You're Not Special

Lesson #1: Life is not fair
Lesson #2: Know thyself, and know others too

In my view false humility can be just as bad as false arrogance. But I am not completely joking - I'm good enough with numbers and have been in many direct competitions worldwide to know where I stand. For example, many years ago I was at the bottom bracket of knowing 'fancy words' and the top bracket of quickly making correct logical analysis. Since then I have gotten better in both, but I've significantly regressed in another area which I shall not name.

Not to argue, but the generation that has been fighting in Iraq And Afghanistan (generation kill) is doing pretty well if you ask me... They hump more equipment then I ever had to (in some of the same ground).. They go to back to back tours and do it proudly without bitchin (or running to Canada, like some other wars). I was in from 1983 all the way to 2007 and I have seen and met some outstanding individuals. So there are a faction of kids out there that are spoiled, but to blanket a generation is way off the mark in not only my opinion, but my experience.. To all you younger lads, I salute you... Everyone can call youmspoiled but not many have fought the long fight... Or be expected, for the young who will be entering thosempublic services (police, firefighter, soldier) over the next few years.

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Originally Posted by Wintchase

Not to argue, but the generation that has been fighting in Iraq And Afghanistan (generation kill) is doing pretty well if you ask me... They hump more equipment then I ever had to (in some of the same ground).. They go to back to back tours and do it proudly without bitchin (or running to Canada, like some other wars). I was in from 1983 all the way to 2007 and I have seen and met some outstanding individuals. So there are a faction of kids out there that are spoiled, but to blanket a generation is way off the mark in not only my opinion, but my experience.. To all you younger lads, I salute you... Everyone can call youmspoiled but not many have fought the long fight... Or be expected, for the young who will be entering thosempublic services (police, firefighter, soldier) over the next few years.

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I don't disagree, I retired in 2005 and left feeling confident that the military was in good hands without the old fart. These young GIs these days are an impressive lot, the operations tempo they live with on a daily basis dwarfs anything we knew but then again, if you've got the mentality to enlist, you're probably not one of the pampered, bubble wrapped little darlings, I think this guy was talking about. Unfortunately, generalizations come easy and the term "kids these days!" has been mantra of grumpy old codgers probably since my grandpa was a kid.

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Originally Posted by 1OldGI

generalizations come easy and the term "kids these days!" has been mantra of grumpy old codgers probably since my grandpa was a kid.

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This is what stopped me from replying earlier. The talk about my generation (class of '97 - last group or so of Gen X) was that we were all unmotivated slackers. And we were. But we eventually found motivation and did some amazing things. Most of the people I grew up with are quite accomplished, and the majority are doing better than their parents. It isn't particularly accurate to judge a generation based on their mindset or what they've accomplished in their first 17 years.

I think he was absolutely right in letting these kids know they aren't special. If you want to become special you have to go out and do great things, but to many kids these days are just concerned about texting and what party they are going to go to tonight.

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Originally Posted by raysofcolorado

I think he was absolutely right in letting these kids know they aren't special. If you want to become special you have to go out and do great things, but to many kids these days are just concerned about texting and what party they are going to go to tonight.

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these particular kids. if disadvantaged kids has been in as many honor societies or gotten into as many top schools as some of these kids undoubtedly did, any commencement speaker at their school would definitely be telling them they were special.
One needs to know what kind of community Wellesley MA is to know why this speech is priceless. One of the most affluent towns in the state, and some of the people there think they are very special. i grew up a couple of towns over, which is now suffering the same delusion, and i worked in wellesley for several years. if any bunch of kids needed to be reminded they are just another speck in the Universe, it would be kids from Wellesley, or Weston, or Lincoln, or Sherborn, or Dover, or Concord. we got lots of them here in kennedy country.