Comments on: Yahoo column: Why we should be grateful for Generation Y

By: Kim

Kim — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 04:18:56 +0000

Gen Y has a tough road ahead of them, and I neither envy nor despise them. Being an Xer, I never went to school having to worry about terrorism or school shootings. Never feared expulsion or jail for “politically incorrect” speech. Never had to worry that someone would take a pic of me in a private moment doing something I’d later be ashamed of and plaster it on the internet for posterity. I was taught that although the older generation didn’t “get” what we were into, it wasn’t ok to be rude or disrespectful and dismiss them as useless wastes of skin. I did not grow up in a perpetually negative environment where people ran each other off the road in anger, or where common courtesy (and common sense) were the exception, rather than the rule. Gen Y is coming of age in a world where security and courtesy and many freedoms are now things of the past. Gen Y has advantages, too, brought to them by their boomer parents, and by some of the actions of their senior X colleagues. They will no doubt in turn make their contributions to the future. Each generation has its drawbacks. The Boomers got to see their affluence fade and realized that youthful idealism doesn’t work well in practice. Gen X learned that prosperity would elude them and they would have to put up with more and work harder to have the same things their parents did. Gen Y as an aggregate will potentially face a bleaker future than Gen X, due to the social/economic problems begun in the 60s that are finally coming home to roost. My two nephews are Gen Y…courteous, hard working, and yes, tech savvy. I feel confident they will succeed and do amazing things in their lives. But I fear for this generation too, because they have a much more dangerous world to deal with than I did at their age. Enough with the generation wars. I personally don’t care if my generation (X) gets credit for things we achieved that are positive…as long as the world benefits from what we have left behind, that is all that matters. The Boomers are checking out. The rest of us need to get off our butts and make things better.

By: Nick

Nick — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 01:18:31 +0000

Haha this classic “praise Gen Y because they are younger, hipper, better looking, faster, etc…”.
But it is BS. I am a Gen Yer, but I hate my own generation. Why you ask? Well for one everyone talks about how weve seen 9/11, and school shootings, Iraq. etc… But aren’t Gen X and The BabyBoomers seeing that stuff as well?
And wasn’t it the BabyBoomers that have been through Vietnam, terrorist and school shootings as well???? Correct me if im wrong please!!! Stop praising us because deep down inside most generation Yers are just self centereed sissies. If there is a problem with a co-worker, or a law, or the government, or a war, what do we do???? Do we go out and protest and fight for what we believe in while getting beat by the police??? No!!! we go online and blog and bitch about it. HAHA, a joke if you ask me.
Also everyone talks about how we fight for the right for flex time off, etc… Actually the baby boomers are the ones yet again that endured all this crap for us (I haven’t seen a new congessional law regarding maternity leave, racism, sexism, or any other fair civil rights in the workplace besides minimum wage since 1992), so the question is what have we really done but go online and bitch about how we have it so bad?!!?!?
Like dateline said, we get a gooddamn trophy for coming in last place for chistsakes!!!! What a bunch of bitches. And lets not get started on the tech issue. Penelope the expeert “blogger” talks as if Gen Yers created technology and brought it to the workplace. HAHAH another fallacy, Boomers invented all this great stuff and manufactured it, and sold it to us. All we do is use it. So why do we get credit when the Boomers are the innovative ones? If you ask me your whole blog is a bunch of BS.
You praise Gen Yers, but look like a Boomer. Do you wish you were 30 years younger???Haha funny!
Well, I better go blog somemore about how I wish they would stop that godawful war!!!!!! haha btw I was born in 1982 but wish I was born in ‘62 Gen Y sucks and hasnt done shit for society. That is all.

By: Menx

Menx — Wed, 05 Dec 2007 22:34:38 +0000

Keke said:

“They also have no respect and think they can do whatever they want. I’m a Gen Xer and at least I gave my parents respect and listened to them. If I didn’t I got a spanking. I think we need to start spanking our kids again too. That puts things back into perspective. Yea I know I sound angry and I am because things have gotten way out of control.”

I’m a Gen Yer, I got abused, I mean spanked, MOST PEOPLE TODAY SPANK. MAYBE WE SHOULD REALLY Stop spanking and we’ll see a positive change. moron.

By: Keke

Keke — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 02:12:59 +0000

Greg, I completely agree with you. I think we need to get back to parenting the way it used to be. Things have gotten too far out of hand. Kids are so spoiled nowadays its not even funny. I’m fearful for this country when they become adults. We are raising a nation of jailbait. Kids espect us to give them everything and praise them for everything and it just makes me want to puke. They also have no respect and think they can do whatever they want. I’m a Gen Xer and at least I gave my parents respect and listened to them. If I didn’t I got a spanking. I think we need to start spanking our kids again too. That puts things back into perspective. Yea I know I sound angry and I am because things have gotten way out of control.

By: Greg

Greg — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 09:49:20 +0000

David,

I do not really follow. Are you saying that the only good Gen-Y is in the military? Also, to the best of my recollection, the generation born between 1957 and 1983 has not fought protracted or insurgent war. And unlike previous generations (with the exception of Gulf War I), every one volunteered to go over there. They do not have to reenlist. They can game the system and get a ticket home. Unlike previous wars, nobody was drafted or compelled.

But that aside, you know what your experiences are first-hand, I do not. However, my experience has been vastly different. The young people I know and interact with are responsible, hardworking, and loyal. I trust them to watch my boys (which I trust to few people, adult or ten). I like being around and working with young people. I hope you get the opportunity to interact with the kind of young people I see every day.

By: David

David — Sat, 04 Aug 2007 04:29:13 +0000

Greg I’m grateful for our young men and women protecting us overseas. I’m huge supporter of the military.

But, every generation previous that has served deserves the same praise. So they are not doing anything different than any previous generation who has enlisted. Different wars, same risks.

My opinion still stands, gen y is the most vapid, do nothing, say nothing generation in history (thus far, 30 years and counting). I don’t make a statement like that lightly. It comes from personal observation, working/socializing with gen y’ers over the years, and by not being able to find one significant contribution they have made for the betterment of society. It’s all about them, and what feels good and makes them happy. Incredibly selfish and self-centered generation. Sure there are exceptions, but as a whole that’s how I would sum them up.

I guess much of the blame falls on the baby boomers and gen x’ers as parents. A lot more tough love and a lot less praise would have helped. Children need to know that not everything they do and say is wonderful and appreciated. I would love to see a return of 50’s style parenting instead of this new feel good constant praise style that has done nothing but produce a generation of spoiled brats.

By: Greg

Greg — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 15:06:15 +0000

David,

How many Gen-Y are in Iraq and Afghanistan? How many of these vets do you see on the news protesting?

-Greg (44, married to a SAHM, 2 preschool boys)

By: David

David — Fri, 03 Aug 2007 03:48:17 +0000

I’m a Gen X’er and while I occasionally get down on my own generation Gen Y is far worse. This is the most vapid, self obsessed, uneducated, lazy generation in history. It’s easy to have a sense of entitlement and be able to turn down jobs that are “beneath” you when you’re living in your parents basement. Yes, it’s easy to do that when someone else is paying the bills! Am I supposed to be impressed “they don’t need your job?” When their parents kick them out of the basement that attitude will change quick.

I work with some Gen Y’s unfortunately and they are the laziest, most self absorbed workers in the office. You can tell the older Gen X’ers and even the Boomers who value work, and work hard, and don’t look at the clock every three minutes waiting for the time the clock strikes 5:30PM so they can leave.

I don’t know of anything significant Generation Y has contributed to this country. They are great at playing video games, and they’re handy with an Ipod and a cell phone, but zero substance. I’m scared for the future of this country knowing it’s one day going to be run by Generation Y.

By: genxer

genxer — Tue, 17 Jul 2007 00:12:33 +0000

hi penelope,

you state that unemployment among college grads is 2%. How much of that is under-employment. Generally the under-employed are disengaged from their work and prefer their time outside of work. They do whatever they can to ‘get by’ and quit jobs at the drop of a hat.

this would explain many career aspirations of gen y.

* * * * * * *

That’s a good question. You could argue, in some wierd way, that half gen x and gen y are underemployed.

Both men and women in gen x say they will turn down promotions to have more time with their family.

And gen y goes into entry level jobs that are pegged toward a typically performing new worker, but a good deal of gen y is better than typical (statistically speakiing) and they are not getting paid for it becuase they have no track record to prove it.

(Though I”m not really sure what this shows us except incresed frustration with corporate life..)

-Penelope

By: Daisy

Daisy — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 02:56:29 +0000

By birth, I’m either a babyboomer or Gen Jones. According to this tech quiz, I score in the Gen X range. Interesting; maybe I’m not as “out of it” as my kids claim!