Younger generation- spinoff

[Colleen27]

the one where they say everyone between ages 20-30 has no morals.

Eh, I tend to consider the source on that one which almost always leads to just letting it go. Not so much here on the DIS, where I'm less likely to know the person well enough to know their views, but when I hear it IRL it is often in the context of "those horrible young people saying black lives matter/protesting injustice" or "this generation has no morals, just look how accepting they are of the gays" and I have so little respect for that kind of pearl-clutching that I can't even get upset about it.

It always makes me think of the inevitable threads here and elsewhere around Halloween where someone ALWAYS says I’ll give candy to teens because at least they aren’t out partying, like the one big party night for teens is Halloween LOL

LOL, I'm one of those. But in my defense, where I live there's *always* a bonfire-rager on Halloween night, so I know what kind of partying is the legit alternative.

A lot of the criticism I see about younger generations seems to trace back to the fact that they won't accept the treatment some older generations did. I give them a lot of credit because I didn't have the guts to push back on my employers at their age. I have definitely benefitted from their changing of societal norms and I think they have moved society in the right direction.

I see that too. Older workers (Boomer and older Gen X) often seem to expect younger employees to live up to the more-with-less workloads and always-reachable expectations while also accepting the fact that they'll never see the kind of compensation and benefits and opportunities that older workers have gotten, and then they resent those younger employees for pushing back and at least demanding work-life balance since they're not going to get the pensions and holiday bonuses and other earned benefits that have gone the way of the dinosaur. My DH's whole department except one are older Gen X or younger Boomers, and it caused quite the watercooler controversy when that one younger employee took (gasp!) paternity leave when his first child was born. He's also the only one in the department who consistently uses all of his vacation time. And the older guys definitely see that as lack of work ethic/commitment to the job; they're available basically 24/7 and expect everyone else should be too.

 

[Kitty 34]

Ahh, I see, that's an ignore.

Figured out why I hadn't seen that thread, also.

 

[bennifer]

Um, woooow.

I think what a lot them are saying when they say, “Kids have no respect” is really “I don’t want younger people to express their opinion to me or disagree with me” if all the comments about “wokeness” and “cancel culture” that accompany that is anything to go by. Like I said a page back for some that feels threatening. Certainly the Boomer generation and to some extent even the Gen X generation kids were to be seen and not heard.

The no morals thing. I’m not even sure where that comes from unless it refers to the two things we are not allowed to discuss here on the DIS. If that’s the case, again it’s someone feeling threatened by a different point of view.

BTW I’m not insulted by anyone calling me “woke.” I’ll wear that like a badge.

What also bothers me is when someone complains about "cancel culture" but in the same sentence says that nobody is is kind. The reason people and things are being "canceled" is because they aren't kind.

Also - I agree with being called "woke"!

 

[bennifer]

That's because the defining characteristic of our entire generation is that we are ignored and overlooked.

A friend and I were discussing this the other day. No wonder a lot of Gen Xers became helicopter parents! We know what trouble kids and teens can get into when they're left to raise themselves!

 

[RogueX]

I look at it like this: I'm a Gen Xer and a middle child, so basically I'm used to being overlooked and/forgotten.

 

[MamaMermaid]

People, no matter their age, love to criticize others who are younger/older. I've just accepted it's a fact of life at this point. And no one is right.

 

[slo]

I’m not reading all the replies, but I want to put in my 2 cents…..

I‘ve been working and interacting with teenagers since I was 21 years old and I am now 50.
*For 20 years I managed a store and my employees were mostly teenagers.
*For 5 years I owned my own store and my employees were teenagers.
*For the last 6 years I’ve assistant coached my DD18’s softball teams, which have all been teenagers.

Throughout this time the majority of these kids were awesome and the ones I still interact with are still awesome. The other kids were not awesome, but looking back at my childhood, there were lots of bad apples then too, and I’m sure the older generation ripped on us like older people today rip on today’s youth. We have to remember that today’s world is a lot rougher than when we grew up (I know many will disagree, but it is). I wouldn’t want to be a teenager today. I could write a book on this, but I don’t have the time. Do I get annoyed at how some young people behave? Yes! Do I also get annoyed at the older people with an attitude? Yes!

In the end……there’s so many great kids out there that need our support so they can keep this country going when they are older. There’s also so many great older people out there that need our respect. The bad apples in each group shouldn’t overshadow the entire group. When that happens it makes us bitter and then life just starts to get ugly and who wants that? I know I don’t.

 

[Sinder]

But *who’s* morals? Like, that statement doesn’t make any sense to me. How does someone say a whole generation is morally bankrupt? By what standards?

It makes perfect sense.
It’s about looking at what has become normal and accepted societal norms.
There was a time when Elvis shaking his hips was considered morally bankrupt and now it’s perfectly acceptable to have performers half naked simulating sex on stage. That’s just one example of many things that have changed through generations.
Each generation judges moral standards by those that were “proper” in their up and coming time.
As long as society goes through changes there will be a Generation of people clutching their pearls about it. It’s how it has always been and how it will always be.

 

[mjkacmom]

My niece has also worked her butt off as a nurse the last two years. Also one of DD’s best friends. They’ve kept this world spinning.

Most of the 20-30 year olds I know are also working their butts off, my DD included.

My 23 year old just went back to the office a few days a week, at home he works 10 hour days, he likes going to he office because they buy them dinner after 10 hours. He also works a bit on weekends, he’s salaried (finance) and needs to get certain things done. My 25 year old is a CPA, similar situation. My 20 year old is a full time college student and waitresses/bartends part time. She’s graduating a year early. Dd18 has been working and going to school since 14, she’s never not worked. She’s away at college but tutors one kid virtually, and teaches math to another who is homeschooled. Ds18 has always been lazy, parented the same as the others.

 

[Moliphino]

As a millennial, no we are not.

I absolutely hate the criticism of younger generations. It's been happening since the beginning of time. I actually see great things in gen Z. They are unwilling to accept poor treatment, are open-minded, and hard working.

Even Aristotle complained about the younger generation:
“[Young people] are high-minded because they have not yet been humbled by life, nor have they experienced the force of circumstances.
…
They think they know everything, and are always quite sure about it.”

I agree. But I am NOT listening to gen Z when it comes to parting my hair or jeans style. No way.

 

[tcufrog]

I find all of the complaining about other generations eye-rolling. I remember all of the pearl-clutching when Nirvana and the movie "Reality Bites" came out.

 

[RedAngie]

Figured out why I hadn't seen that thread, also.

When I read without logging on I can see the threads started by the twits on my ignore list. Sometimes they’re entitled to a snarky response so I log on and click “Show Ignored Content,” say my piece, then put them on ignore again.

 

[CdnCarrie]

I agree. But I am NOT listening to gen Z when it comes to parting my hair or jeans style. No way.

yes the article (editorial) I read last weekend talked about the jeans and hair parts of Millenials vs Gen Z!

 

[Moliphino]

yes the article (editorial) I read last weekend talked about the jeans and hair parts of Millenials vs Gen Z!

I've already done the middle part and baggy jeans and I know it's not a good look!

 

[wenrob]

It makes perfect sense.
It’s about looking at what has become normal and accepted societal norms.
There was a time when Elvis shaking his hips was considered morally bankrupt and now it’s perfectly acceptable to have performers half naked simulating sex on stage. That’s just one example of many things that have changed through generations.
Each generation judges moral standards by those that were “proper” in their up and coming time.
As long as society goes through changes there will be a Generation of people clutching their pearls about it. It’s how it has always been and how it will always be.

I guess it makes perfect sense if you live in your own little bubble of what morals should be. If you don’t lie, cheat or steal and try to do right by other people but wear revealing clothes you’re a morally upright person by *my* standards. My younger DD’s group has mashed every bad, grungy fashion statement every conceived into some kind of franken style. Piercings, colored hair (usually un brushed), weird accessories. They also eschew gender norms and labels. As a group I’m sure they raise eyebrows but they are all damn good kids. First to jump into action if someone needs help and bringing “outcasts” into the fold. I’d argue anyone who judges them without knowing them are the ones who need to check their morals.

 

[ronandannette]

I’m so glad you understand where I’m coming from!

maybe lack of morals = they don’t demonstrate the morality I think they should?

woke to me = changing the old guard ; awareness of needing change - so sign me up!

But *who’s* morals? Like, that statement doesn’t make any sense to me. How does someone say a whole generation is morally bankrupt? By what standards?

The post upthread that sparked this discussion was extremely poorly worded (IMO) because obviously that poster meant to imply that “kids today” don’t share his/her moral code. Our society is so much less homogeneous than it was 100 years ago when maybe it could be expected that “good, upstanding” people all shared the same values, and the background beliefs that form them, but that time is long past in Western culture. There are still places on earth (theocracies and autocracies) that harshly compel a standard moral code but not one of us would choose to live in them - am I right?

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Or, that there are pot stirrers on the dis who only exist to stir things up.

(not calling you a pot stirrer)

Well you're def. right there are people who are like that. This though isn't that as it's not isolated to one poster/one thread or even this moment in time. But this digresses from the thread (which is really why I asked about it) as it brings attention to an association that which appears to bother someone. In any case just me wondering is all

 

[soccerdad72]

I do think we all have a tendency to over-generalize generations based on our personal experiences.

That being said, there's always a little bit of truth behind all stereotypes - they didn't become stereotypes by accident.

 

[wenrob]

The post upthread that sparked this discussion was extremely poorly worded (IMO) because obviously that poster meant to imply that “kids today” don’t share his/her moral code. Our society is so much less homogeneous than it was 100 years ago when maybe it could be expected that “good, upstanding” people all shared the same values, and the background beliefs that form them, but that time is long past in Western culture. There are still places on earth (theocracies and autocracies) that harshly compel a standard moral code but not one of us would choose to live in them - am I right?

Which makes it a “them” issue and not a young people issue.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Of course. But you know it is an issue not a stereotype when companies are having to train their managers how to deal with it.

If I had to put my finger to it I think what I've seen in the workplace is what was done before is shifting but is seen as bad.

You're always going to have people who just don't do their dang job and that is not exclusive to young people. It just isn't.

But from what you're talking about with training managers I see that in a completely different light. I see it as the status quo is changing but there's resistance to that. I think in the past there was a "I'm older you have to obey me without question" That mentality bleeds through so evidently I wonder if people even stop to think about it. Every time you see a story that begins with "and this 20 or 30 something" or "this young person" or "this kid" when they talk about an interaction. I see it here, I see it on FB, I see it on Nextdoor, I see it just people conversationally speaking. When people do this it's less about the actual interaction and more just about "I'm older than this person" The age of a person IME rarely has to do with the actual situation.

Even your comments (of which I'm not trying to be insulting or criticizing just using it as an example) when you used to speak about your coworkers it wasn't about having poor coworkers (of which I've had enough of those and they came from all different backgrounds and ages) but about "young" vs "older".

I'm not trying to excuse things but I do think a good amount of it has to do with adjusting that status quo.