Are today's 12-28 year olds the worst generation the U.S. has ever seen?

They are certainly better than the lazy, pot-smoking, narcissistic generation that gave birth to them (and which drove the country into the ground).

I disagree. But thanks for sharing!

I'd narrow it to the 12-20 year olds. Those are the children of facebook, online gaming, and rap music.

I am in my early 20's and I remember playing pick-up sports and climbing trees outside and reading the maps in atlases when no one was home to play with. Sure I had a sega genesis, but it could only occupy you for so long, and is nothing compared to the electronics the kids 5-6 years younger than me grew up with.

and yet here you are, on LetsRun.com

I feel that every generation says this about the younger generation.

Worst ever? I don't know, man. Eddie Haskell was pretty sneaky and insincere. I always knew that devious little phony was up to no good.

Jim Stark was a ... oh, what's the word? ... a "rebel," I guess you might call him.

And Artie West ... don't even get me started. That prototype gangbanger was as vile and reprobate as they get.

coka wrote:

Any thoughts?

I would limit my opinion more to the 20-29 yr old category, and I really don't see the criticism. They've volunteered (volunteered, not drafted) for two wars, one of which has lasted for over a decade, and both of which will likely have unsuccessful outcomes. They are dealing with the worst national economic conditions (on a prolonged basis) we have seen since....we'll you know. I work with a lot of young people in this age category and in general they are hardworking, smart, and quite talented. Maybe not much long-term loyalty to the company, but then I didn't at that age either. I wouldn't be at all suprised if we see some talented and significant national leaders emerge from this generation in another 20 yrs or so.

Thanks for your honest feedback. I disagree, but that's cool.

The kids currently in HS are spoiled shits, by and large. Way too much coddling and royal treatment from parents. On the other hand, I feel sorry for them in some ways. Back in the 80s when I was in high school we pretty much roamed free. Now these kids are nannied/parented/ferried around to death. How are they even going to function as adults?

Here's an example. The kid across the street from me is athletic, a HS baseball player, nothing wrong with him as far as I know. The mother drives him everywhere, even to school less than a mile away. I've never seen the kid shovel snow or take out the trash. WTF, he's a big kid, and the mom is shoveling snow? I can't remember boys getting away with this sheet when I was growing up. Certainly shoveling snow was a boys job back then. Now I never see them do it. We make our kids do a lot of chores but our HS kid says she is the only one she knows with these kinds of expectations.

Now, kids have always been morons. I was a moron, but at least I had to contribute. Today's kids are not only dumb, but can't even cut the grass. Now that's pathetic.

"The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for

authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place

of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their

households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They

contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties

at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers."

ATTRIBUTION: Attributed to SOCRATES by Plato, according to William L.

Patty and Louise S. Johnson, Personality and Adjustment, p. 277

(1953).

In short, every old generation hates the new one and thinks there is something inherently wrong with it. There isn't - you're just getting older. Fact.

The older generation certainly doesn't command any respect.

Concerned Citizen wrote:

They are certainly better than the lazy, pot-smoking, narcissistic generation that gave birth to them (and which drove the country into the ground).

great quote right there^. OP, i can almost guarantee you that i am smarter than you (and probably much faster, but thats irrelevant in this particular conversation). the fact is, yeah, we have different technology, styles, and preferences than our previous generation. but every single generation in history did too. and so far, we have never stopped progressing. and the fact is, within the 2000 years, and even more so within the last 200, progress has taken off at an exponential rate. we will grow up and be smarter than you, the same way you were with your parents generation. now, dont go giving me some shit about my spelling or grammar. can you build and program your own computer? i can. can you do econometrics? i can. multidimensional calculus? i can do it. what new products have you designed lately? ive got several. what have you done with your life that makes you so special and better than the generation that you contributed in raising? yes, our government and economy is a little messed up. sorry buddy, thats on you guys! we are the ones who will have to clean up your mess.

oh yeah, and my 5k PR is 14:24 and i've got plenty of time before i hit my peak. media likes to advertise us as lazy because of video games, but ass-sitting, potatoe chip eating, video game playing, stuck up teenagers makes up a very small percentage of us 12-28 year olds. what were you doing when you were that age? probably tripping sack on acid or some other drug dancing stupidly to grateful dead or some shit like that. now go piss on yourself, or something.

I think you're all providing great feedback. I really enjoy the discussion. Keep sharing!

sorry for the rant, i may have been a bit harsh. i realize now that the OP was not actually saying that we were, he was just asking. my apologies. i am just sick and tired of having to deal with the stereotype of a lazy, incapable teenager. so many college professors and bosses have that view and it really pisses me off because i have to suffer the consequences of what the media advertises as "generation Y". i get treated like $hit at both my jobs because i am young, even though i am better than most of the other people there. i suppose most people deal with that though, its just really frustrating.

Yes, but it progressively gets worse from generation to generation. The problems of the younger generation always begins with the attitude of the previous one.

seriously folks wrote:

i am just sick and tired of having to deal with the stereotype of a lazy, incapable teenager. so many college professors and bosses have that view and it really pisses me off because i have to suffer the consequences of what the media advertises as "generation Y".

Ha, I know what you mean. I can only imagine how certain other groups - certain ethnic minorities, for instance - must feel.

You say lazy, I say perhaps we understand (like the rest of the world) that there is more to life than working 60 hour weeks till the day we die.

Perhaps this has something to do with the demographics of atheism. Maybe if my generation was more god fearing we would have those enriched self qualities we all so deeply wish we could share with our elders!

What makes a generation bad exactly? How do we judge? Is anyone really going to argue that our generation is the worst because of technology?

But hell if I know the answer to this question! I'm just an early 20's douche-bag.

I hope you don't think I'm calling you and your generation a d-bag. I am not. I'm in my 30s, but the reason I bring this up is that I've heard many times from coworkers, etc. that the younger generation is really messing things up for themselves. I'm not saying I agree with it....I'm just looking for LR opinions. FWIW, I'm agnostic, heavily leaning towards atheism (just not sure yet). My work schedule if four, 10-hour days, but I kind of skim off the top and it's more like four 9-hour days :)

hahahahahahaha. Wow, aren't you just absolutely full of yourself you sanctimonious, narcissistic prick.

be sure and relay how any of that drivel is in any way relevant to the discussion.

oh, right, you're just tooting your own horn. score one for your generation...