I guess the days of chomping at the bit to get to the DMV on your sixteenth birthday to take your driving test are long gone. It's sad, but at the same time it's comforting to know there are fewer teenagers driving. I don't worry much about getting carjacked in my old four-speed manual-transmission pickup. Unless the jacker is well over forty, he won't be able to take off once he gets behind the wheel. I suppose I could twist the knife by having a set of driving instructions in the glove compartment, hand-written in cursive.
Excellent. I have kids 28, 26. They both were taught to drive a stick. My degree is in English. I tried to test out of a writing class I “knew” I could pass: F. Later I took that professor purposefully. Twice. Best prof I ever had. I took that prof because I sat in the first meeting of another “writing” class. When the prof was asked which he prioritized, WHAT we wrote or HOW we wrote, he responded WHAT… when the entire point of a writing class is HOW. Dropped him and added to F prof. Best move I made in college.
Josh, I have to admit, my g - g- generation was much the same in terms of attitude. The only words many of us could say were wow, far out and f*. We too were egged on by Marxist revolutionaries. The current Marxists are some of the same ones, but now they're tenured professors.
Arguably, one thing they really lack is organic humility. They are so full of their own ego- pride, its amazing they don't see themselves as demi-gods.
Yeah, by everything. They were handed everything and still want more. They are the richest generation to ever live and they demand social security and Medicare benefits despite being millionaires and don’t care if it bankrupts their grandchildren. They are the most selfish and spoiled generation to ever exist.
During my undergrad degree, I took 3 different classes from a professor that I really liked and admired. At the end of the second class, he wrote on my final paper: "I enjoyed having you in class again and appreciated your contributions. Unfortunately, I don't think you've made any improvement as a writer during this class." That ego-busting comment is what prompted me to stop gliding along and instead put real effort into my writing practice.
Thank you for releasing this article from the paywall. Another aspect that I have noticed from the Z generation is the tendency to speak over adults. I will be having a conversation with a Zoomer, and they will think nothing of interrupting me as I speak if some thought comes to their mind. Perhaps they are copying some sort of “engaging” style of discourse they’ve seen from shows or TikTok. In my youth, I would never interrupt or speak over an adult. It would be unheard of. But when you inform them of their misstep, they look at you as if you’ve slapped them! Can’t win either way, so might as well ensure you’re not disrespected.
I may be wrong, but I believe I know why this happens, generally. I was born in 1981, and until I reached an age where I was an original participant in an adult conversation, I was NOT allowed under any circumstances to barge into a room where adults were talking and interrupt them. It didn’t matter if I “needed” Mom or Dad’s attention for any reason; I needed to wait for my turn to speak.
Almost all of my friends have children—some teenagers, some still quite young. Every single one of them immediately gives their child their full, undivided attention the moment it is requested. I’ll be talking to my friend in his living room and while I’m in mid-sentence, his daughter will yell “Daddy!!” His head turns away from me in that moment and he yells back “yes, sweetie?”
They command every room they enter. They instantly receive preferential conversational priority. It’s no wonder they grow up with a penchant for interrupting people. They’ve been doing it since they learned how to speak. And their parents, of course, allow it. After all, to do otherwise might send the message to little Aiden and Emma that Mommy and Daddy don’t love them!!
From the other side, this drives me up the wall as a parent somewhat younger than you. I have small children whom I'm *trying* to teach to wait their turn without interrupting--but what happens every time I remind them of the rule? The other parent/grandparent I'm talking to says "Oh, no, it's okay!" and won't engage me again until I've dealt with the little one.
You’re going to need to get more assertive with your parents and/or his. You’re the mother, it’s your house, and your child. I’d hold that line and boundary. The longer you don’t stand up for it in front of your child, the harder it’s going to be.
You're very right. Fortunately it's almost never been my kids' relatives, I usually have this problem with other parents at events and so on (I guess I wasn't too clear on that.) Still, it's not like it's going to get any easier.
Then you need to say to the other parent/grandparent, "no, it's not okay", then reiterate that to the child. Be the grumpy you want to see in the world LOL
I just don't understand the lack of drive and initiative. When I was a kid I couldn't wait to get my driver's license and I couldn't wait to get out of the house. I also wanted to be a professional horse trainer, and while I definitely overestimated my knowledge and abilities, I tried to learn from older, experienced trainers because I recognized that they knew something I didn't know.
What reasons do they have to go out of the house? Everything they want can be delivered and everyone they want to interact with, they can do on-line. And their parent(s) will take them anywhere they want to go instead of saying, no, I am no longer your taxi. Then they can uber if they don't live in the city. It's sad.
This is the generation that came home with “Student of the Month” certificates that they did not deserve, who left birthday parties carrying goodie bags that contained more gifts than the actual gifts we boomers received for our birthdays. Field Day, with it’s ribbon-winning ceremonies for those who excelled physically and perhaps not academically, became “Woodstock” where there were no winners or losers and parents arrived every ten minutes with gourmet popsicles to make sure their children weren’t overheated, and after school there would be a trip to Friendly’s for ice cream. In short, these poor kids were sent to years of NPD Camp.
Gone are the gangs of neighborhood kids on bicycles and the sweat-shirted fifth graders playing “manhunt” in the dark after dinner. There were more lessons learned in the neighborhood than in all the specialty camps that these kids attended.
Well intentioned parents wishing to relive their own faulty childhoods, or those who wished to gain credence from their children’s achievements, ended up depriving them of the components of childhood that turn children into capable and anti-fragile adults.
As an early millennial (or perhaps last gasp of Gen X) I could relate to everything you said -- but must admit that I only drive automatic and (gulp) like flowery adjectives and adverbs!
I like those kinds of words too. But as a writer I default to them too much and the first thing I do when editing a draft is get rid of most of my adjectives. If I don't do that I find my own writing too fussy. Writing has to find a balance between the author's style, the tone that will work for the subject matter, and the patience of the reader.
If I hear one more time about how they are so much more concerned about the environment, imma slap them. With their fast fashion/beauty and throw away mentality, I think not. My parents composted, thrifted, mended, re-used and had appliances & cars that lasted 20-25 years (didn't have bottled water).
The only thing that will change all this is some horrible world event that will spill out randomly and even that may not be enough. The emperors' children have no clothes. At the risk of "telling another Dickens tale," we didn't have much but it was enough; we didn't see ourselves as 'victims;' and what we didn't have that others did always seemed possible through our own efforts. My own children are in their 40's, grossly underemployed, but stalwart workers. Yet they are unhappy and see themselves as "put upon" by "the world." I'm certain my grandparents who came here in 1900 felt similar, but they carved out a life that I have thrived in. I just don't get it; I just don't get it. Come on, kids!
Can anyone say “how we got to this place”? I was born in 1964 (60 yrs young) 2 grown adults born 1985 & 1990, both have grown up to be well rounded responsible adults, educated, and 8 kids between them. I cannot wrap my head around some of gen’s Z’s behaviours, I feel sad for those who are stunted in their growth, their lack of maturity and their easily guided blindness to neo-marxism, CRT, etc…What scares me the most is this generation is or will be pro-creating and god only knows how my h worse it will get.
There is so much truth here I can't stand it!
I guess the days of chomping at the bit to get to the DMV on your sixteenth birthday to take your driving test are long gone. It's sad, but at the same time it's comforting to know there are fewer teenagers driving. I don't worry much about getting carjacked in my old four-speed manual-transmission pickup. Unless the jacker is well over forty, he won't be able to take off once he gets behind the wheel. I suppose I could twist the knife by having a set of driving instructions in the glove compartment, hand-written in cursive.
Perfect...
This generation has been failed by the adults. And just wait until the COVID kids come of age.
Excellent. I have kids 28, 26. They both were taught to drive a stick. My degree is in English. I tried to test out of a writing class I “knew” I could pass: F. Later I took that professor purposefully. Twice. Best prof I ever had. I took that prof because I sat in the first meeting of another “writing” class. When the prof was asked which he prioritized, WHAT we wrote or HOW we wrote, he responded WHAT… when the entire point of a writing class is HOW. Dropped him and added to F prof. Best move I made in college.
Josh, I have to admit, my g - g- generation was much the same in terms of attitude. The only words many of us could say were wow, far out and f*. We too were egged on by Marxist revolutionaries. The current Marxists are some of the same ones, but now they're tenured professors.
Arguably, one thing they really lack is organic humility. They are so full of their own ego- pride, its amazing they don't see themselves as demi-gods.
Boomers were the first generation to be spoiled.
are boomers different than baby boomers?
No, they are the same.
How were they spoiled? By their parents or by their access to modern convenience?
Yeah, by everything. They were handed everything and still want more. They are the richest generation to ever live and they demand social security and Medicare benefits despite being millionaires and don’t care if it bankrupts their grandchildren. They are the most selfish and spoiled generation to ever exist.
Some, yes. Not all. Big difference between early and late boomers. War will do that.
Which war?
Nam
During my undergrad degree, I took 3 different classes from a professor that I really liked and admired. At the end of the second class, he wrote on my final paper: "I enjoyed having you in class again and appreciated your contributions. Unfortunately, I don't think you've made any improvement as a writer during this class." That ego-busting comment is what prompted me to stop gliding along and instead put real effort into my writing practice.
Thank you for releasing this article from the paywall. Another aspect that I have noticed from the Z generation is the tendency to speak over adults. I will be having a conversation with a Zoomer, and they will think nothing of interrupting me as I speak if some thought comes to their mind. Perhaps they are copying some sort of “engaging” style of discourse they’ve seen from shows or TikTok. In my youth, I would never interrupt or speak over an adult. It would be unheard of. But when you inform them of their misstep, they look at you as if you’ve slapped them! Can’t win either way, so might as well ensure you’re not disrespected.
I may be wrong, but I believe I know why this happens, generally. I was born in 1981, and until I reached an age where I was an original participant in an adult conversation, I was NOT allowed under any circumstances to barge into a room where adults were talking and interrupt them. It didn’t matter if I “needed” Mom or Dad’s attention for any reason; I needed to wait for my turn to speak.
Almost all of my friends have children—some teenagers, some still quite young. Every single one of them immediately gives their child their full, undivided attention the moment it is requested. I’ll be talking to my friend in his living room and while I’m in mid-sentence, his daughter will yell “Daddy!!” His head turns away from me in that moment and he yells back “yes, sweetie?”
They command every room they enter. They instantly receive preferential conversational priority. It’s no wonder they grow up with a penchant for interrupting people. They’ve been doing it since they learned how to speak. And their parents, of course, allow it. After all, to do otherwise might send the message to little Aiden and Emma that Mommy and Daddy don’t love them!!
From the other side, this drives me up the wall as a parent somewhat younger than you. I have small children whom I'm *trying* to teach to wait their turn without interrupting--but what happens every time I remind them of the rule? The other parent/grandparent I'm talking to says "Oh, no, it's okay!" and won't engage me again until I've dealt with the little one.
Maybe I need more grumpy codger friends.
You’re going to need to get more assertive with your parents and/or his. You’re the mother, it’s your house, and your child. I’d hold that line and boundary. The longer you don’t stand up for it in front of your child, the harder it’s going to be.
You're very right. Fortunately it's almost never been my kids' relatives, I usually have this problem with other parents at events and so on (I guess I wasn't too clear on that.) Still, it's not like it's going to get any easier.
If you have a husband, this a good man's job to back you up, too.
Then you need to say to the other parent/grandparent, "no, it's not okay", then reiterate that to the child. Be the grumpy you want to see in the world LOL
I just don't understand the lack of drive and initiative. When I was a kid I couldn't wait to get my driver's license and I couldn't wait to get out of the house. I also wanted to be a professional horse trainer, and while I definitely overestimated my knowledge and abilities, I tried to learn from older, experienced trainers because I recognized that they knew something I didn't know.
What reasons do they have to go out of the house? Everything they want can be delivered and everyone they want to interact with, they can do on-line. And their parent(s) will take them anywhere they want to go instead of saying, no, I am no longer your taxi. Then they can uber if they don't live in the city. It's sad.
This is the generation that came home with “Student of the Month” certificates that they did not deserve, who left birthday parties carrying goodie bags that contained more gifts than the actual gifts we boomers received for our birthdays. Field Day, with it’s ribbon-winning ceremonies for those who excelled physically and perhaps not academically, became “Woodstock” where there were no winners or losers and parents arrived every ten minutes with gourmet popsicles to make sure their children weren’t overheated, and after school there would be a trip to Friendly’s for ice cream. In short, these poor kids were sent to years of NPD Camp.
Gone are the gangs of neighborhood kids on bicycles and the sweat-shirted fifth graders playing “manhunt” in the dark after dinner. There were more lessons learned in the neighborhood than in all the specialty camps that these kids attended.
Well intentioned parents wishing to relive their own faulty childhoods, or those who wished to gain credence from their children’s achievements, ended up depriving them of the components of childhood that turn children into capable and anti-fragile adults.
As an early millennial (or perhaps last gasp of Gen X) I could relate to everything you said -- but must admit that I only drive automatic and (gulp) like flowery adjectives and adverbs!
I like those kinds of words too. But as a writer I default to them too much and the first thing I do when editing a draft is get rid of most of my adjectives. If I don't do that I find my own writing too fussy. Writing has to find a balance between the author's style, the tone that will work for the subject matter, and the patience of the reader.
If I hear one more time about how they are so much more concerned about the environment, imma slap them. With their fast fashion/beauty and throw away mentality, I think not. My parents composted, thrifted, mended, re-used and had appliances & cars that lasted 20-25 years (didn't have bottled water).
Right?!?
The only thing that will change all this is some horrible world event that will spill out randomly and even that may not be enough. The emperors' children have no clothes. At the risk of "telling another Dickens tale," we didn't have much but it was enough; we didn't see ourselves as 'victims;' and what we didn't have that others did always seemed possible through our own efforts. My own children are in their 40's, grossly underemployed, but stalwart workers. Yet they are unhappy and see themselves as "put upon" by "the world." I'm certain my grandparents who came here in 1900 felt similar, but they carved out a life that I have thrived in. I just don't get it; I just don't get it. Come on, kids!
Can anyone say “how we got to this place”? I was born in 1964 (60 yrs young) 2 grown adults born 1985 & 1990, both have grown up to be well rounded responsible adults, educated, and 8 kids between them. I cannot wrap my head around some of gen’s Z’s behaviours, I feel sad for those who are stunted in their growth, their lack of maturity and their easily guided blindness to neo-marxism, CRT, etc…What scares me the most is this generation is or will be pro-creating and god only knows how my h worse it will get.