I'm the one who is entitled?

So, my whole life, and especially lately, I have taken a lot of flack for being a millennial. Where should I begin? I went to school, was in the gifted program, I got good grades, and when I came home, I would get my homework done so that I could hang out with my friends, and learn guitar, and write, and spend my time doing things that were productive.

My parents, who happen to be Baby Boomers, on the other hand, would sabotage my writing efforts by taking away the power supply to the printer, or take away the power supply to my amplifier, or take away the power supply to my computer, stuff like that.

I went to college and got some scholarships and studied math, physics, computer science, philosophy, ran a recording studio, wrote for the school newspaper, started an annual rock festival at my college, the list goes on.

And then the economy crashed and I have been unable to get work, except for door-to-door sales, and other random things that earn hardly anything. So I had to go on food stamps and the like, and I moved in with some room-mates, and I started working on counseling, and P.S.R. work, all kinds of things.

Living with room-mates, as equals, we had to learn how to get along and discuss our issues and work things out with each other because none of us had the advantage of just saying "Hey, I'm an asshole with more money than you, so I'm sorry, if you have an issue, too bad."

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What I am I entitled to? Knowing how to budget? Knowing how to interact with people on a personal level and work through problems in a way that doesn't infringe on their rights as human beings? Am I entitled to working really hard on my hobbies, interests, pursuing social relationships and putting a basic effort into life?

Am I entitled to doing all of the above and still earning less than $800 a month, while people in the Baby Boomer generation do none of the following and live in houses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?

You know what I think? I think the Baby Boomers came along, got really lazy because there were so many of them, and caused a general ruckus as kids, and when they got older, they used their strength in numbers to make it look like people who are enthused about more than watching television are the ones who are entitled.

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I would like to take a moment to say that I forgive everyone involved, things happen in cycles after all, but honestly. I'm sure my kids when I get older are going to happen to be born with a kajillion other ones at the same time and I'll have to deal with Baby Boomers myself lol.

reply to post by darkbake


Why would your parents sabotage your writing efforts if you were such a wonderful child?

Were they just evil like that or were you perhaps, not the little angel you claim you were?

reply to post by Spookybelle


If you are suggesting that I'm not being honest, it's not going to get anywhere, my dad didn't like me pursuing artistic endeavors because he comes from a scientific family.

I didn't say I was an angel, those were your words based on how I described myself, in an accurate manner

You could just as easily take what I said and come to the conclusion that I had a lot of energy as a kid, and was hard to deal with.

reply to post by darkbake


I sympathize with your woes, however, I don't believe anyone is just entitled. I live accross the street from a physician that I am sure was making quite a bit more than I, but never once did I think he,should loan me his RV because I am entitled. The only thing that I would agree you are entitled to, is a fair shake at life and opportunity. It's out there, but it is you that must find it. Whatever it may be, make the best of it, make it yours.

I am a 41 year old male that struggles like a lot of us. I attribute that to decisions I, nobody else, has made. I am sure if I made some decisions differently, my financial situation would be drastically different. These are things, as a millenial, that you must learn from trial and error. It is age and experience that make one wise. Neither of which you have....yet.

reply to post by darkbake


Fair enough but I'm a bit confused as to the point your trying to discuss here.

Could you sum it up in a sentence or two so the responses can be more accurate?

Are you trying to say that nobody actually feels like they are entitled today and that its a mistaken perception being attributed by the baby boom generation?

reply to post by darkbake


Every american needs to take a step back, and understand the US is entitled.

Even the poorest among us is richer than most of the world.

So that being said, its a bit of whose the most entitled, and when your arguing that its down right silly.

reply to post by darkbake


You were born a US citizen. That carries a number of entitlements. You can deny them, you can avert away from them, but it does not change the fact that they are there.

There are many people that prefer not to use entitlements they have. That is a game that successful people play. Easily extended to "I didn't need the entitlement so I can take yours away".

Know this -- it is a mind game not a sign of personal integrity. Let your friend or loved one with no insurance bleed out instead of walking into a hospital ER. That is real integrity.

reply to post by Spookybelle


I think the point is, a bunch of crabby lazy old couch potatoes have become slaves to the gop hate machine and use a seemingly innocent word (entitlement) as some sort of curse word due to the fox machine telling them to think that way. Meanwhile, being young today doesn't somehow automatically mean your lazy and unmotivated, quite the opposite, but as they say, snip happens.

For me personally, anyone whom seriously uses the words "entitled" in a sentence when discussing any group in general allows me to quickly categorize that person as just a empty headed grumpmaster whom has no actual thoughts..they are just parrots of whatever the latest granny chain letter email and Hannity nonsense was spewed out the previous day and can safely be ignored as irrelevant.


This video is a perfect example of the mindset of the loudmouth twits. This is the mindset that will grump at the youth being the entitled mindset...without even comprehending what that means (as after all, his entitlement usage was perfectly acceptable..because erm..oh look, a birdie!)

Anyhow, I hear ya..but don't worry. the loudest mouths are not the most mouths..just the loudest. As far as advice to you, do what needs to be done to get by, but never give up pushing forward..even if it isn't in the exact career you were thinking. Throw enough ---- against the wall and something will eventually stick.

Typically, people 'own' houses because they WORK for them.
30 year mortgage? plus annual taxes?

A great majority of those houses you see are STILL being paid for what with, second mortgages in taking loans out against equity, etc.

reply to post by darkbake


This is my two cents.... You got a Scholarship, so you must be on the higher end of the intelligence scale, what did you get a degree in? Did you have a plan to use it for a career? Even then people pick poorly, ie going into a saturated field.

I see TONS of college graduates who have gotten a $35,000+ education in horribly picked fields. It sounds like you have an entrepreneurial spirit, maybe that needs to be the way you go. You sound like you can make things happen, go with that.

Nobody is entitled to anything, you get out and make your own future. Sometimes the roads is long and curving, but if success and wealth were easy, then everybody would make money playing video games. Success is meted out to those who put forth the effort that 99% of the rest just won't.

Probably doesn't answer your question, but it really is Up To You.

As an American, I am entitled to a number of things. Not necessarily because I earned it, but simply because I had the fortune of being born in a civilized country.
The prospect of removing entitlements to me is a signal that some people are not proud of what the nation has accomplished in regards of lifting people up as a whole. To me, its disrespectful of our ancestors and damn near traitorous to not only the nation, but to humanity as a whole.
A net and ladder is what is needed for society..any society, that wants to be considered as civil and a better form of life. Star Trek future of general equality is preferred over Star Wars with sprawling slums if we are looking at the long term picture (which is what a leader of a advanced civilization must do).

Well the increase in those receiving entitlements I think shows us that those who feel they deserve them are increasing rather than decreasing.

I have no statistics to back that up so I am only making a guess here but if I had to bet money I would say that more people feel they are owed something from the government rather than less people believing that.

I have nothing to verify that however so take it for what its worth. You could easily argue the opposite but that just doesn't seem as likely.

SaturnFX
As an American, I am entitled to a number of things. Not necessarily because I earned it, but simply because I had the fortune of being born in a civilized country.
The prospect of removing entitlements to me is a signal that some people are not proud of what the nation has accomplished in regards of lifting people up as a whole. To me, its disrespectful of our ancestors and damn near traitorous to not only the nation, but to humanity as a whole.
A net and ladder is what is needed for society..any society, that wants to be considered as civil and a better form of life. Star Trek future of general equality is preferred over Star Wars with sprawling slums if we are looking at the long term picture (which is what a leader of a advanced civilization must do).

Many people such as myself are against entitlement spending because its simply unsustainable.

Its already at somewhere around 64% of GDP and will only get higher as our population increases. There will have to be a breaking point somewhere.

That is just a fact.

pavil
reply to post by darkbake

 

This is my two cents.... You got a Scholarship, so you must be on the higher end of the intelligence scale, what did you get a degree in? Did you have a plan to use it for a career? Even then people pick poorly, ie going into a saturated field.

I see TONS of college graduates who have gotten a $35,000+ education in horribly picked fields. It sounds like you have an entrepreneurial spirit, maybe that needs to be the way you go. You sound like you can make things happen, go with that.

Nobody is entitled to anything, you get out and make your own future. Sometimes the roads is long and curving, but if success and wealth were easy, then everybody would make money playing video games. Success is meted out to those who put forth the effort that 99% of the rest just won't.

Probably doesn't answer your question, but it really is Up To You.

Few things
First off, overall, I agree with your general tone.
But
1) Often, recruiters will advise going into fields that at the time are fine, but quickly become saturated. How many computer science majors are out there now fighting over a grocery bagging job because of astounding oversaturation from the late 90s for instance (meanwhile less and less interaction in maintenance and the like arising through technology). You can do a lot of research before deciding a path, but at the end of the day, it is a bet moreso than a science as to which path will pay off. Honestly, trade school has a higher percent of quality job landing than your traditional college today.

2) We are (at least in western society) entitled to certain things..such as roads, clean water, etc..its sort of the reason for government and taxes. Now, nobody is entitled to a sweet job just because they are awesome, but on the other end of the scale, I think we as a nation should do more for the working poor (working 40+ hours a week and cant even make ghetto rent sort of thing). End of the day, our society is represented not by a Trump or Hilton, but rather how some working poor slob and handicapped are living.

"A nation's greatness is measured by how it treats its weakest members." ~ Mahatma Ghandi

I think we (in the US/UK) are good..we have a good quality of life for the small and tall, but I think we could do better. I think we are a great enough civilization to have a bit more elevation and a stronger ladder for the weakest and poorest to climb up on.

reply to post by Spookybelle


Yes
Spending without income is unsustainable.

Question, would you pay an extra 4% in income taxes if it meant the worst off in society had things a bit better, a strong education program, maybe a starter car to get to and from a better job, etc?

I would

4% less to make my nation a better place is nothing

Just throwing that out there for consideration.

Alternative side of the coin
Lets say we cut all entitlements..
How much on a security upgrade would you pay on your house, car, and self to protect yourself from the desperate poor that are willing to do anything to get some food or clothes?
Ultimately which one costs more?

Not saying it should be seen as a threat to maintain and elevate services, frankly, that should come from a simple humane help fellow man desire along with a pride in country to not be attributed with the worlds largest ghetto's in a first world country. Also, more middle class = more paying customers (good for capitalism)

Spookybelle
Well the increase in those receiving entitlements I think shows us that those who feel they deserve them are increasing rather than decreasing.

I have no statistics to back that up so I am only making a guess here but if I had to bet money I would say that more people feel they are owed something from the government rather than less people believing that.

I have nothing to verify that however so take it for what its worth. You could easily argue the opposite but that just doesn't seem as likely.

I think you perhaps should do a bit of research. Ultimately the increase in entitlements isn't some sign of a mindset change, its a sign of a bad economy overall. If you qualify for entitlements, your not living high on the hog.

They (stooge media) often do these little hit pieces on people getting benefits, showing some slob with a 72 inch television and playstation 3 or whatnot sipping slurpies and gaming while saying this is the look of todays poor and entitled. It is good for getting low information voters to get angry and think everyone is like that.
What they don't say is that typically everything was a gift or hand-me-down from friends and family, the extras are typically purchased cheap off craigslist stuff, and that the person just spent the last 3 or so hours before the interview looking for something.

It is large entity corporations that are trying to make the averages joes not look there way, saying the true bandits of society are their neighbors, and not a highly skewed tax system that rewards multibillion dollar cheating and fraud while punishing the poor as scapegoats

If we keep blaming the guy who purchased a used foot massager at a thrift store as to why the economy is in bad shape, we ignore the wall street tycoon that is trading our nations integrity for a bottom line for some bank...its easy to blame the poor guy, less thinking involved and less intricate understanding of the system.

But yeah, more on social programs doesn't mean more are doing it for kicks.it means the middle class is starting to disappear.

SaturnFX

Spookybelle
Well the increase in those receiving entitlements I think shows us that those who feel they deserve them are increasing rather than decreasing.

I have no statistics to back that up so I am only making a guess here but if I had to bet money I would say that more people feel they are owed something from the government rather than less people believing that.

I have nothing to verify that however so take it for what its worth. You could easily argue the opposite but that just doesn't seem as likely.

I think you perhaps should do a bit of research. Ultimately the increase in entitlements isn't some sign of a mindset change, its a sign of a bad economy overall. If you qualify for entitlements, your not living high on the hog.

They (stooge media) often do these little hit pieces on people getting benefits, showing some slob with a 72 inch television and playstation 3 or whatnot sipping slurpies and gaming while saying this is the look of todays poor and entitled. It is good for getting low information voters to get angry and think everyone is like that.
What they don't say is that typically everything was a gift or hand-me-down from friends and family, the extras are typically purchased cheap off craigslist stuff, and that the person just spent the last 3 or so hours before the interview looking for something.

It is large entity corporations that are trying to make the averages joes not look there way, saying the true bandits of society are their neighbors, and not a highly skewed tax system that rewards multibillion dollar cheating and fraud while punishing the poor as scapegoats

If we keep blaming the guy who purchased a used foot massager at a thrift store as to why the economy is in bad shape, we ignore the wall street tycoon that is trading our nations integrity for a bottom line for some bank...its easy to blame the poor guy, less thinking involved and less intricate understanding of the system.

But yeah, more on social programs doesn't mean more are doing it for kicks.it means the middle class is starting to disappear.

Yes. All this entitlements talk is a mindwar campaign. Many of the PTB would rather take the last crumb of pie away from their victoms, rather than grow the pie so that everyone benefits.

I'd wager, but can't prove that corporate and military industrial complex welfare much of which is off the books, absolutely dwarfs social safety net spending.

KPB

reply to post by darkbake


If you expect others to provide for you, then you have the entitlement thinking process.

If you live off the Govt, then you have the entitlement thinking process.

reply to post by darkbake

darkbake
I'm the one who is entitled?

Yes.

I will certainly get flamed for this, and probably dinged for this by the moderators (possibly banned); but your entire post (which, I am just floored you took the time to write) is one of the most ironic things I have read on this subject. My Gawd, I hope you are attempting some sort of satire with this absurd diatribe. If you are not, the really sad part is that you will undoubtedly never comprehend what a whiny, self-important, snot you really are. Good grief, just how many worlds of your own making are orbiting around your head anyway?

SaturnFX

 

Question, would you pay an extra 4% in income taxes if it meant the worst off in society had things a bit better, a strong education program, maybe a starter car to get to and from a better job, etc?

I would

4% less to make my nation a better place is nothing

Just throwing that out there for consideration.

4% of 1.7 Trillion (2012 Income tax revenue) is only 53 Billion. Sounds like a lot but, it really isn't. To put it into perspective we have increased SNAP (Food Stamp) Spending in the last 4 years (2008-2012) by 40.011 Billion alone. I'm just talking increase.

Truth be told, paring down the Debt and it's associated interest (FY 2015 Budget Deficit est $744 B, Interest $223 B) would be a better way of utilizing that money. Either that or do things to spur Small Business Growth which would drive revenues Up AND lower people on Govt. Assistance. Win/'Win in my book.

Just think, once we had the Debt gone we would have an extra 223 BILLION to use for our citizens. That's a number you can make an impact with.

More handouts from Govt just begets people putting the other hand out for even more.

The only thing that lowers the amount of people off assistance is Business creation/job creation. That rising tide lifts all.