We are raising a nation full of pussies

[TwinTownBisonFan]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

[Ibanez]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

I have faith in the leaders that the generation will produce. This generation is more removed from Jim Crow, segregation and the racism that followed. Sure, there are still racists bigots out there but I think on the whole, we will produce leaders that are more accepting of people that are different from them. Unlike the baby boomers, many will not equate different to evil (ie. gay marriage)

[kalm]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

Very, very good post.

[Col Hogan]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

A rarity, I know, but as one of the older posters here, I basically agree with TTWB...

Reference #1, I have much admiration for the young people coming into the military, especially in the days immediately after September of 2001...I am a little prejudice in this area as my son is among this group, and I've had a chance to break bread with his contemporaries...all smart, self-starters determined to do the best they can.

Reference #2, I don't think millenials will lose all that much, as they still have so much time ahead of them...but you are correct about boomers (for the most part) who have had their lack of planning totally exposed...I'm proud to say I'm not in this group...

Reference # 3, I work as a volunteer helping UMass at college fairs, and meet lots of young people and their families...and for every helicopter parent I see with a child, I meet three or four very independent kids out looking for a future outside the safety net of their parents

I'm not too impressed by stories in the original post...they are funny and sad at the same time...but I don't see them being overly reflective of an entire generation...

[UNI88]

You want to define a whole generation based on a few individuals?

Gen Y gets way too much crap. Pretty much all research shows that when this generation gets its chance at positions of power, they have the combined social mindset, work ethic, and technological prowess to fix a lot of the mess that the previous generations (particularly the boomers) have left or are currently leaving. A lot of people don't understand that Gen Y is hard working, but don't want work to define their lives. That's the key difference between them and previous generations, which some think as laziness just because it's different from their definition of work. People often forget that Gen Y grew up in a time where education and globalism were major parts of society, meaning that not only are they competing against each other, but against peers around the world. This hyper-competitiveness, along with the financial state of the country, has created a generation with a strong work ethic that's simply waiting its turn to prove itself.

I think Tripp's right to a certain degree here. I employ Gen Y kids and at the very least have seen nothing worse from an attitude and work ethic standpoint than the generation that came before.

I enjoy this topic and have mentioned the book "The Fourth Turning Before" but it's amazing how prescient it is. It was co-authored by an economist and a historian who defined the cyclical nature of anglo-american civilization going back to the War of the Roses. Cultural behavior is mostly circular, not linear, and about every 20 years or so civilization goes through a crisis, a high, and awakening, an unraveling, and then another crisis. Generations of people and their outlook on life are pretty much governed by which of these turnings they were born into. So kids born during a crisis period (like right now and not gen y) are raised as pussies but end up becoming a "hero" generation later in life like the "G.I." generation that was born around the turn of the 20th century.

This cycle has repeated itself in our culture, almost without exception, for 300 years. So a Clenz, sometime between 80-100 years ago was making the exact same mistaken assertion about another gen y, based on how overprotective the parents were during THAT crisis period. Here's an excerpt from the book:

This is an era in which America’s institutional life is destroyed and rebuilt in response to a perceived threat to the nation’s survival. This threat can take numerous forms; economic distress caused by defaulting on national debt, hyper inflation, or widespread unemployment, social distress caused by class or race warfare, ecological distress caused by natural or man-made disasters, energy or water shortages, disease epidemics, secessionism and civil revolts, and traditional, nuclear, or cyber warfare are some of the possibilities. The Crisis can be caused by one large threat, or by the many little things that a society failed to deal with during the Unraveling finally coming to a head.

Obviously, societies’ are faced with wars and crises all the time; it is how the society responds to the crisis that determines whether it catalyzes into a Fourth Turning. There are always sparks, but not all sparks turn into fire. A spark ignites a Fourth Turning because in some way, the society is ready for it and wants it, though not consciously; they sense that society feels tired, worn out, and needs to be renewed.

No matter what form the Crisis takes, it galvanizes people into an action-taking consensus; problems that were once kicked down the road during the Unraveling are finally taken by the horns. Civic authority revives, cultural expression redirects towards community purpose, and people begin to locate themselves as members of a larger group. Self-sacrifice, institution building, and consensus replace self-interest, personal development, and contrarianism as values society encourages. Wanting to protect their children from the turmoil surrounding them, parents are overprotective of their children during the Crisis.

http://artofmanliness.com/2012/07/12/th ... f-manhood/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

The full excerpt is at that link and is really worth the read if you like history and such. Sorry for going all JSO.

There's good and bad in every generation and every generation complains that the generations that come after them are lazy and stupid. Either we're going downhill fast or it's all BS to make old farts feel better about themselves. I think it's BS for the most part.

[Wedgebuster]

I agree with clenz, we are a nation full of pussies. I find it embarrassing, but all you have to do is turn on the damn cable news networks, any of them, and you see it, pussies everywhere.

[∞∞∞]

BTW, isn't Clenz part of Gen Y?

[kalm]

There's good and bad in every generation and every generation complains that the generations that come after them are lazy and stupid. Either we're going downhill fast or it's all BS to make old farts feel better about themselves. I think it's BS for the most part.

Yep. As the article I linked pointed out, there's a reason sayings like "nothing new under the sun" and "history repeats itself" have stood the test of time.

[CAA Flagship]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

Reference #1.
That's a bit dramatic. Compared to earlier generations, I don't see how the millenials have it so tough. If you are not in the military, you don't have to worry about the draft. Unlike generations that had to deal with the WW's, Korea, and Vietnam.

Reference #2.
Recession > Carter Years > Depression

Reference #3.
There is good and bad with all generations. Credit and blame go to parents and society (both have gotten worse over time so the good millenials have truly "survived".)
Edit: By the way, I'll bet you were dealing with the upper half of the millenials at your job. The upper half of any generation is good. The bottom half may have gotten worse though.

[citdog]

http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-ne ... ons-bully/



A Florida mother is saying she has no regrets for accosting a child who was bullying her son, even though the incident was caught on camera and the mom is facing child abuse charges as a result. NBC News has more:

[CAA Flagship]

http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-ne ... ons-bully/



A Florida mother is saying she has no regrets for accosting a child who was bullying her son, even though the incident was caught on camera and the mom is facing child abuse charges as a result. NBC News has more:

Here is what I want to know: What idiot thought it would be a good idea to throw a random picture of the back of a school bus on the webpage?

[citdog]

http://www.parents.com/blogs/parents-ne ... ons-bully/



A Florida mother is saying she has no regrets for accosting a child who was bullying her son, even though the incident was caught on camera and the mom is facing child abuse charges as a result. NBC News has more:

Here is what I want to know: What idiot thought it would be a good idea to throw a random picture of the back of a school bus on the webpage?

because it wouldn't be politically correct to show a picture of the mother.

[HI54UNI]

The thread title is correct. I blame soccer and bike helmets.

[andy7171]

Here is what I want to know: What idiot thought it would be a good idea to throw a random picture of the back of a school bus on the webpage?

because it wouldn't be politically correct to show a picture of the mother.

[mrklean]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

total bull shyt!!

I was born in 1968 and I remember the Carter Years. I remember the long azz gas lines, and the High inflation of the late 70's. This made our young boys hard. We al had jobs by teh age of 15. We played with toy guns and we played outside everyday. We all had Fathers who lived with us. This gen. Y crowd are a bunch of Pussies!

I blame OPRAH, for this mess.

[Grizalltheway]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

total bull shyt!!

I was born in 1968 and I remember the Carter Years. I remember the long azz gas lines, and the High inflation of the late 70's. This made our young boys hard. We al had jobs by teh age of 15. We played with toy guns and we played outside everyday. We all had Fathers who lived with us. This gen. Y crowd are a bunch of Pussies!

I blame OPRAH, for this mess.

GFY, kleenex. What was the unemployment rate when you graduated college?

[clenz]

BTW, isn't Clenz part of Gen Y?

Born in january 1988.

I see what the people may age, and younger are turning out to be likeand it scares the shit out of me. For every productive/upstanding person I see my age I see 10 or so skinny jean wearing jersey shore wannabe douche bags that bitch and moan about fucking everything and think their life is so hard because mommy and daddy won't shell out a couple hundred bucks on a new pair of beats by dre, the new oakleys (fuck you maui jim), new cell phone/electronic, etc...


I've started writing a book for my daughter that is due in april apologizing for what the world is, what my generation is, and telling her there is hope somewhere out there for people who do things the right way

I never want to be lumped into my generation. Maybe it's the fact my parents raised me like they were raised in the 50s and 60s and told me if I fuck up it's on me and not them that taught me a few things that most don't seen rty learn, but "my generation"scares the shit out of me...so do the parents that have raised these kids, and what I see kids being raised like now

Sent from the nexus of the universe

[∞∞∞]

...that bitch and moan about fucking everything...

Well then, you really are part of Gen Y!

TBH Clenz, I think you're being a little over dramatic.

[CAA Flagship]

BTW, isn't Clenz part of Gen Y?

Born in january 1988.

I see what the people may age, and younger are turning out to be likeand it scares the shit out of me. For every productive/upstanding person I see my age I see 10 or so skinny jean wearing jersey shore wannabe douche bags that bitch and moan about fucking everything and think their life is so hard because mommy and daddy won't shell out a couple hundred bucks on a new pair of beats by dre, the new oakleys (fuck you maui jim), new cell phone/electronic, etc...


I've started writing a book for my daughter that is due in april apologizing for what the world is, what my generation is, and telling her there is hope somewhere out there for people who do things the right way

I never want to be lumped into my generation. Maybe it's the fact my parents raised me like they were raised in the 50s and 60s and told me if I fuck up it's on me and not them that taught me a few things that most don't seen rty learn, but "my generation"scares the shit out of me...so do the parents that have raised these kids, and what I see kids being raised like now

Sent from the nexus of the universe

Don't be scared. The top of your generation is as bright as the top of any generation. And having a larger population, you have more people at the top. The bottom however has grown as well and has gotten worse. Go into any establishment that hires young minimum wage workers and compare them to the same group from earlier generations (obviously you can't, but if you talk to an open-minded boomer.....). I'm sure you won't be surprised to find that the latest generation is generally worse.

[CAA Flagship]

Born in january 1988.

A quarter of a century soon, eh?

[Ibanez]

BTW, isn't Clenz part of Gen Y?

Born in january 1988.

I see what the people may age, and younger are turning out to be likeand it scares the shit out of me. For every productive/upstanding person I see my age I see 10 or so skinny jean wearing jersey shore wannabe douche bags that bitch and moan about fucking everything and think their life is so hard because mommy and daddy won't shell out a couple hundred bucks on a new pair of beats by dre, the new oakleys (fuck you maui jim), new cell phone/electronic, etc...


I've started writing a book for my daughter that is due in april apologizing for what the world is, what my generation is, and telling her there is hope somewhere out there for people who do things the right way

I never want to be lumped into my generation. Maybe it's the fact my parents raised me like they were raised in the 50s and 60s and told me if I fuck up it's on me and not them that taught me a few things that most don't seen rty learn, but "my generation"scares the shit out of me...so do the parents that have raised these kids, and what I see kids being raised like now

Sent from the nexus of the universe

1988? I has taggin booty in K5 when you were born.

[∞∞∞]

Also, why apologize for what the world is? If anything, she will be thanking you for bringing her into the world and allowing her the human experience. For all of man's flaws, we're a helluva awesome species. She will share some, but certainly not all, the values of the generations born before her and as much as your will guide her, as much as you want to instill the values you've grown up with, in the end, it will be her who defines herself, her world, based on her own unique experiences. People born today are expected to live over a century thanks to the advances of medicine and if she's blessed with such a long life, she's gonna be lucky to see and be a part of some really amazing things...thanks not only to her generation, but to Gen Y, and Gen X, and the Boomers, and the Great Generation, and to all whom have ever come before her. It's the human way.

[andy7171]

Thing to keep in mind about millenials - before tarring them with that kind of brush: (I am technically on the leading edge of the millenials or tail end of Gen X)

1. collectively, the oldest of us was 20 on 9-11. We have borne the vast majority of the burdens of the fallout from that. Our generation has never known peace in our adult lives. I say this only to remind you that a fair few of our number have laid down their lives for their country.

2. we have taken the Great Recession on the chin. while every generation has hurt - we have collectively lost some of our most productive years to that. if you wonder where millenial resentment toward previous generations comes from... it might be having that little shitstorm greet us as we entered adulthood. that being said - millenials have been pretty damn calm about collectively about it... I assure you, boomers wouldn't have handled it with this level of reserve - that's for damn sure.

3. everyone has stories like this... anecdotes of absurdity. I fired someone two years ago - and had her parents call me to bitch me out. I laughed at them... but I will tell you that I just spent a year working with hundreds of millenials - they acquitted themselves very well. 80-100 hour work weeks for a year - no task beneath them... they are, generationally, incredible team players - much moreso than the Xers who are hypercompetitive as a generation...

I get the instinct to call this generation weak because of a few anecdotes... but if you look collectively at the generation... I actually think they are poised to be pretty damn remarkable - they are going to inherit a complete shit-mess and either turn it around or die trying. Me? I'm putting my faith in that they will succeed.

total bull shyt!!

I was born in 1968 and I remember the Carter Years. I remember the long azz gas lines, and the High inflation of the late 70's. This made our young boys hard. We al had jobs by teh age of 15. We played with toy guns and we played outside everyday. We all had Fathers who lived with us. This gen. Y crowd are a bunch of Pussies!

I blame OPRAH, for this mess.

Born in 1971.

[DSUrocks07]

I have no idea which generation I fall under. I think I'm one of the last vestiges of Gen Y. (Sep. 1986)

[AZGrizFan]

I spoil my kids. I buy them too much crap they don't need. They are privileged and insulated from real danger by me in large part because I can afford to. But a very common statement heard in my house is, "life ain't fair. The sooner you grasp that, the happier you'll be. There ain't no fairy godmother waiting to turn your pumpkin into a carriage. You want a carriage? Well, you better get your little cherry ass a good degree and earn it, 'cause nobody's gonna give it to you. Certainly not that son of a bitch in the White House." (And two of my children have lived through two sons of bitches so far)