit under. I can remember my grandparents to this day saying "whats wrong with these rude-selfish kids?"

What I am saying is it is all the phycologists of your generation that came up with time-out and implemented these no fail policies. Everyone wants to say the broken family is to blame then in the same note say parents coddle the children to much. Which on is it? One more thing look at what a GREAT job the previous generation has done for our country.
doug6699 read my blog
May 28, 2008 | 7:32 PM

Interesting topic-I have to agree, each generation complains about the generation behind them. Sometimes, I think adults forget what they were like or what they did as they were growing up. As you grow older, some opinions change whether through education or life experience.
Searchingtoo read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 8:13 PM

It is easy to forget "why" you know what you know.. at a certain age... you just know it ...
as common sense
BasehorLady read my blog view my photos
May 28, 2008 | 10:47 PM

I grew up in the 60's and 70's... I never said no one in my generation didn't move in with their parents... I just said that you'll have happen to someone you know, it happens in every generation. I'm not one of the parents that coddles the kids either. I've not done much time out with the kids. If they've done something they shouldn't, they've gotten spankings before and then they're made to help out around the house. They've turned out really well so far. Now the dogs on the other hand, they got a timeout the other day for barking too much and not stopping when being told to...
jpbikerfreak read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 7:15 AM

No need to take it so personally, BeStrong. We're talking about trends here, not individuals.

And again, keep in mind, this came from a 60 minutes piece. I think they're fairly credible - they interviewed quite a few kids and consultants who were either acknowledging this trend or making money off of it.
BeStrong read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 7:35 AM

Sorry all- I sometimes write without thinking. While I understand most everyone considers my generation dumb, lazy, disrespectful, ect... just remember what the generation prior to your own thought of your generation.

While some people of all ages are lazy... have you heard what the average student load is in comparison to twenty years ago?
JewwellsP read my blog view my photos
May 29, 2008 | 8:19 AM

Hey just remember, you have to lay the blame with the previous generation. Not the current.

Not to mention, I have been employing several twenty somethings here in the last 8 weeks. All have been very hard workers, & actually care about the quality of job they do. They may not be the norm, but good honest & hardworking young adults are out there.
Most of the time, it is all in the parenting.
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jpbikerfreak

I love to discuss political philosophy. The problem I have is that liberals often assume I'm conservative and convserervatives often assume I'm liberal. It's because I'm neither. I'm libertarian, which means I believe in both social and economic freedom. I don't do personal attacks. I won't respond to yours, and I won't initiate one against you. So save yourself some time if you're thinking of flaming me!

Member Since: 2/20/2008


 

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