The "I'm A Special Snowflake" Generation -- Another Social Engineering Scam

daskakik

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
The ones I know who came up well are fantastic. They are involved, intelligent, passionate about their ideals and goals. Everything a well rounded young adult should be.

Then why bust out such a broad brush?

Because those kids are actually few and far between.

The ones I know, I know them because they are friends of my children who didn't get any of the parenting I mention in the OP.

Not that my kids are better than others, but they are well rounded and have developed friendships with great young adults. The majority of young aren't to that level unfortunately.

~Tenth

Originally posted by James1982
I'm thinking these "entitled" young people are from the middle class... spoiled their whole life and insulated from the real world.

Because I can tell you, growing up poor, and being a poor adult, I have not come into contact with a single young person who matches ANY of the criteria the OP has listed. Maybe it's because I've never worked in the world of suit and tie wearers that seems to attract the lazy and entitled.

Now I'm not in my early twenties, but I'm probably lumped in with them in the crusty eyes of the older generations. I've worked hard my whole life so far and it got me nowhere. I'm trying something different now, but maybe the reason there are so many people who act as the OP describes, is because THAT works?

Busting your ass and taking your licks for years on end gets you nowhere, it gets you taken advantage of and used up BY the older generations.

If you don't feel entitled to a good job and a nice life, why would you strive for something you don't deserve?

I have to disagree. In my experience, the 'entitled' span the financial definitions from poor to rich. I used to be firmly seated in middle class of society. Now I am poor. I made my decisions and I have suffered the consequences. My partner has kids and as poor kids they certainly have an 'entitled' attitude. Over all they are good kids but it is a fact that they feel entitled. They generally have no motivation. Whereas, when I was growing up, it was rare to see a teenager that didn't have a part time job. (except the rich kids - they were the 'entitled' then) Two of my partners kids are well beyond the age that allows them to get a driver's license. They show no interest in driving. Perfectly content to be chauffeured around like a rich guy in a limo, while they text on their 'must have' electronics. Yes, they MUST have those electronics! They explained to me how it was abusive for me to not provide them said electronics. Seriously and with emotionally distraught voices. Not providing electronics was the equivalent to beating them. I am not joking. Some here would want to blame their parents for their attitude but I have seen my partner try to reason with them and explain to no avail. They must have these things because TV says so, their friends say so. Everyone says so! I've met plenty of young people that match the criteria the OP listed.

I don't know what it is, but I love beautiful women.

Of course, I can just barely tell immediately whether she is actually beautiful or not, if you know what I mean, and therefore, my mind can overcome what my body thinks pretty quickly.

It's bad enough that in order to keep myself in check, I have told my wife, "look. I have eyes. If I see a beautiful women, I'll just show you."

But also, my heart is faithful, as I demanded of myself since I was small, and especially since my parents got divorced.

I wonder how many are like me? I haven't met any, I'm sorry to say. But I say it all the time, "Not only am I not any good, but I know there are plenty much better." And I seek. And I find someone who is better in an area, or two, but not wholly. And I'm not judging for the purpose of ego; I'm judging to find someone to guide me.

Because I see no guidance in this world.

And I desperately seek the Lord's voice and it is faint. Still and small indeed.

Because society lives life to a pointless grave.

There is a reason it's called a "mortgage". It's a glorified mausoleum you are purchasing.

9-5, pointlessly? What am I to teach my kids? I will teach you discipline as you are growing, so I can't let you run around like banshees being complete fools and letting you just "be kids" like society wants you to do. But at the same time, should your childhood be full of discipline and then your adulthood be full of striving? And to what end? To teach your kids that struggling is the only thing there is in existence? Where is the beauty of God found therein? It makes no sense?

For since there is grace, and the law is another thing, then people do not spend their time trying to live up to a dead standard, but instead, people try to find a way to survive so that, perchance, they can live their dream.

And 50% of the time, most peoples' dreams are genuinely to help SOMEBODY ELSE OUT.

And most fail completely, or at least, in their own minds, or in the eyes of society; maybe they are more successful than it appears on the surface (for how can I judge what a wildfire a spark will cause when ignited close to a dry piece of grass in California? It may smoke out or burn the whole state down.)

A little derailed, but my point is that I seek guidance desperately because I see the end of life. I see the pointlessness of everything that everyone does, only to teach their kids the same pointlessness. And people say "understand the past, change the future"; and yet ironically, that becomes a cycle. And people say, "live in the moment," but the moment seems so pointless when there is no clear purpose.

See I have a dream, and it's a simple dream, really. I want to be, and have the talent (easily..) , to be the front man for a famous rock band. But people my age are without any dedication, their taste sucks, their skills suck (and yet people somehow rave over them?).

As well, I have no need for things. I don't want to be a front man in a famous rock band for glory or fame. Recognition of my hard work is nice, however. But I want to show everyone I grew up with, all the people that tortured me, I want my lyrics to dig into their souls. I want my sounds to astonish them so that they are ashamed and realize who it was that they were destroying. I want everyone who has ever treated someone else the way I was treated, I want them to know the monster they are creating for themselves, so to speak. Not that I am a monster, but to the world, I am a monster, but to those that need love, I'm like an angel. I want everyone that works hard to know it's not in vain, though I myself seek some understanding as to the purpose of the mundane, which is by necessity temporary, but feels like forever. I want everyone that is lazy to know that they are wretches. And I want everyone that sings with me to not just feel joy, but also great shame, knowing in their hearts of what they are capable.

Money cannot buy that.

I can live on a hard hot biscuit a day. Who gives a crap about money.

I'd give most of it away to the homeless, the genuinely persecuted, the poor, whoever that actually needs it. If a church needs a new parking lot, I'll put my hands on labor into it.. I'm not interested in throwing money into a bucket for their pastor or reverend's new rolex.

I can trump any pastor in the Spirit of Christianity, by the grace of God, and much hard work as well. They don't deserve a rolex, because the effort isn't THAT much, because God does most of that; honesty of yourself is all that is required.

You know, we are special snowflakes. But we aren't infants and shouldn't be treated as such; infants really shouldn't be treated as infants, but as beautiful human adults requiring nurture to maturity.

We are all unique. But we're still all just snowflakes. Now if the snowflakes gang up and beat up on one, by nature of their evil, they create one so unique that the snowflake becomes a new thing.

I guess I'm an ice cube

Just to add a point about the social engineering, for what it's worth, I like to call it the X-Factor generation. As I see it, a generation of kids glued to the tv who are being conditioned to believe that success = celebrity and that anything else is pretty worthless. Time and time again you can see teens and sometimes grown men and women stood in front of the judges, sobbing their hearts out because they've been rejected! I want to scream at them that this means nothing - what about the Drs and surgeons, the firefighters, the nurses, the teachers and many other professions, saving people's LIVES and changing people's lives every day? Where is the aspiration? The ambition? All they see is materialistic worth....it's almost like the moral worth means nothing.

Also, programs such as 'Celebrity Homes' ( or whatever it is called) showing rap stars etc flaunting their extravagant homes - what can a viewer gain from this kind of program and what message does this give? Certainly it's re-enforcing to the youth watching such programs the 'haves' and the 'have-nots' of society, which hurts, and how to get all of this this? Become a celebrity! Forget talent, forget working hard - you can get it straight away - watch X-Factor! Sigh!

Through the media alone I think there is definately a significant social engineering agenda, for what I am not sure though, I need to ponder that and look forward to keeping track of this thread.

Just so you know, my second post is a direct follow up to my first post on page 1, so read the other post before judging the second post on its own merit. It'll read completely the opposite of what it should if you do not read the other post. Haha.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Because those kids are actually few and far between.

I don't think you know a large enough segment of the population to claim that with any certainty and label an entire generation.

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
Hey everybody.

Every now and then I like to rant about social issues. I have a few in particular that are pet peeves of mind, one of them being Social Engineering. It's a tool that used to program adults and youth to act and think in a certain way.

(This used to happen in third world countries only by agencies like the CIA , used as test pilots for future changes.)

To condition them to lines of thought that would otherwise be thought of as morally wrong and damaging. One such occurrence that I see today is the Special Snowflake Generation.

(Snowflake as in each one an individual, yet really means the exact opposite as in all political speak?)

I have much more to add but am out of time, will be back, love to discuss this further with you. I do seriously question the entitled children of the very people who made this article/report.

edit on 21-8-2013 by antar because: (no reason given)

reply to post by daskakik


I work with a lot of youth in my community. I used to hire almost exclusively from colleges and people coming out of high school.

Sure, that's not enough for anybody to paint a whole generation, I agree with you, but prove me wrong I suppose would be my answer.

Kids these days are EVIDENTLY unprepared for life in the 21st century as adults. The education and unemployment stats point to this and so do the fact that so little of them participate in politics.

~Tenth

Originally posted by tothetenthpower
reply to post by daskakik

 

I work with a lot of youth in my community. I used to hire almost exclusively from colleges and people coming out of high school.

Sure, that's not enough for anybody to paint a whole generation, I agree with you, but prove me wrong I suppose would be my answer.

Kids these days are EVIDENTLY unprepared for life in the 21st century as adults. The education and unemployment stats point to this and so do the fact that so little of them participate in politics.

~Tenth

If you're looking for people to continue the evil that is our current system, you might not be looking far enough ahead.

The condition of society, which you have stated, is the truth. It's end, I think, you might not be interpreting properly. By necessity, if there are so many that have become the offensive automatons that they are, they will therefore create a new kind of creature opposite of them; and though rare, much more powerful; and these will be the ones that will be used to help stave-off the current evils, or set-up the new system, if such an one is required before the Lord.

I will say, it is hard to tell how it is possible considering that there is no more land for us to seek, on this planet, at any rate. And unless there is a rogue set of rich individuals running their own private space program...

I can see it now:

The Martian Revolution! "We seek to be free of the oppressive arm of the planet Earth and its inhabitants; for their King is evil, and there is no freedom there. We will write a New Constitution, for this planet Mars, a new country in and of itself; and there will be Common Law yet again."

It's actually sort of laughable. I wonder how the Catholic church will be able to battle the future republic of Mars.

If the private elite send me to set-up, maybe the first colony will be named "Tarz".

Tarz on Mars...

Oh never mind.

and this can be their theme song.

reply to post by Lovely1973


I have a niece that acted like that. She was above it all. Until she came to my place for Thanksgiving. Everybody in my family contributes during Thanksgiving, but she didn't. She didn't help with the kids, didn't help with the prep...didn't help or participate with anything. Her head was buried in her iPhone the entire time.

I took her plate off the table and put it back in the cupboard, which pissed her mother off. They both ended up leaving.

Most peaceful Thanksgiving I can remember.

Originally posted by TDawgRex
reply to post by Lovely1973

 

I have a niece that acted like that. She was above it all. Until she came to my place for Thanksgiving. Everybody in my family contributes during Thanksgiving, but she didn't. She didn't help with the kids, didn't help with the prep...didn't help or participate with anything. Her head was buried in her iPhone the entire time.

I took her plate off the table and put it back in the cupboard, which pissed her mother off. They both ended up leaving.

Most peaceful Thanksgiving I can remember.

Gave ya a star for that one. On the flip side, my sister-in-law gave me a sermon once for 'not helping' at holidays. I just bit my tongue because over the years I had repeatedly offered to help. "Oh no, just put the dishes in the sink" or "Don't worry, I've got it" were the constant replies. I finally just quit offering. Then came the sermon as a result of 'not helping' at Thanksgiving even though she knew I was grieving the death of my father and we couldn't stay long because my partner (her sister) had to be at work for Black Friday at Walmart at 3AM. Just can't win for losing, sometimes.

Originally posted by Khaleesi

Originally posted by James1982
I'm thinking these "entitled" young people are from the middle class... spoiled their whole life and insulated from the real world.

Because I can tell you, growing up poor, and being a poor adult, I have not come into contact with a single young person who matches ANY of the criteria the OP has listed. Maybe it's because I've never worked in the world of suit and tie wearers that seems to attract the lazy and entitled.

Now I'm not in my early twenties, but I'm probably lumped in with them in the crusty eyes of the older generations. I've worked hard my whole life so far and it got me nowhere. I'm trying something different now, but maybe the reason there are so many people who act as the OP describes, is because THAT works?

Busting your ass and taking your licks for years on end gets you nowhere, it gets you taken advantage of and used up BY the older generations.

If you don't feel entitled to a good job and a nice life, why would you strive for something you don't deserve?

I have to disagree. In my experience, the 'entitled' span the financial definitions from poor to rich. I used to be firmly seated in middle class of society. Now I am poor. I made my decisions and I have suffered the consequences. My partner has kids and as poor kids they certainly have an 'entitled' attitude. Over all they are good kids but it is a fact that they feel entitled. They generally have no motivation. Whereas, when I was growing up, it was rare to see a teenager that didn't have a part time job. (except the rich kids - they were the 'entitled' then) Two of my partners kids are well beyond the age that allows them to get a driver's license. They show no interest in driving. Perfectly content to be chauffeured around like a rich guy in a limo, while they text on their 'must have' electronics. Yes, they MUST have those electronics! They explained to me how it was abusive for me to not provide them said electronics. Seriously and with emotionally distraught voices. Not providing electronics was the equivalent to beating them. I am not joking. Some here would want to blame their parents for their attitude but I have seen my partner try to reason with them and explain to no avail. They must have these things because TV says so, their friends say so. Everyone says so! I've met plenty of young people that match the criteria the OP listed.

Maybe it just boils down to how you and me view a person.

There is a fine line between someone with an entitled mentality, and someone who is simply defeated. I think a lot of the entitled talk about young people comes from the feeling that these kids have that they are defeated coming out of the gate.

To use your example:

Maybe the kids have no interest in learning how to drive, because in their mind they think "I'll never be able to afford to buy a car or insurance anyway, why bother learning to drive?"

But when they act like it's their right to have fancy phones and what not that does seem to fall into the category of an entitled personality. But then again, kids don't know what priorities are. To many people that age social interaction and other people's opinions seems like the most important thing in the world. If that's how they feel, a fancy phone would feel like a need not a want. I'm curious how these kids can afford fancy stuff like that if their parents are poor and they don't work, but that's another story.

More perspective possibly. To me, I wonder how it's logistically possible for someone who is legitimately poor to spoil their children. They literally will not give their kids any fancy stuff, and stuff they do give their kids will be cheaper and far between. They will likely have to work a lot so they won't be hanging around singing their kids praises and waiting on them hand and foot.

If there are spoiled kids from a poor family, I'd argue that family isn't poor, just bad at managing their money.

It was a broad generalization anyway, but that's the basic thought process I had on it. A kid won't feel entitled unless he has been treated that way, and a poor family literally doesn't have the ability to indulge the child to the point of spoiling them and instilling an entitled mentality.

It wasn't a jab at wealthy or middle class people, as most parents want to give everything to their children whether they be rich or poor, the more affluent simply have the available means to spoil their children, where as the truly poor do not.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


Well it is a whole lot better than we were treated!

I grew up on a council estate and the school I went to was full of violence and bullying.

We were told that there might be a nuclear attack at any time.

We were told that all we had to look forward to was welfare because there were no jobs for us.

Honestly, both those things came from teachers at the school.

I would much rather see children treated gently. It will help to make them more sensitive and gentle.

To hell with that rough tough upbringing that has caused me so many problems later in life.

Luckily I have gentle and open minded parents who have shown understanding and tolerance.

I detect some of that old man jealousy in some of the commentary here.

Yes, let us bring back national service and send them to be slaughtered in wars just like the good old days (being ironic).

There has been some good social work happening like the awareness of bullying and trying to combat it.

I like the young people and wish them all the luck in this ever more complex reality we live in.

from my perspective over here in the generations you speak of, i can give you a little hint at why no one wants to do anything.

because they either want total chaos or total escape from the current sick society we live in. You'd be surprised at how many 15-25 year olds i've talked to who are motivated enough to make money but their goals are a total illusion or blocked by invisible walls because they've been misguided by the wonderfully dying baby boomer generation. The generation full of not giving a # about their children and not recognizing the sick society and game we live in to perpetuate an already corrupt and unstable system. So when the person starts having true self awareness and awareness of the environment many of his or her peers live in, they realize it's bull# yet don't have a proper solution to create balance.

We don't want this stipulation. We educate ourselves through technology instead of having our parents shell out thousands of dollars for us to go sit in a classroom. What happened to when university was about the improvement of the country, helping educate the intelligent youth of the nation itself and not about how much money can you offer to be a complacent drone with no free will or thought, other than to watch tv and drink your beer. What this whole situation boils down to is that, we don't feel like we are all individually unique snowflakes.

We feel we are all equal underdogs in a country full of overpowered idiot savants who truly have let the system take its course without any proper vision of the future. What motivation would you have if you were my age and realize that if the current system stays in place it will ultimately crumble to waste with more oppression and other countries looking down at us because of the pacifism of the will and the true spirit of growth? it feels wonderful knowing that there are so many flaws in the current system of government, yet i have to obey them.

We refuse to be slaves to a dying slave master. We are the master of ourselves and slaves no one. We choose what we do with strong courage and although many are lost, there are many of us teaching others and helping others realize that there is a future for us if we collectively work together for that future. We will succeed where those of the baby boomer generation has failed. All of you in that age group are of course not to blame, as we understand what type of environment you grew up in. It's time for you all to recognize your purpose is to help guide us with illumination of true growth and balance for our own country, if you care about the generations to come. You can judge and stereotype and place us into superficial categories but ultimately what will that really do?

For those of you much older than i , i ask you respectfully to respect us and if you can give sound advice you should do so. A lot of people in my generation want it and always have needed it but never had the proper environment for such guidance. As equals we work together in union without the superficial border of division that has been manipulated and pushed into your being. If not, expect us not to be there taking care of you while you are in your final years of life. I'm sure you'd love a nursing home that comforts you with automated robot care giving and not the compassion and touch of another who truly cares about your well being, even though they don't really care about us.

You guys are just as lost as we, as a whole. Not individually obviously. WHICH, is why i am asking for you to be more considerate to our generation, even though yes i recognize many will make an early grave for themselves. There are those out there with the will power to truly change and fix not only this country, but the world one step at a time. Many of us will and there are many of us who can but without the motivation of purpose behind it.

Never give up on us cause we'd never give up on you, the people.

Every child is extremely special and their souls are 1000X and more Superman. Their self esteem is fragile and this world we endorse breaks them and abuses them and grinds them up in this hellzone that everyone endorses, when no one would ever treat anyone like this.

They are very entitiled. Everyone is co-owners of this earth, not because they perform a function. They are not slaves.

I consider the real entitlement mentality to the elite, and there is nothing weaker or more pathetic than that which needs a slave.

Children don't need to be toughened up, what needs to be nurtured in them is meditation and compassion for others, and nature outings, and mom and dad being there for them, not working as slaves themselves.

Originally posted by Revolution9
reply to post by tothetenthpower

 

Well it is a whole lot better than we were treated!

I grew up on a council estate and the school I went to was full of violence and bullying.

We were told that there might be a nuclear attack at any time.

We were told that all we had to look forward to was welfare because there were no jobs for us.

I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but violence & bullying in schools is still a massive problem today. That has not changed.

We may not be hearing the nuke warnings any more, but we are now told the Brown People from across the planet are committed to trying to rid the Earth of us, thus they will do their damnedest to bomb us in *insert location or transit method of choice here*. That mentality of "they're gonna get us!" hasn't gone away, it just has a new Boogieman.

We are also well aware that kids aren't going to have many good employment opportunities, because our market has shrunk, and our higher education is more expensive to attain.

Yes, let us bring back national service and send them to be slaughtered in wars just like the good old days (being ironic).

We don't need conscription to accomplish this. Our youth are signing up anyway for this, because it's what good, unquestioning patriots do. Gotta go fight them brown people.

I'm not sure what your point was, since not much seems to have changed over time. Same spot, different occupants.

"Snowflake"? And there I thought they were "Indigo"? Just joking!

They are children and they need structure, there is little wrong with reward and praise WHEN reward and praise are due AND earned, but there is little wrong structure, boundaries and rules during the rest of childhood!

I am in my fifties and recently had a parent berate me, in my own office, when I told his child not to "click his tongue at me" when I asked the child a question! If I had clicked my tongue at an adult when I was his age I would not have been able to sit down for the rest of the day!

Rude and ill-mannered children are the norm these days!

Pretty much every generation thinks the younger generations are lacking which means everyone here including myself is looked down upon by a older generation.

Try looking up when Fight Club was written the snowflake speech isn't anything new.