The Dumbest Generation

[aricandover]

I was telling someone the other day I used to walk several blocks to school when I was 6 years old - they did not believe me.

 

same here, and due to my mother working full time and attending college, I had to learn to do a lot of things for myself.

[Analogman]

same here, and due to my mother working full time and attending college, I had to learn to do a lot of things for myself.

 

Of course, then we had many more schools. Now, kids have ride a bus to a school far away from where they live.

[Doug C]

This is only anecdotal but from my 22 years of teaching high school, I have obviously observed 1000s of teenagers. I disagree that they are dumber. For one thing, this would defy the Flynn effect but mainly it just hasn't been my experience. I definitely believe that students have gotten progressively lazier. When I think of my students from the '86-'87 school year and compare them to my present students, they are clearly different. The number that are willing to put in the effort required to truly learn has declined. The idea that technology providing information immediately plays a role seems to be true. many of them think that if something comes up that they need to know at some point in their lives then they can just "Google" it. Having a broad knowledge base and the ability to solve problems isn't as important because you can easily gain the knowledge or solve the problem quickly via the internet.

 

They can problem solve, as someone pointed out or they couldn't master all of the technology.

 

They also seem to be much less civil. The lack of respect shown to teachers and peers is hard to take. It is a fairly recent development. When I compare my earlier years to these in this area, there is a clear difference. I don't think that they intend to be disrespectful. It just seems as though society has become less civil.

 

To sum up: from my 22 years experience they are not dumber. They are intellectually lazier, less civil, and have a shorter attention span resulting in a need for instant gratification. But I love these kids. The majority make me smile and feel great everyday. Overall we are in good shape. There are definitley enough classic intellects with a conscience that Idiocracy will remain fiction for a few more generations.

[bobbob1313]

My parents were hardly the doting type, so, again either I'm the exception, or these broad generalizations aren't all that true. Either one is possible.

 

Sorry if I'm coming off as defensive, but why is it perfectly acceptable for someone to write a book like this when it is, in essence, exactly the same as writing a book called "Hispanics: The Dumbest Race". Making broad, sweeping generalizations to put down a group of people regardless of whether you are attacking race, age, gender, or whatever is stupid and almost always completely and totally incorrect, or at the very least, wildly innaccurate.

[quarter23cd]

This is as bad as when somebody decided that my generation (X) consisted entirely of lazy, misanthropic slackers. Wait.......well, shit, that one is actually pretty dead-on for me.

[bjorn_skurj]

My theory is that a kid's development more often than not comes down to whether education is valued in their home environment. If it is, the kid has a good shot of turning out OK. If not, then they don't. Sometimes smart people raise idiots and idiots raise smart people. There are no guarantees.

[Analogman]

This is only anecdotal but from my 22 years of teaching high school, I have obviously observed 1000s of teenagers. I disagree that they are dumber. For one thing, this would defy the Flynn effect but mainly it just hasn't been my experience. I definitely believe that students have gotten progressively lazier. When I think of my students from the '86-'87 school year and compare them to my present students, they are clearly different. The number that are willing to put in the effort required to truly learn has declined. The idea that technology providing information immediately plays a role seems to be true. many of them think that if something comes up that they need to know at some point in their lives then they can just "Google" it. Having a broad knowledge base and the ability to solve problems isn't as important because you can easily gain the knowledge or solve the problem quickly via the internet.

 

They can problem solve, as someone pointed out or they couldn't master all of the technology.

 

They also seem to be much less civil. The lack of respect shown to teachers and peers is hard to take. It is a fairly recent development. When I compare my earlier years to these in this area, there is a clear difference. I don't think that they intend to be disrespectful. It just seems as though society has become less civil.

 

To sum up: from my 22 years experience they are not dumber. They are intellectually lazier, less civil, and have a shorter attention span resulting in a need for instant gratification. But I love these kids. The majority make me smile and feel great everyday. Overall we are in good shape. There are definitley enough classic intellects with a conscience that Idiocracy will remain fiction for a few more generations.

 

That is interesting. I graduated HS in 1984. I think that is the thing - you can get things instantly now - you could not back then, of course. I am often amazed by all the school violence I read about these days. When I ws in school, we had a hunting and fishing club, which meant guns were going to be around at some point - I doubt that would fly today. I recall one instance of some kids confronting a teacher - it happened after school in the parking lot. He happened to be a kung-fu instructor - so he kicked ass on them - and that was the end of that. Of course, some would say, that a lot of this change comes about due to the fact that most kids parents are both working. When I a kid, my mom, as did almost every kid's mother I knew - was a stay at home mom.

[Doug C]

Analogman, I agree. When I first started teaching, the Jr. ROTC had rifles and a rifle range. That lasted until Columbine... You will never see that again. Shite1 I'm late for a faculty meeting!

[Analogman]

Analogman, I agree. When I first started teaching, the Jr. ROTC had rifles and a rifle range. That lasted until Columbine... You will never see that again. Shite1 I'm late for a faculty meeting!

 

Paddling - I forgot about that. I guess that does not go on these days. I actually never got in trouble at school.

[SlowBurn68]

I had to attend a management seminar on how to deal with this "Entitlement Generation" as they start entering the workforce. Because if you're a little fucker born after 1979, you have to be coddled at work just like you were by your parents. The concept of starting on the ground floor is foreign to them. Their whole life they have been told all you need to do is get good grades, go to college, and buy that BMW to go with your 5 bedroom house. "Make sure you go out of your way to praise them", "They need a lot of positive reinforcement, they don't understand what failure is."

 

Their learned and satisfied need for immediate gratification translates to their jobs and they expect the corner office, corporate card, and company car on their first day. Never mind that they don't even have the social skills to negotiate a copy paper order. Our training budget is bloated for theses fucks to go back and learn the basics they didn't get in 16-18 years of school.

 

Blame their asshole yuppie parents that spawned this nightmare.

[Good Old Neon]

I had to attend a management seminar on how to deal with this "Entitlement Generation" as they start entering the workforce. Because if you're a little fucker born after 1979, you have to be coddled at work just like you were by your parents. The concept of starting on the ground floor is foreign to them. Their whole life they have been told all you need to do is get good grades, go to college, and buy that BMW to go with your 5 bedroom house. "Make sure you go out of your way to praise them", "They need a lot of positive reinforcement, they don't understand what failure is."

 

Their learned and satisfied need for immediate gratification translates to their jobs and they expect the corner office, corporate card, and company car on their first day. Never mind that they don't even have the social skills to negotiate a copy paper order. Our training budget is bloated for theses fucks to go back and learn the basics they didn't get in 16-18 years of school.

 

Blame their asshole yuppie parents that spawned this nightmare.

 

That.

Was.

Awesome!

 

[aricandover]

I had to attend a management seminar on how to deal with this "Entitlement Generation" as they start entering the workforce. Because if you're a little fucker born after 1979, you have to be coddled at work just like you were by your parents. The concept of starting on the ground floor is foreign to them. Their whole life they have been told all you need to do is get good grades, go to college, and buy that BMW to go with your 5 bedroom house. "Make sure you go out of your way to praise them", "They need a lot of positive reinforcement, they don't understand what failure is."

 

Their learned and satisfied need for immediate gratification translates to their jobs and they expect the corner office, corporate card, and company car on their first day. Never mind that they don't even have the social skills to negotiate a copy paper order. Our training budget is bloated for theses fucks to go back and learn the basics they didn't get in 16-18 years of school.

 

Blame their asshole yuppie parents that spawned this nightmare.

 

post of the day. lock this sucker up.

[Oil Can Boyd]

Child educator and theorist Maria Montessori said that the best thing for children, at the age of 13, is to send them to work in the fields.

So did this guy:

[Reni]

sorry, but I certainly wouldn't put Chairman Mao and the mother of child-centered progressive education in the same boat.

[Good Old Neon]

So did this guy:

 

And that is why they are now kicking our baby soft candy asses.

[Duck-Billed Catechist]

I had to attend a management seminar on how to deal with this "Entitlement Generation" as they start entering the workforce. Because if you're a little fucker born after 1979, you have to be coddled at work just like you were by your parents. The concept of starting on the ground floor is foreign to them. Their whole life they have been told all you need to do is get good grades, go to college, and buy that BMW to go with your 5 bedroom house. "Make sure you go out of your way to praise them", "They need a lot of positive reinforcement, they don't understand what failure is."

 

Their learned and satisfied need for immediate gratification translates to their jobs and they expect the corner office, corporate card, and company car on their first day. Never mind that they don't even have the social skills to negotiate a copy paper order. Our training budget is bloated for theses fucks to go back and learn the basics they didn't get in 16-18 years of school.

 

Blame their asshole yuppie parents that spawned this nightmare.

So you don't like those younger than you and expect life to improve after previous generations die out--were you just born in the generational sweet spot, or what?

[Mrs. Peel]

That is interesting. I graduated HS in 1984. I think that is the thing - you can get things instantly now - you could not back then, of course. I am often amazed by all the school violence I read about these days. When I ws in school, we had a hunting and fishing club, which meant guns were going to be around at some point - I doubt that would fly today. I recall one instance of some kids confronting a teacher - it happened after school in the parking lot. He happened to be a kung-fu instructor - so he kicked ass on them - and that was the end of that. Of course, some would say, that a lot of this change comes about due to the fact that most kids parents are both working. When I a kid, my mom, as did almost every kid's mother I knew - was a stay at home mom.

 

My husband went to a Vocational Agricultural high school for his senior year in the mid 80s (the old fart), and he said just about every guy had a hand gun in their backpack, or at least a rifle in the back of their pickup. It was just the accepted norm.

[bobbob1313]

I had to attend a management seminar on how to deal with this "Entitlement Generation" as they start entering the workforce. Because if you're a little fucker born after 1979, you have to be coddled at work just like you were by your parents. The concept of starting on the ground floor is foreign to them. Their whole life they have been told all you need to do is get good grades, go to college, and buy that BMW to go with your 5 bedroom house. "Make sure you go out of your way to praise them", "They need a lot of positive reinforcement, they don't understand what failure is."

 

Their learned and satisfied need for immediate gratification translates to their jobs and they expect the corner office, corporate card, and company car on their first day. Never mind that they don't even have the social skills to negotiate a copy paper order. Our training budget is bloated for theses fucks to go back and learn the basics they didn't get in 16-18 years of school.

 

Blame their asshole yuppie parents that spawned this nightmare.

 

ALL YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LIKE THIS

[OOO]

So did this guy:

 

You ain't going to make it with anyone, anyhow.

[Analogman]

My husband went to a Vocational Agricultural high school for his senior year in the mid 80s (the old fart), and he said just about every guy had a hand gun in their backpack, or at least a rifle in the back of their pickup. It was just the accepted norm.

 

And Buck knives. I was never into the gun deal - but I have always carried knifes.

[Mrs. Peel]

Al probably had a Bowie knife. Not because he hunted or gutted fish, but because it had something indirectly to do with David Bowie.

[Analogman]

It sort of does - that is right.

[myboyblue]

Completely coincidentally, my HR manager forwarded this out to us today. Considerations for hiring "millenials"

 

Be Prepared For

[EL the Famous]

i submit my 22-year-old brother-in-law as proof that there is indeed a real live 'Entitlement Generation'. he's a nice kid and all, but everything is someone else's fault and he actually acts slighted that he actually needs to go to work to pay for things. he expects the job that he does have to work in be the perfect scenario...not hopes or dreams that it's the non-existent perfect job, but EXPECTS it to be.

 

even better, he complains when my mom-in-law (a widow) expects him to pitch in on housework or groceries and was dumbfounded when she wouldn't front him some cash to get his credit card in-line...he's living there RENT-FREE and it chaps my ass that he doesn't step up a little more to help be the de facto man of the house when my mom-in-law needs one. i had to live at home for a brief time outta' college and my folks charged me rent...and told me that unless i'm doing something proactive to better my career, either shut my my mouth/collect my paycheck or do something about it.

 

i don't think the generation behind me is dumb at all, i do however think the sense of entitlement and expectation that everything in life should be McInstantaneous could be a major downfall for a large % of them. hopefully there will be enough good ones to shoulder the rest until they figure it out.

 

plus, i do hold parents responsible for a large part of this problem...including myself. you can blame society and marketing and school systems, but if a kid's upbringing was a pie chart...those would be slivers in comparison to the influence a parent has or, really should have.

[yermom]

Paddling - I forgot about that. I guess that does not go on these days. I actually never got in trouble at school.

I graduated in 2001 and I was paddled in high school. It wasn't really much of a deterrent to bad behavior (talking in class). It was mostly just funny and awkward.