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

Originally posted by Wildbob77
reply to post by OldThinker

 

I'm in computer science.


............................... I find them far more interesting people by the time they graduate. They spout far less rhetoric and tend to think far more than they did when they were 18.

Got that wrong, huh?

Computer Science? I thought human services.....OT would have thought a more DEEP Discipline? You said you have worked many...so does the ole guy get a pass here.... ???


Graduates....yes, I agree....'less' rhetoric and 'more' thinking...all good, right?

OT

OT gets a pass.

You can't always judge a book by the cover.

That's a lesson I've had to learn on a regular basis.

Originally posted by Wildbob77
OT gets a pass.

All-right!

From one ole guy to another....huh?

Thanks....


OT

PS: You been on ATS long? Great site / opportunity, huh?

Very smart folks, here..right?

I couldn't have said it better. I tried to tell those old fuddy duddies the same thing when I was a teenager. I knew it all and some more. Now that I have past the age of being carded at he local hangout I am finding out that maybe I should have listened a litte more closely.

Originally posted by SpiritoftheNightSky

I couldn't have said it better. I tried to tell those old fuddy duddies the same thing when I was a teenager. I knew it all and some more. Now that I have past the age of being carded at he local hangout I am finding out that maybe I should have listened a litte more closely.

SpiritoftheNightSky,

Thanks.....


What life experiences brought (LEAD) you to that point?

OT

Originally posted by bommer09
I listen to my parents talk about their youth, and they grew up in a middle class neighborhood in Detroit (they're in their 50s now)

bommer09, they're my comtemporaries...close, atleast....and I lived in "DA-triot" for over 8 yrs....


What did you learn from them?

Also, from those other, hard working AUTO WORKERS, etc....?

OT

PS: What can we ALL learn from them....

Originally posted by OldThinker
Yes, loved 'The MISSION'...

DeNiro...?


My inspiration! fo-sho!

Have u seen?

Yes, several years ago. Do you recall the scenes in which the rope holding DeNiro's bundle is cut and released by the native? The image of that weight falling into the river and DeNiro's consequent breakdown is just...stunning. I have forgotten a great deal about the film, but that particular part still stands out in my mind--really breathtaking imagery.

But regardless of knowing the film, that image (your avatar) of Robert DeNiro aiming the sword is very, very cool . You don't even need a background story for that!

Originally posted by paperplanes

Originally posted by OldThinker
Yes, loved 'The MISSION'...

DeNiro...?


My inspiration! fo-sho!

Have u seen?

Yes, several years ago. Do you recall the scenes in which the rope holding DeNiro's bundle is cut and released by the native? The image of that weight falling into the river and DeNiro's consequent breakdown is just...stunning. I have forgotten a great deal about the film, but that particular part still stands out in my mind--really breathtaking imagery.

But regardless of knowing the film, that image (your avatar) of Robert DeNiro aiming the sword is very, very cool

. You don't even need a background story for that!

pp!!!!!!!!!!


Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


That is, BY FAR....OT's most favorite scene....sentiment.....EVER!!!!!


I've seen a few thousands movies....consisting or tens of thousands of scenes.....


The one you discribed has stuck with me more than any other....I'm glad you brought it up...quite surprized really......


OT


btw, I've experienced the same forgiveness he did....breath-taking, as you put it....

Originally posted by OldThinker

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

Well the survey only mentions a small time frame of reference. The earliest being the 1960's. It says that we're at just a little more of a divide from that period. We can't expect this to remain constant over the years. This will cycle like everything else.

If we had data which went back longer, perhaps more accurate findings could be extrapolated, but as is I just don't hold too much weight on this. The divide is there, it seems high, but I don't think it's as if this hasn't happened before and won't continue to happen over and over again.

reply to post by whaaa

You point out an important issue in this type of discussion: each generation has a tendency to project their own failure onto the next generation, essentially condemning them before they've even had an opportunity to begin. Each generation deserves a chance to grow and effect change, whether that change is ultimately pernicious or beneficial. I know the accuracy of the cynical view seems so likely to many, but as you said, perhaps humanity will get it right in the future.

reply to post by OldThinker

Originally posted by OldThinker
pp!!!!!!!!!!

Wow!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

That is, BY FAR....OT's most favorite scene....sentiment.....EVER!!!!!

I've seen a few thousands movies....consisting or tens of thousands of scenes.....

The one you discribed has stuck with me more than any other....I'm glad you brought it up...quite surprized really......

OT

btw, I've experienced the same forgiveness he did....breath-taking, as you put it....

It's a small world, isn't it? We all have more in common than we like to imagine (just look at the way you've identified with DeNiro's character!). That is something to hold onto.
But yes, what an incredibly moving and beautiful scene that is.
Take care, OT.


[edit on 30/6/09 by paperplanes]

Originally posted by paperplanes
To understand the culture of the current group of under-30s, let's look at the technological age they are living in. The world is connected in a profound way as technology supersedes geographical boundaries, most notably with internet accessibility. There are far fewer lines of separation between individuals. While older adults are experiencing this exceptional change during adulthood, those under 30 have been able to experience and capitalise on this advantage during that period of great growth and maturation. They have begun to establish the sort of worldviews that older adults often find difficulty relating to. As in the American cultural revolution of the 1960s, the youth have bucked the prejudices of past generations en masse. This is not endemic to America; it is occurring in all areas reached by modern technologies.

Individuality is once again receiving favor over adherence to traditional ideas. As people of all ages become more tolerant and aware of other cultures through exposure and study, worldviews tend to move toward flexible culminations of personal exploration rather than reliance on established views. There is an openness to the younger generations that past generations have not displayed. It is an inescapable result of so many cultures meeting one another for the first time.

As further evidence of the new globalisation of youth, has anyone done a bit of international travel in the past several years? The amount of teenagers and 20-somethings traveling independently to foreign countries is just astonishing. I am required to travel frequently, and I cannot count how many young international volunteers and travelers I've run into in the past year alone. When their parents (primarily those born in the 1930s, 40s and 50s) were this age, international travel and the independence it fosters were rarely available to youth outside of participation in foreign wars.

In my view, the discrepancies we see between those under 30 and older adults are principally due to technology and the resulting mass globalisation. In light of today, established worldviews often seem representative of xenophobia and intolerance to minds that have developed in the presence of so many varying ideas and cultures. It should then be anticipated that younger adults will search for more suitable conceptions.

As for why they might take the advice of their elders with a pinch of salt, have you looked at the world lately? The global economy is in a state of limbo, nations appear to be on the verge of collapse, the threat of another major war is looming overhead, the health of our environment is in constant question...do I need to go further? Those who were children or teens during the building of this mess see leaders and the status quo as responsible for our current disaster. Why should they not be trying to establish alternatives of their own? This is the result whenever those in control fail to support the populace; we've experienced it many times before. It is more significant and startling this time around due to the extent of the present fear and uncertainty, the current population level and the international sharing of worries through media (e.g. internet and television).

As a far aside, you have an excellent avatar OldThinker

!

[edit on 30/6/09 by paperplanes]

VERY well written! I have friends from all over the world, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, England, even Romania and Singapore ... and the similarities are far more striking than the differences.

The only disappointing thing is it seems other countries are becoming more and more American, and this is especially true with the youth.

It sort of interesting that in my spiritual studies, it mentions something about youth. It says basically that each generation that comes has a greater will or ego, then the older generation. Not that ego is bad, its actually good, but it has to be used correctly. People tend to have this idea that adults are better or more valuable than children, but its interesting that in this spiritual system, youth are better than adults in a sense since they are more able to receive light than the older generation.

In gnosticism there are some interesting things I've heard as well. The gospel of Thomas says something similar to this.

"A man old in age will not hesitate to ask a child 7 days old his place in the world, and he will live."

I vaguely remember in a documentary, it said there was a text that said something about how Jesus threatened to burn his teacher if he kept trying to get him to conform.

So there does seem to be this high value placed on our younger generation, more so than what society normally values them at. I've even seen middle aged adults on here relentlessly complaining about "Todays youth" yada yada yada, but I think they're mistaking. The youth are greater then them and that's something that should be respected.

children are the nations largest demographic without political representation. children are smart. i dont mean im certain they need the vote, but they shouldnt be ignored. y have no buying power or voting power to tell the media to stop feeding them crap.

I've noticed that this 'Y' generation is more educated (mainly internet educated) in world issues and politics.

They seem to be brighter, when it comes to technology.

They ALL multi-task. Not that it's a good thing, it leaves much undone, or half-done.

They can't sit and do nothing; which, quite often means 'thinking'. They don't put much thought into any concept...don't have to, everything is at their finger-tips.

They are a group of entitlement-minded. They want a reward for completing a 40 hour work week, or a promotion for doing their job.

They are all about teamwork. Teamwork on certain levels is great, but it leaves very few super-stars. They aren't as competitive as Gen Xers.

They may be more intelligent in some areas, but grossly lack social skills. By 'social' I'm referring to face-to-face chatting, not IM chatting (they're wonderful a that! oh, and texting).

They aren't as athletic, as the Gen X, or Baby Boomers, at the same age.

They don't seem to have much drive, not as interested in developing a trade skill; rather, they concentrate on figuring out the world and all its ills.

____

On another note:

We all think we are smarter, than the generation before us, when we are in our late teens to mid-twenties. It's natural, no really it is. It's a portion of brain-development that doesn't mature until around 30.

Intelligence peaks around late twenty's. This is the period to develop new technologies, build new ideas, go where no man has gone before!

----

My father has always said that we're all born Democrat (or Liberal). We become Republican (Conservative) later in life, or after we've fully matured.

He's a funny guy!

Originally posted by SourGrapes
I've noticed that this 'Y' generation is more educated (mainly internet educated) in world issues and politics.

I keep hearing the media refer to the present generation as "generation next." Wasn't that a Pepsi marketing slogan?

They seem to be brighter, when it comes to technology.

Do they know what NAND is?

They want a reward for completing a 40 hour work week, or a promotion for doing their job.

A year or two ago the French were up in arms over Sarkozy's proposal to expand the work week beyond 35 hours. Americans are anything but lazy, yet the compensation for their labor falls short of what is offered by the government in most other western nations.

www.freerepublic.com...

They are all about teamwork. Teamwork on certain levels is great, but it leaves very few super-stars. They aren't as competitive as Gen Xers.

Right-wing American Jesus freaks love social Darwinism yet abhor biological Darwinism. The really odd thing is that Darwinism talks as much about cooperation (symbiosis) as competition.

They may be more intelligent in some areas, but grossly lack social skills. By 'social' I'm referring to face-to-face chatting, not IM chatting (they're wonderful a that! oh, and texting).

They put their whole private lives online for the whole world to see, but if you criticize their appearance to their face they blow a gasket.

They don't seem to have much drive, not as interested in developing a trade skill; rather, they concentrate on figuring out the world and all its ills.

Maybe they're just sick of being asked to live like wage slaves. The Wobblies are still relevant.

HAha,

Al Gore told all the young people not to listen to people over 30.

Obama, has the youngest amount of young people following him then anybody else really, except for maybe lady gaga?

If it's new, if it's a controversy, but all in all, young people always think they know everything, and old people always find they learn new stuff everyday.

When I was a kid I knew loads more than stoopid grown-ups. Now I am a stoopid grown-up...kids must be way much more clevererer than what I am

Originally posted by OldThinker
1) Why is this happening?

People are wising up to the old mindwashing. Especially in regard to religion, many realize an organization is not necessary for spirituality. I find the old generations' sense of entitlement to be more than adequate to qualify as hypocrisy. It's everything for them, nothing for us. They're more than willing to take any assitance program for themselves and balk at the thought of anyone else having any cut, all while they're no longer contributing to society.

Originally posted by OldThinker
2) Are we losing control of society?

Yes. The problem is the older generations seem to be under the delusion that they can control it themselves indefinitely. They would rather destroy the younger generations than hand over the reigns.

Originally posted by OldThinker
3) Have we lost respect for the wisdom of our elders?

Many so-called 'elders' behave more like impudent and selfish children.



[edit on 7/1/2009 by EnlightenUp]

[edit on 7/1/2009 by EnlightenUp]

Just because someone is older, doesn't necessarily make them wise. I find a lot of society's ills can be traced to the baby boomer generation. While they did many great things, they did a lot of damage as well. The parenting styles alone make me cringe.

Originally posted by nixie_nox
Just because someone is older, doesn't necessarily make them wise. I find a lot of society's ills can be traced to the baby boomer generation. While they did many great things, they did a lot of damage as well. The parenting styles alone make me cringe.

Thanks for the continuity here. It is a travesty to blame society's ills on generation that haven't really take its reigns while those in control are compaining about the very society they helped construct (perhaps destruct). The boomers are a highly polarized lot, prone to extremism.

Quite honestly, I think I can relate to the attitudes of my 80-something year old grandmother more than I can my parents'.