Today's younger generation

[JDgreen]

Kids are a reflection of their parents.
Don't blame the kids,blame the parents!.

Kinda like "monkey see monkey do" or "one reaps what one sows" :wink:

My 2 c

Well stated but the weird thing is, the kids on my side of the family and the majority of the ones on my wifes side of the family are well mannered and appreciative, BUT the pair in one family are simply spoiled brats who think the world owes them everything...what baffles me is that their parents tried so hard to raise them properly and set a great example for their kids to follow....:confused2:

 

[Slater]

Well stated but the weird thing is, the kids on my side of the family and the majority of the ones on my wifes side of the family are well mannered and appreciative, BUT the pair in one family are simply spoiled brats who think the world owes them everything...what baffles me is that their parents tried so hard to raise them properly and set a great example for their kids to follow....:confused2:

My wife and I are the "Younger Generation" (23) and I would have to say we aren't too proud of it. Not saying we are saints, but it seems like we have this weekly conversation with ourselves. Not just about our generation, but even seeing the kids 5 years younger than us.

We live in a small community that I believe has pretty good values and relationships, but it makes my blood boil too when I see what some of the people my age do. I think it is the culture we live in. We worry about having our own kids and if we will raise them properly, because we see some of the best parents have the 'worst' kids. So it seems that setting the best example never guarantees a good turnout. We have come to the conclusion that we just have to give our best effort and whatever happens, happens. You can't make anybody be a good person, it is ultimately their decision, you can just try to point them in the right direction!

 

[JDgreen]

My wife and I are the "Younger Generation" (23) and I would have to say we aren't too proud of it. Not saying we are saints, but it seems like we have this weekly conversation with ourselves. Not just about our generation, but even seeing the kids 5 years younger than us.

We live in a small community that I believe has pretty good values and relationships, but it makes my blood boil too when I see what some of the people my age do. I think it is the culture we live in. We worry about having our own kids and if we will raise them properly, because we see some of the best parents have the 'worst' kids. So it seems that setting the best example never guarantees a good turnout. We have come to the conclusion that we just have to give our best effort and whatever happens, happens. You can't make anybody be a good person, it is ultimately their decision, you can just try to point them in the right direction!

I am nearing 60 and you sound remarkably mature for someone your age...excellent post...:thumbsup:

 

[Slater]

I am nearing 60 and you sound remarkably mature for someone your age...excellent post...:thumbsup:

Thank you but I think I would have to give credit to my parents for that, couldn't ask for a better family! Maybe I should give credit to my wife too, but she always calls me a kid :laughing:

 

[JDgreen]

Well, lemme tell ya, this is why old people and young people don't hang out.

Young people see old people as trying to impose their 'wisdom' on them, asked for or not. Old people, see the young ones as unappreciative of all that's done for them. Whether like JD, much has been given, or if simply allowing them the priviledge of hearing said wisdom.

We are a selfish society. We get told day in, day out, that it's all about us, and if we can get something for nothing, so be it - we deserve it - just because we exist. But, wait........are just the young doing this?

If you indeed were doing what you did selflessly, then it wouldn't make a rat's a-- worth of difference whether you even got noticed. Yes, it'd be nice, but why did you do it? Recognition? How much thanks would be enough? Kneeling and worshipping at your feet? Now, I know that's a real stretch, but I hope you see the point.

If you want something out of giving, is it really giving? If you yourself are so selfless and noble, why does it really matter? Or are you yourself wanting something?

I get so sick of this inter-generational BS. We're all frickin' human. We all have done / will do the same things, in the confines of a different society. Gimme a break.

Twall, let me get this straight...you don't feel the people who do something out of the ordinary for others, be they friends, family, or strangers, deserve ANY appreciation for doing something for others?

Imagine if, you will, there is a severe snowstorm where you live, overnight, and you depart your house 45 minutes early in the morning, to ensure both you and your wife get to work on time. Perhaps you are driving carefully, and well on time to your destinations, when some reckless fool passes you and skids, nearly forcing your car and theirs off the road, but thankfully, only their vehicle goes in the ditch.

Being a nice person, you stop to aid the other driver, and spend 45 minutes in the bitter weather, shoveling them out, pushing, straining your back, getting freezing cold and dirty, and as the motorist finally gets to the shoulder and is able to drive back onto the road, you put your shovel down, your gloves on the trunk of their car, and walk up to their drivers side door, saying "glad to help, and the driver takes off, running over your shovel, your favorite pair of gloves caught on their luggage rack....:frown:

So, you end up getting to work late, cold, wet, exhausted, dirty, your back aching, etc, just because you tried to help someone? How would you feel about the other driver who couldn't even bother to take a few seconds to appreciate your help? BETTER YET, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WAS A FAMILY MEMBER THAT TREATED YOU THAT WAY??

But of course, this is only a BS thread I started..... You don't need to reply.

 

[Slater]

@Twall
"I get so sick of this inter-generational BS. We're all frickin' human. We all have done / will do the same things, in the confines of a different society. Gimme a break."

I agree with your statement to an extent. We are a VERY selfish society. And you bring up some deep theological questions, but we could go around in circles on those all day. I can be pretty pessimistic too, but lets sit back and have a discussion and not get annoyed because this topic hit a nerve :smile:
Just to look at your very last statement, we are human. That can mean a TON of things, but whether you are a selfish arrogant prick or a selfless good Samaritan, we all desire a form of appreciation. We all need to have a feeling of worth whether you want to admit it or not.

Ex. The person that dedicates their time to help the homeless day in and day out may not ask for anything in exchange, but the moments that they can either see someones life change due to what little impact they may have had, or the satisfaction of sharing a special moment with someone can be all it takes. That person may have not said "thank you" but it is the experience that fulfills that need for the volunteer.
Without any feeling of worth or need to others, people that work in these selfless environments get burned out. This happens all the time. If we didn't need to feel that worth, we could donate all the time in the world for people that don't give a crap and that wouldn't matter to us. But alas, we are human and that is not how we work.

So when it all comes down to it, we are human, we all desire to be needed and all require different levels. This isn't just about inter-generational conflict, this is about the human predicament as a whole. So rather than get frustrated and give up about it, don't worry I do all the time, we can just understand ourselves, what we can do. Simply, I need to be more conscious of when someone does something for me and to thank them. I don't always need to expect a thank you when I do something, but I do know that if I never feel appreciated for what I do, I will just stop and that is not good either.

Stopping my rambling now :biggrin:

 

[JDgreen]

Slater....CLAP, CLAP, CLAP....well expressed. :thumbsup:

 

[Slater]

Slater....CLAP, CLAP, CLAP....well expressed. :thumbsup:

I try, but sometimes my thoughts can be confusing to people. I should always write a disclaimer at the bottom saying that the things I write may not make any sense to others :biggrin:

 

[twall]

Selfishness is as old as time itself. To pin it on "many of today's young adults" simply isn't fair. It's not just the youth. It's everybody. We have been fed a steady diet of get want, get - want - over and over, and we're told 'you deserve it'. Too many of us believe this. The youth simply haven't had enough of a life yet to know any better. Not an excuse, the truth - we need a frame of reference that living (or obedience) gives us. I was obedient, and rebelled against it - so sue me. Now, I try to remain polite and civil as a choice based on a frame of reference tempered by time.

They might have been trained up right or wrong, but it's everyone's own responsibility to act in a responsible, decent manner. Sure, we like to be appreciated. But, not everyone is going to appreciate everybody else. Maybe what to you means a great deal means not too much to the next person. So, you took pictures. Maybe the recipient of said pictures didn't know what it means to be a photographer. Maybe they'd rather have had a wad of cash. Maybe, years down the line they'll be grateful for what you did and thank you then. Will it be too late then? We all need instant gratification, too.

As far as us being human, I mean that (not to my knowledge anyhow) we aren't saints. Maybe you stepped on someone else's toes yourself with how you may have acted (or didn't act) To start a thread with the old cliche akin to "......these kids today.......", yes, I think is BS. If you have run into unappreciative brats, I guess that's the rant. I've run into more unappreciative OLD people then young, myself. I tended to work for a lot of them, and I'm related to a bunch of others. Rather than shoot right across the bow of many members of this forum, I didn't start a thread about how I'm really annoyed with the Baby Boomers. Maybe I should, since this kind of thread is fine and dandy.

Just saying, rather than complain about the speck in someone else's eye, perhaps you should make sure you don't have a log in your own, first. I never said take the thread down. I just said it's BS. JD has every right to his opinion, and I also have every right to be annoyed at it.

That's the messy part of freedom.

 

[twall]

So, you end up getting to work late, cold, wet, exhausted, dirty, your back aching, etc, just because you tried to help someone? How would you feel about the other driver who couldn't even bother to take a few seconds to appreciate your help? BETTER YET, HOW WOULD YOU FEEL IF IT WAS A FAMILY MEMBER THAT TREATED YOU THAT WAY??

But of course, this is only a BS thread I started..... You don't need to reply.

To tell you the truth, I wouldn't help, if I was expecting a 'thanks'. That's my point. If you are going to be the good samritan, then be it, and expect nothing. If you are expecting a thanks - well, you've said you're pushing 60 - haven't you noticed all humanity seems to be ungrateful yet? Why just pick on the younger ones? Because you felt hurt? I understand that....but that doesn't mean most, or even many of just the youth are like that. I won't explain my point again. I guess you can be bitter about it......and I'll come right back at you when you post BS about only one group, as if the others are innocent.:wink:

I'll keep replying, too......I'm not like other members who've left when ticked off.......I won't just go away. :biggrin: