Thread: A Telling Story of Youth Today

Lots of interesting comments here, guys-From my perspective, one way or another I've worked with teenagers for 20 years (teaching and former Scout leader). I have kind of mixed feelings on this. For years I said that American kids were getting better, and not worse as was the conventional wisdom. I felt that because I knew personally (and knew about a lot more) really good, well-adjusted kids with great attitudes, good work ethics, great moral sense, wisdom beyond their years, civic-minded, the whole package. And don't get me wrong, there are still kids like that.

But in the last few years, I don't know...I see lots of narcissism, lots of entitlement issues involving grades, etc. Heck, one of the reasons I retired from Scouting (other than being completely burned out after 9 years) was boys whose mothers thought that it was time for them to "get their Eagle" even though they didn't come to meetings, didn't even like to camp, no skills, etc (so yeah, parents play into this too).

I'll give you a couple of anecdotes: Our graduations have been getting pretty rowdy in recent years-airhorns, entire screaming families, people being escorted out by deputies, etc. This year, for the 1st time, our graduates on the field were worse than the crowd. They were inflating and throwing around beachballs (by the dozens!), ping-pong balls, just going nuts really, and all this during the special music by one of their classmates, and the students' speeches (yes, they're boring, but still). Just totally classless, disgusting, and boorish behavior, really, and in front of a stadium of thousands of community members. The principal had to intervene, but it didn't faze them much. In another news story today, a plane full of kids from New York on a field trip had to stop in Atlanta and kick about 100 kids off the plane because they refused to follow the instructions of the crew to sit down and put away their cell-phones. I can just imagine-probably a total mob scene.

Honestly, I think kids today seem embarrassment proof. They seem to think that they are supposed to document every stupid thing they do on their "smart-phones" for instant fame in their little 24/7 social media universe. 'I-phone' indeed (and I've got one!). Time magazine recently had a great and well-researched article on this entitlement phenomenon.

I wish I had some answers, but I just see this getting worse.

Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Honestly, I think kids today seem embarrassment proof. They seem to think that they are supposed to document every stupid thing they do on their "smart-phones" for instant fame

Well, it is the technology not the kids. I would surmise that the same actions would occur if kids in the 1920's had IPhones and Youtube. There is no difference in the kids of today than yesterday biologically. They are 'built' no differently. However, we do live in a different society. There answers are there.

One could argue that the creation of the 'nuclear family' is what caused all this. During this rise of the 'nuclear family' with dad at the head was somewhat of recent invention, maybe being traced by to the Victorian era were the family started to become more enclosed. By the 1950's we see, at least in America, the rise of nuclear family.

During this time, teenagers started spending more time with their peers over their family. They had more extracurricular activities aways from home. At last, their peers had more sway over them than parents or other adults. So that sweet time during the 50's started the ball rolling, you could say where kids went wrong. I do not think they went wrong the world just changed, thus changing our roles within society.

I ticked my father off many times! At the time I wondered why and sometimes cursed him. I now have three children of my own and one grandson. Two of the three kids are doing great and the other is still a few years younger than I was before i got my "stuff" together. There is still hope! I wish my father was still here so i could apologize.

Originally Posted by 32t

I wish my father was still here so i could apologize.

What is the old saying? We spend the 2nd half of our lives apologizing for the 1st.

Mephisto is probably right. Kids today are navigating their way through a world that is changing faster than anyone can hope to keep up with. The old David Bowie song seems appropriate here: "And these children that you spit on, as they try to change their world, are immune to your consultation. They're quite aware of what they're going through." Us older geezers can't possibly fathom what it's like to grow up in a world completely immersed in technology that can be so horribly misused. As I often say, you can't download wisdom...

Still, it's up to us to let them know unequivocally when they're engaging in boorish, narcissistic, rude, or yes, lazy behavior, call them on it, and show them a better way, or enforce consequences when they refuse to do the right thing.

Still,

Originally Posted by Hirlau

Kids in our day weren't that smart.

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with generations and everything to do with the fact that teenagers are idiots......I know I was one when I was one.

It is a lot harder for kids these days, imo because of computers.

The demands on development of kids is a lot bigger than in my generation. Additionally, when we were kids and did stupid stuff, only people close to us would know, and most people would forget. When kids these days do stupid stuff like most of us did, it will haunt them the rest of their entire lives. If you know a name, all things they'd rather not be known is just a google search away.

Most of us started using the internet when most of our youthful stupidity was behind us. We got lucky and the internet doesn't know about it. Add to that the fact these days, every phone has a camera and the ability to stream live to youtube, and the potential for lifelong regret is huge.

Just think about the following people who did some stupid childish stuff, which they should not have done, but which does not warrant them being branded for the rest of their lives:

Ritchard Gale
jessica leonhardt
Karen Owen

What they did was stupid or childish, and it will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Originally Posted by Bruno

Just think about the following people who did some stupid childish stuff, which they should not have done, but which does not warrant them being branded for the rest of their lives:

Ritchard Gale
jessica leonhardt
Karen Owen

What they did was stupid or childish, and it will haunt them for the rest of their lives.

I have no idea who those people are, guess it's time to open a new tab and google them. As far as our stupidity not being on the internet, don't be to sure of that. If there are photos, then you never know if or when they'll be uploaded via Facebook. Thanks to a "friend" some very embarrassing photos are posted on Facebook that I thought were in a landfill. Technology is a love/hate relationship.

Originally Posted by LX_Emergency

I'm pretty sure it has nothing to do with generations and everything to do with the fact that teenagers are idiots......I know I was one when I was one.

Vlad, I made that statement in jest,,,,,,,

Originally Posted by ReardenSteel

I have no idea who those people are, guess it's time to open a new tab and google them. As far as our stupidity not being on the internet, don't be to sure of that. If there are photos, then you never know if or when they'll be uploaded via Facebook. Thanks to a "friend" some very embarrassing photos are posted on Facebook that I thought were in a landfill. Technology is a love/hate relationship.

That's my point. You don't know who those people are, but you will know their stupidest and most embarassing things as soon as you type just their name in google, as will every recruiter or boss who'll ever hire them.

Btw, I don't know how old you are, but I still belong to a generation where pictures were taken only on special occasions such as holidays. On the occasions where I did really stupid stuff, noone had a camera with him

Kids these days are also watched more closely than any generation was before. Those same cell phones they have their noses buried in allow parents to watch them 100% of the time. Think about that. Imagine if when you were nine years old and snuck away to get a first kiss from your first crush but instead your mother shows up and tells little Mary's mom. Over time, you get kids that become desensitized (is that a word?) to supervision.