Young people to older adults, "We know better, leave us alone!" Survey

Young people to older adults, "We know better, leave us alone!" Survey

Very recent survey results here: www.cbsnews.com...

Why are young people blowing off the values of the older? Doesn't experience generally teach us to be smarter?

A new study released Monday by the Pew Research Center found Americans of different ages increasingly at odds over a range of social and technological issues. It also highlights a widening age divide after last November's election, when 18- to 29-year-olds voted for Democrat Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 ratio.

Almost eight in 10 people believe there is a major difference in the point of view of younger people and older people today, according to the independent public opinion research group. That is the highest spread since 1969, when about 74 percent reported major differences in an era of generational conflicts over the Vietnam War and civil and women's rights. In contrast, just 60 percent in 1979 saw a generation gap.

Asked to identify where older and younger people differ most, 47 percent said social values and morality. People age 18 to 29 were more likely to report disagreements over lifestyle, views on family, relationships and dating, while older people cited differences in a sense of entitlement. Those in the middle-age groups also often pointed to a difference in manners.

And what about religion?

Religion is a far bigger part of the lives of older adults. About two-thirds of people 65 and older said religion is very important to them, compared with just over half of those 30 to 49 and 44 percent of people 18 to 29.

In addition, among adults 65 and older, one-third said religion has grown more important to them over the course of their lives, while 4 percent said it has become less important and 60 percent said it has stayed the same.

"Around the notion of morality and work ethic, the differences in point of view are pretty much felt across the board," said Paul Taylor, director of the Pew Social and Demographic Trends Project. He cited a greater tolerance among younger people on cultural issues such as gay marriage and interracial relationships.

Still, he noted that the generation gap in 2009 seems to be more tepid in nature than it was in the 1960s, when younger people built a defiant counterculture in opposing the Vietnam War and demanding equal rights for women and minorities.

"Today, it's more of a general outlook, a different point of view, a general set of moral values," Taylor said.

Pew interviewed 2,969 adults by cell phone or landline from Feb. 23 to March 23. The poll has a margin of error of plus or minus 2.6 percentage points. In cases where older persons were too ill or incapacitated, their adult children were interviewed. Pew also used surveys conducted by Gallup, CBS and The New York Times to identify trends since 1969. So they are credible...

1) Why is this happening?
2) Are we losing control of society?
3) Have we lost respect for the wisdom of our elders?

OT



[edit on 30-6-2009 by OldThinker]

I think the times are simply changing. I believe modern tech has made kids grow up faster, between what they read and watch.

Parents have become disconnected from their kids at a younger age through jobs, both parents working, leaving them to get their own ideas. Which is great if you ask me...it leads to development of the generation, not just a repeat of the last. But I think this factors in greatly why the next generation is so different.

I'm in that "bridge" generation being 21, but I see kids that are more and more independant in their actions and their thinking at younger ages. It may or may not be a good thing, but it certainly seems there's no stopping it.

Originally posted by Heatburger
.....

Parents have become disconnected from their kids at a younger age through jobs, both parents working, leaving them to get their own ideas. .......

Interesting...what percentage of your childhood friends is this true?????

My wife never worked out side of the home....

Is OT the ODD man out?

OT

reply to post by OldThinker


I'd say 90% myself included. I still maintain a very good relationship with my parents, but there is no doubt about the fact that my younger sisters and I were left to our own devices often once I was at the age of 10. We had a sitter, of course...but you know how that can go, with her paying little to no attention to us.

[edit on 30-6-2009 by Heatburger]

1) Because there always is generation conflict. Young generation (Western) grew in secure conditions, thus they feel more secure in this conflict.
2) Society is not static, it always changes. Power positions, role and such. Economical wheels of society are in need of cheaper labor (young) and bigger spenders (young). So this is most influencing sector.
3) Yes. This is a problem. But it did not start now, and it will become worse. If youth knew ,if age could.

I don't see how this is any different than any other time throughout history. Hasn't there always been a bit of a disconnect between the younger and older crowds?

Do people really think that it will end with this group of young people? That they will have the best values, which are not surpassed by the next generation?

This really isn't news at all. I find the more someone matures, the more they give up their foolish ideals and replace them with something more realistic and applicable. It's just basic psychology. Differences in life stages, that's all.

I don't think the children have any more spiritual or insightful values, I think this is mostly just childish narcissism as always!

reply to post by OldThinker


Honestly, it is the public school system and over all lack of parents that are not educating their children.

That is my view on it. There is no replacement for experience, but it looks like the younger generation doesn't see it that way.

Originally posted by Heatburger
reply to post by OldThinker

 

I'd say 90% myself included. I still maintain a very good relationship with my parents, but there is no doubt about the fact that my younger sisters and I were left to our own devices often once I was at the age of 10. We had a sitter, of course...but you know how that can go, with her paying little to no attention to us.

[edit on 30-6-2009 by Heatburger]

I recognize I am but ONE, in terms 'perspective'....but in my case this is EVER SO TRUE....

I was an idiot, when they were 17-23....than I got SMART again, in their eyes....really?

Wonder why?

OT

Originally posted by unityemissions
I don't see how this is any different than any other time throughout history.

???

OK, thx for the post/opinion.....so you are DISCOUNTING the survey/numbers....

WHY?

I do want to know...

OT

reply to post by OldThinker



I think that has more to do with gaining maturity than anything. 17-23 is typically a "party hardy" time frame for people. Then you get over it. It's not that you got smarter, it's just that you matured. That's just my take.

Originally posted by Heatburger

I'm in that "bridge" generation being 21, but I see kids that are more and more independant in their actions and their thinking at younger ages. It may or may not be a good thing, but it certainly seems there's no stopping it.

Got ya....


I've found that AFTER 23...LIFE hits and they come around....


Heck, I solved the world's problems, at 21...in my mind atleast....


THEN reality smacked the old guy in the face....


And I settled....

OT

Originally posted by Heatburger
reply to post by OldThinker

 

I think that has more to do with gaining maturity than anything. 17-23 is typically a "party hardy" time frame for people. Then you get over it. It's not that you got smarter, it's just that you matured. That's just my take.

Lot of wisdom there, Heatburger.... two thumbs up!

OT

Originally posted by ZeroKnowledge
...........
2) Society is not static, it always changes. Power positions, role and such. Economical wheels of society are in need of cheaper labor (young) and bigger spenders (young). So this is most influencing sector.
.........

Now that's a great point, societal economic issues are definitely (in my mind) a strong factor here....thank you for that....

OT

Israel, huh?

How are things in the center of the earth?

Originally posted by Hastobemoretolife
reply to post by OldThinker

 

Honestly, it is the public school system and over all lack of parents that are not educating their children.

That is my view on it. There is no replacement for experience, but it looks like the younger generation doesn't see it that way.

PUBLIC school, huh? I'm a product or public schools....my wife is a product of public schools...we turned out OK.....

OT

btw, we HOME SCHOOLED our kids....they turned out FANTASTIC....as an aside my daughter had 120 at her graduation open house...so much for the lack of socialization MYTH

OT's glad you posted.....

I work at a University and get to interact with the students.

One time I was talking with a freshman who was going to move back home and was complaining about losing their independence.

I said that she wasn't independent until she could pay her own way in life. Until that, she was by definition, dependent. She didn't like that answer.

Basically, she didn't want to move back home and have to follow her parents rules. She thought she was mature enough to make all her own decisions.

A few years later, she commented to me that she now understood what I had said about independence.

Our generation knows about all the exploits and travesties of all generations...what your seeing today with the younger generation is a far more emotional but intellectual group of people who see how "elderly and middle aged" people believe they should be portrayed as opposed to who they are. The way I see it is- the world is the way it is because of prior generations...not the current one. So they can blame the disconnect on teens like they always do or the fact that people don't understand how kids today think. We've come upon an age where no matter how old or how much you think you know- younger generations refuse to believe or follow whats placed in front of them- they see everything themselves and make decisions based on their own intellect, not like their parents who probably had passed down values to them and so on previously. Kids today don't hold the same values as someone who was born in 1950 or 1960...DUH! They want to live their lives freely without people criticizing them or coming down on them.

Frankly I see elderly people reflecting on this frequently and all I can think about is how far back they are from the current generation. It's just sad that all they can do is look back and reflect, rather than move on. I think past generations hold their head too high. We owe them nothing. Kids today are smart...a lot smarter than other people think.

reply to post by OldThinker


I'm a product of public school myself, before reality hit me in the face, my thinking was communist, then something happened and my world view changed. The thing is I didn't know that my thoughts were Socialist until I actually read up on socialism. This stuff just isn't taught like it should be anymore.

The public schools of this day and age are not teaching history, the kids are getting dumber. Things have taken a drastic downturn in the past few years. Look at the dropout rates, and the overall education that our kids are receiving. All the government bureaucracy is hindering a proper education.

I'm not saying it is the schools job to raise your child and some faults are also on the parents by not "debriefing" their kids when they get home.

It really isn't a surprise that the education standards in America has steadily declined since the induction of a federally mandated curriculum.

Originally posted by Wildbob77
I work at a University and get to interact with the students.

One time I was talking with a freshman who was going to move back home and was complaining about losing their independence.

I said that she wasn't independent until she could pay her own way in life. Until that, she was by definition, dependent. She didn't like that answer.

Basically, she didn't want to move back home and have to follow her parents rules. She thought she was mature enough to make all her own decisions.

A few years later, she commented to me that she now understood what I had said about independence.

wildbob77, I take it, ur old like me...

Glad you are at the university, it terms of this thread....you see them at 18 and at 25 if they go for the masters/phd....


big difference between the two I take it...??

OT

What subject do you cover? Sociology? just a guess...

OT

This is pure illusion. Of course, 30s, 40s, 50s years old people got much more experiences than us.
This survey just shows that many teenagers WOULD LIKE to know more but they don't actually know more about life. Forget it.

I'm 19 and I see that they now enjoy their childlish behaviour until the age of 17 than they want to make the big jump, but this jump doesn't complete the list of things they have to know about life.

I see many high schools attenders that are practically childlish, in a huge way, I would say...
They shouldn't talk about experience until they've got a family and a job...

Originally posted by AceOfAces
Kids today are smart...a lot smarter than other people think.

Yes, good point I agreee......

Will that bring lasting HAPPINESS???

A Good contribution to American/Other society?

My many many years say NO....you?

OT