We are raising a generation of deluded narcissists

reply to post by brookster18

Thats opposed to the old days when they accepted their fate a lot sooner.

There is no "fate", only the results of choices you've made in life. I don't know too many people my age who want some grandiose career.

Either way, most of you don't dream big enough.

I don't know what school you went to but, I wasn't taught I could be anything I wanted in any of them. My parents never said that to me either. In fact, they have always been frustrated with my seeming pigheaded nature. They have always told me to do something practical, never happened for them. Now my brother and sister are quite practical so it's not fault of their own.

Maybe they are fighting to survive under new conditions?

reply to post by dragnik


This statement is true. I guess the question is are we giving them the tools to succeed/thrive in this new world of technology and information gone crazy? I think we have failed them in that respect. We failed in a lot of ways. Not because we didn't try. Because we were wrong.

Originally posted by antonia
I don't know what school you went to but, I wasn't taught I could be anything I wanted in any of them. My parents never said that to me either.

But isn't that what the american dream is all about?

Isn't that the image projected to world? One of the USA being the place where, kamebard's much hated, "rags to riches" stories are the norm. Where all it takes is hard work and determination.

At what point did this american ethos become something bad? So which side are the commies on this? Are they trying to get the children of the US to believe they can be anything they want or are they the ones trying to kill the american dream?

reply to post by daskakik


I don't know, maybe some people feel like if you don't aim that high you won't have to feel that burn when you miss it. One of the most famous self-help books ever written (and the oldest that I know of ) is the famous As a Man Thinketh. If people want mediocrity then it's their business, but they are what they think and to shame others for wanting greater for themselves is really disgusting in my book.

Right thinking begins with the words we say to ourselves.

If you want big then you dream big and you live you life as if you've made it already.

At twenty years of age the will reigns; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.
Benjamin Franklin

How few there are who have courage enough to own their faults, or resolution enough to mend them.
Benjamin Franklin

Who is wise? He that learns from everyone. Who is powerful? He that governs his passions. Who is rich? He that is content. Who is that? Nobody.
Benjamin Franklin


I didn't fail the test, I just found 100 ways to do it wrong.
Benjamin Franklin

It is the eye of other people that ruin us. If I were blind I would want, neither fine clothes, fine houses or fine furniture.
Benjamin Franklin

If a man could have half of his wishes, he would double his troubles.
Benjamin Franklin

Benjamin Franklin was one of the greatest men that ever lived IMO. He was the embodiment of wisdom. You would do yourself no harm by studying his life.

My wife and I took in a couple of 20 year olds who thought they ruled the world and just left home. They got themselves in some serious trouble and had no place to go. We helped them get back on their feet and also taught them that the world does not revolve around them all.

Anyways, here is what I learned from the situation.

* At 20 years old, these women thought they were experts in anything they did.

* They sat around and did absolutely nothing (one even had an infant), expecting us to do it all for them.

* When we told them to help out, they half-assed everything and even though my wife graciously tried to teach them the proper way to do simple cleaning tasks, they chose to do it their way thus not getting the job done right.

* When my wife and I finally got tired of cleaning up all their messes, we gave them an ultimatum, they either help out or leave, as they had a tendency to make far more messes than my wife and I. They eventually thought we were to hard on them and left. In reality, all we asked them to do was clean up after themselves.

* One girl got a job but was fired within two weeks for being lazy.

* The other refused work

* They often watched shows like 16 and pregnant and other mindless dribble.



Fact is, the culture and television shows that these younger people watch are making them think that their reality should be what is on TV. Reality TV makes it even worse, as they do not realize that the cast is chosen based on what type of drama they can cause. (they are also nudged to create the antics.)

12 years separates that generation and my generation and I am not saying my generation is perfect, as we all thought we knew it all at 20, but got reality checks very fast.

I'm hearing the same things I heard growing up. We don't know what we want to do. We think we're great. We're depressed. We're on drugs. We're violent. We're too happy. We don't accept reality. We're exposed to too much. We do too little. Ask too much. Not ambitious enough. Think we're going to be actors and work for NASA. Work in rubbish jobs ...

For the record, I don't think tubbyish persons in bikinis posting pictures of themselves on facebook is a bad thing, nor is a factory worker not defining themselves by their job. Some of my friends, I earn twice as much as them, others earn more than me, one has three degrees, some have none ... some of the ones with none are the smartest people I've ever met ... but I'm not sure why I'm talking.

I don't have a real answer, but if I was going to speak on behalf of my generation ... here is a message from the narcissistic-tubby-dumb-not-ambitious-enough-with-too-high-expectations-rockstar-depressed-violent-passive-lost generation Y:



Enjoy.

Originally posted by tw0330
Fact is,

you took on a couple of lazy bums.

They have always existed and they probably always will.

Originally posted by misse2miss
reply to post by jimmiec

 

I think instead of talking about gen y and z we should talk about GEN X seeing as you guys will be taking over things soon?

Your going to be the ones being watched and scrutinized lets see how you do.

And we are (Gen X'ers) going to do amazing things. We have learned from the inequities of our fathers, and see how Gen Y'ers are. We will be the trailblazers of prosperity - of that have no doubt. As soon as our fathers GTFO the way and we take over important Governmental positions, etc you will see great things happen in this Country.

If they can keep it running long enough for us to take the reigns.

Originally posted by antonia
reply to post by JimTSpock

 

There is plenty of meaningful music being made today. If you are too lazy to look beyond the radio or the Billboard 200 you won't find it and that's the way it's always been.

Threads like this just remind me of something I first learned when I was young: A lot of people no matter their age love to whine.

edit on 10-1-2013 by antonia because: added a thought

It's painfully obvious you missed the point of the post. OUR (Gen X) music was on the Billboard 200 and on the radio. Your music is not. That's the problem. You just can't see that, can you?

Yesterday I saw an 8 year old girl playing a Barby Veterinarian app on an I-pad. This phrase was played loud and audibly multiple times in a few minutes. "I can be anything! I'm a barby girl!"

Listen to this video at the 1 minute and 5 second mark. It's just like that! I guess it happens every time they complete a simple virtual-task like putting the properly requested ingredients on a pizza.
WATCH THE WHOLE VIDEO FROM THE 1 MINUTE MARK -THE MESSAGE IS DRILLED INTO THEIR BRAINS (In a catchy way BTW) 4-5 TIME IN LESS THAN 2 MINUTES! Some kids sit and play these things for hours!


This is what we're training our kids to do. Think they be anything but really they follow simple instructions.
Even I thought I could be anything, then I graduated and found out no employer cared that I had business degree or out-performed my peers.

Originally posted by zeeon


It's painfully obvious you missed the point of the post. OUR (Gen X) music was on the Billboard 200 and on the radio. Your music is not. That's the problem. You just can't see that, can you?

The Billboard 200 is increasingly irrelevant in this day and age. The fact that you don't know that tells me you don't know much about music. The sales numbers at any given point are pathetic compared to the heyday of the late 90's. Even if "your" music was on the charts I can show you data which proves it was rather minor compared to most of the pop records of the time.

But keep throwing your superiority around if it makes you feel better. I feel no need to take away something which seems to make you feel so great.

Of course, calling it "my music" is rather silly considering I didn't make it.


Now if you want to know what's hot right now you might try the iTunes 100 which as you will see features a lot of music that isn't pop.

We (the Gen Xers) had it pretty good.

We bitched about the baby Boomers *(who had it GREAT)

When I "came of age" the opportunities to get into a good paying job (like the Big 3) was gone- BUT we had a plethora of Factories and other places to work in for a decent wage. Right out of High School you could make a living and (at least in Michigan) everyone (yes EVERYONE) I knew had moved out of Mom and Dads by 20 years old and were starting their own families.

Back in the early to mid 1990s my State was flooded was jobs which started around $10 to $11/hour. If you worked hard you could own a home and stay with the same small factory and have a decent life.

Everyone I knew had a license by age 16 and usually a car.

Fast forward to today- These kids are screwed. There is nothing out there and even adults are fighting for Mc Jobs. My 17 year old (an honor student) could even get a summer job this year and since my wages are worse than I made in the 1990s I cannot even help him to get some transportation... Of all his friends (and trhey are good kids for the most part) none of them works or has a car- Their "Car" is a nifty Iphone - That is what they can look forward to.

I blame the dwindling opportunity rather than the kids. If I grew up today I would feel "beaten" before even getting started. I had my first summer job at 14 and have worked hard and always was able to have enough pocket money to go on dates and afford to maintain a car.

I dont know. Things are bad out there- Really bad. And this generation is being screwed the worst.

reply to post by DarKPenguiN


It is true, opportunities for gainful employment have been dwindling, The brutal attacks on Capitalism by the younger generation and the current administration couldn't have anything to do with that of course. That would be too inconvenient. The old saying " Be careful what you wish for, you might get it" comes to mind.

reply to post by antonia


The point I made about today's music I believe reflects the way western society in general is changing. Music is just an example.
Mass media, music, TV and movies I believe are reflecting a trend in society towards being more shallow, self-obsessed, narcissistic and materialistic. This is not a fault of young people today but a trend in our society in general I believe. Perhaps this is an inevitable trend in human evolutionary biology.
To me this is clearly reflected in today's TV, movies and music. By the way itunes only applies to people who actually pay to use it, if your ipod or iphone can hold 15,000 songs and each song is 99c it would cost $14,850 to fill it using itunes. Commercial radio stations play music which generates them the highest ratings so they will try to play the most popular music be it the new one from Britney or P.Diddy.
PS Metallica are the kings!

reply to post by JimTSpock

I'm sure many from generations before yours would say that Metallica is shallow, self-obsessed and narcissistic. Plus, they have many other artists from that time to place that label on.

This thread seems to be more about older generations trying to comfort themselves by dumping on the kids currently coming of age. It's sad but I guess it's natural.

reply to post by daskakik


As with any thread there will be many opinions. The thread was started in order to address the situation we find ourselves in. If you can't talk about it, you can't solve it.

reply to post by daskakik


That is not what I said.
I said it is society in general not the younger generation alone. Have your own views on the changes or trends of our 21st century western society please I'd be interested to hear them.
Not a Metallica fan? LOL.

PS Metallica are probably the opposite of that.

Originally posted by jimmiec
reply to post by daskakik

 

As with any thread there will be many opinions. The thread was started in order to address the situation we find ourselves in. If you can't talk about it, you can't solve it.

I was talking about what the thread had become not why it was started.

There is nothing to address or solve. It happens generation after generation and it works itself out. Honestly, I don't think I have ever seen anything, other than things on a personal level, solved because it was discussed here on ATS.