Are Teens Really Lazy & Greedy?

[Barefootsies]

Short answer: Yes.

Teenagers nowadays show a greater desire for nice things, but they don't want to work hard for the money to purchase such goods, new research suggests.

The findings, published today (May 1) in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, may resonate with all the adults who say "kids these days" feel more entitled than past generations.

"Compared to previous generations, recent high-school graduates are more likely to want lots of money and nice things, but less likely to say they're willing to work hard to earn them," said study author Jean Twenge, a psychologist at San Diego State University, in statement. "That type of 'fantasy gap' is consistent with other studies showing a generational increase in narcissism and entitlement."

Me generation
Past studies by Twenge and her colleagues have shown a generational divide in the value of work: younger generations value leisure time more than their elders.

Yet their work ethic didn't jive with their emphasis on material wealth. About 39 percent of the more recent graduates said they didn't want to work hard, compared with just 25 percent of the oldest cohort.

FULL STORY

[Klen]

Well could be beacuse today kids are way way toospoiled.

[purecane]

that might be because they only interviewed college kids...try hitting up wal-mart or mcdonalds and ask the kids working there.

[BlackCrayon]

yet we have more millionaires under 25 now than ever before.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

yet we have more millionaires under 25 now than ever before.

So............ because a handful of them had a good idea that made them some money, that means the vast majority of the demographic is not lazy and entitled?

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by KlenTelaris

Well could be beacuse today kids are way way toospoiled.

Agreed.

Talking to many who have children these days, few seems to be the disaplinarians that a lot of us older chappies grew up with. The bar seems to be set very low, and there is endless coddling of these youngsters, so it's not a mystery why you have them living at home until 30 or having this MTV cribs expectation of hand outs.

When I have asked these punk ass parents why they opt for this style of parenting, despite being risen more rigid, the answers are the same. Their own parents were "too hard" on them.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

So............ because a handful of them had a good idea that made them some money, that means the vast majority of the demographic is not lazy and entitled?

and how many more who tried and failed? its such a generalization that every generation makes as they get older. you could say the same thing 100 years ago.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

Agreed.

Talking to many who have children these days, few seems to be the disaplinarians that a lot of us older chappies grew up with. The bar seems to be set very low, and there is endless coddling of these youngsters, so it's not a mystery why you have them living at home until 30 or having this MTV cribs expectation of hand outs.

When I have asked these punk ass parents why they opt for this style of parenting, despite being risen more rigid, the answers are the same. Their own parents were "too hard" on them.

unless you have kids i think you have little room to talk. the kids raised in the 60's had it easier than the kids raised in the 30's. just as the kids in the 30's had it easier than the kids raised at the turn of the century, just as they had it easier than the kids who grew up in the caveman days,..

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by purecane73

that might be because they only interviewed college kids...try hitting up wal-mart or mcdonalds and ask the kids working there.

Ask their employer or supervisors about the youth today compared to 10 - 20 years ago.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

unless you have kids i think you have little room to talk.

Sorry. The facts of society statistics have little relevance on whether I have a child or not.

While I appreciate your replies, they are simply straight up ignorant if that is your logic to back up your talking points. If you want to actually make a point, feel free to add in some facts versus the senseless nonsense.

No offense. Thank you.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

Sorry. The facts of society statistics have little relevance on whether I have a child or not.

While I appreciate your replies, they are simply straight up ignorant if that is your logic to back up your talking points. If you want to actually make a point, feel free to add in some facts versus the senseless nonsense.

No offense. Thank you.

oh well you miss the point, too bad. talk to a supervisor 20 years ago about how kids were lazy and entitled compared to the ones 10-20 years before that. you'll get the same responses.

[Scott McD]

Teenagers nowadays show a greater desire for nice things, but they don't want to work hard for the money to purchase such goods, new research suggests.

I'm just surprised they had to do research to find this out...

[xNetworx]

[dyna mo]

i don't have kids, thank fucking christ. but i do have an opinion on the little fuckers.


every gen says "kids these days!" lazier/stupider/wtf-ever than ever.

i think it's fair to say teens have always been lazy & greedy.

but add in tech, radio-->television-->internet.

things are easier now than ever, add in living in an age of entitlement and i can see how teens could *possibly* get more & more lazy & greedy.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by Scott McD

I'm just surprised they had to do research to find this out...

[Rochard]

Yep, kids are spoiled. Sure thing.

I remember being like ten and getting a large plastic GI Joe Jeep for Christmas from my Aunt one year. My uncle made a comment saying "Kids are spoiled these days - I never had toys like this". I wonder if we all look back at the younger generation and think they are spoiled just because they had things we did not.

I have a friend who just turned 21, known her for a few years. She has two part time jobs, and has two small businesses... Seems pretty well motivated for me.

[RyuLion]

Yeap..........

[Bman]

Much like our parents generation...

[MaDalton]

just watch a couple of documentaries from the 50ties and you will have those people back then say exactly the same about their kids

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

yet we have more millionaires under 25 now than ever before.

Strange logic... Actually its merely because nowdays there are more ways (right spot right time etc) to get rich quick, not because nowdays kids like to work harder then before. Also because nowdays people usually start their business being younger (on average) than say 100 years or 50 years, or whatever number years go.

[dyna mo]

how many of those <25 millionaires started off as lazy ass hackers?

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by Rochard

Yep, kids are spoiled. Sure thing.

Better technology by comparison, I agree.

However, I believe we're talking about entitlement and work ethic. Not more gadgets and quality of life.

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by MaDalton

just watch a couple of documentaries from the 50ties and you will have those people back then say exactly the same about their kids

It would not make OP statement wrong. It could be truth. It may be that 50 years ago they were more lazy than 100 years ago. Now they are more lazy than 50 years ago. And so on. So every generation claiming this may be correct.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

Strange logic... Actually its merely because nowdays there are more ways (right spot right time etc) to get rich quick, not because nowdays kids like to work harder then before.

Exactly. The web lowers the playing field or barrier to entry.

Look at what's required to start a brick and mortar business versus one on the web.

[k0nr4d]

I think the problem is that you can't really beat your kids anymore

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

Strange logic... Actually its merely because nowdays there are more ways (right spot right time etc) to get rich quick, not because nowdays kids like to work harder then before. Also because nowdays people usualy start their business being younger (on average) than say 100 years or 50 years, or whatever number years go.

the smart ones are working smarter. they know there is no future in working your ass off for minimum wage. starting your own business venture was a lot less common pre internet days.

sure, there are lots of lazy ass bastards but the same could be said for any generation. if anything is to blame for this wave of lazy kids its the fact that either no one or strangers are more often raising the kids than parents. both work if they are luck enough to have both parents in the home so they're off to daycare with 20 other kids. to make up for the lack of time spent with their kids they buy them shit which can create an entitlement attitude.

i remember article after article in the early 90's about generation x and how they were so lazy and apathetic and thinking they would be the undoing of society but life went on. before that it was 'generation me' that was entitled. people tend to have short memories and resent youth when they themselves start to grow old.

[96ukssob]

its not just teens, its just about everyone nowadays.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of hearing people say "i deserve more pay/benefits/toys/etc." with no justification.

my biggest gripe is when friends of friends or people see what I have and say "your lucky, I wish I had this tv/car/etc." bullshit, I'm so far from "lucky" it's unreal. I worked my ass off to get where I'm at and nothing came easy.

for instance, ive been hiring local sales reps here and some of them come in thinking they "deserve" $50k as a base... and their only experience is telemarketing for an electric company

This country is doomed...

[helterskelter808]

Old people complain about young people. The world yawns.

Yet their work ethic didn't jive with their emphasis on material wealth.

Their work ethic didn't participate in a lively mid-20th century dance and/or engage in some African-American slang with their emphasis on material wealth? Interesting.

[Bman]

Originally Posted by k0nr4d

I think the problem is that you can't really beat your kids anymore

This

[Joshua G]

One can easily argue the tech, the wider range of activities, & the social networking drives the differences in priorities & attitudes of the generations. & that the media glut today simply exposes social trends in ways never covered 50 or 30 years ago.

Every generation seems to think their children are dumbasses. the WWII generation called their children "hippies" & the boomers called gen X "slackers". Suddenly the gen Ys are the laziest of all? Please.

i look at bill gates & mark zuckerberg & see the same person, despite their generation gap. stealing others innovations & making billions off them knows no generational boundaries.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by bossku69

its not just teens, its just about everyone nowadays.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of hearing people say "i deserve more pay/benefits/toys/etc." with no justification.

my biggest gripe is when friends of friends or people see what I have and say "your lucky, I wish I had this tv/car/etc." bullshit, I'm so far from "lucky" it's unreal. I worked my ass off to get where I'm at and nothing came easy.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by JoshGirls Josh

i look at bill gates & mark zuckerberg & see the same person, despite their generation gap. stealing others innovations & making billions off them knows no generational boundaries.

It's been happening long before the internet and computers.

However, those example jews capitalized nicely from repeating the blueprint laid out before them.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by bossku69

its not just teens, its just about everyone nowadays.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of hearing people say "i deserve more pay/benefits/toys/etc." with no justification.

well really the only justification they need is the fact that the cost of living has skyrocketed while wages remain stagnant.

[mineistaken]

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

starting your own business venture was a lot less common pre internet days.

That was exactly what I was saying:
There are more rich 25 years old then ever before because it is more common to start your business venture nowdays.

While your post sounded like you disagree with OP because of that "rich 25 year olds" fact.

[helterskelter808]

^
^
^How rich do you have to be to be considered Jewish these days?

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by BlackCrayon

well really the only justification they need is the fact that the cost of living has skyrocketed while wages remain stagnant.

If you have minimum skills, you deserve minimum wage. No more, no less.

Just because you are a warm body and show up to work does not mean you're a "skilled" laborer worthy of a top notch pay scale. If you can be replaced by an ad on craigslist, than you probably are making what you deserve for that job based on your skills. If you do not like it, go acquire some skills to make you a more valuable asset.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

That was exactly what I was saying:

There are more rich 25 years old then ever before because it is more common to start your business venture nowdays.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

If you have minimum skills, you deserve minimum wage. No more, no less.

Just because you are a warm body and show up to work does not mean you're a "skilled" laborer worthy of a top notch pay scale. If you can be replaced by an ad on craigslist, than you probably are making what you deserve for that job based on your skills. If you do not like it, go acquire some skills to make you a more valuable asset.

even skilled worker wages are not keeping up with the cost of living.

[PR_Glen]

anyone else think these kind of things are cyclical? like beatniks were a result of strict parents in the 40's, hippies were kids of strict parents from the 50's? My parents were hippies sort of and I'm definitely more conservative than they were. Is it not human nature to be better/different than our parents? or to aim for that at least.

just a thought.

[BlackCrayon]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

That was exactly what I was saying:
There are more rich 25 years old then ever before because it is more common to start your business venture nowdays.

While your post sounded like you disagree with OP because of that "rich 25 year olds" fact.

if its so easy why aren't you a millionaire with your own business yet? why isn't barefootsies? why aren't i? these kids are owning us.

[Joshua G]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

It's been happening long before the internet and computers.

However, those example jews capitalized nicely from repeating the blueprint laid out before them.

yes. charles dickens spent some of his time in NYC fighting piracy of his books! 1850 or 2013, some things never change.

but my point is mostly there are no more lazy people today then in 1960. we just have a WWW that takes the whimsical brainfarts of bored bloggers & makes them viral. at this point if a read anything with the word "study" in it i basically tune out.

[dyna mo]

Originally Posted by mineistaken

That was exactly what I was saying:
There are more rich 25 years old then ever before because it is more common to start your business venture nowdays.

While your post sounded like you disagree with OP because of that "rich 25 year olds" fact.

where are you getting this info? i'm not disagreeing, just interested and i can't find any data of this.

[Choopa Phil]

I'm 28, we were the generation who grew up with the cell phone and technology boom and have experienced life both with and without it. I feel like we are the last generation before things took a turn for the worse.

[tony286]

http://www.bartleby.com/73/195.html
NUMBER: 195
AUTHOR: Socrates (469?399 B.C.)
QUOTATION: The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.


Its the same old song. lol

[dyna mo]

i was able to find this, some % of startups are by business entities, obviously, but this may be revealing.




can't seem to find anything pre-1980, i'll keep snooping around.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by bossku69

its not just teens, its just about everyone nowadays.

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOO tired of hearing people say "i deserve more pay/benefits/toys/etc." with no justification.

my biggest gripe is when friends of friends or people see what I have and say "your lucky, I wish I had this tv/car/etc." bullshit, I'm so far from "lucky" it's unreal. I worked my ass off to get where I'm at and nothing came easy.

for instance, ive been hiring local sales reps here and some of them come in thinking they "deserve" $50k as a base... and their only experience is telemarketing for an electric company

This country is doomed...

Really? Back in the day,
You had a job out of high school that paid decent and if you didn't steal you basically had a job for life.
You had a pension when you retired
You had public colleges and some were free or inexpensive. Andrew Groves of Intel came out of the free city college in New York.

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by tony286

Really? Back in the day,
You had a job out of high school that paid decent and if you didn't steal you basically had a job for life.
You had a pension when you retired
You had public colleges and some were free or inexpensive. Andrew Groves of Intel came out of the free city college in New York.

Unfortunately this country's joined the world economy and 'globalized' putting an end to the freeloaders of the past.

Now, you actually have to EARN a decent wage. It's not an entitlement any longer.

[tony286]

Originally Posted by Barefootsies

Unfortunately this country's joined the world economy and 'globalized' putting an end to the freeloaders of the past.

Now, you actually have to EARN a decent wage. It's not an entitlement any longer.

Freeloaders of the past? You owe your living to Andy Grove. lol

[Barefootsies]

Originally Posted by tony286

You owe your living to Andy Grove. lol

So......... lemme get this straight.........

Just because Grove invented Intel/semiconductor, which led to many of the technologies of today, that somehow his creation that led to the computer has somehow magically put money in my bank account with no effort of any kind on my part? I could just sit around in my underwear at a computer all day and watch money just flow like wine and do absolutely no work of any kind on my part? I guess more people need to sit in front of the computers 12-18 hours a day and they also could watch money just magically hit their bank accounts with little effort.

I think you're missing the point here. Technology is great. It makes everyone's life easier than the generation before it. However, we are talking about WORK ETHIC not technology.

[aztecboi2003]

Originally Posted by k0nr4d

I think the problem is that you can't really beat your kids anymore

agreed