today's youth

[blowe]

A little background.. I'm 27 and getting a late jump on my undergrad. As you can imagine, I am surrounded daily by people much younger than I. So last night I was hanging out and drinking a few beers with my neighbors and certain topics were brought up.

 

Here is what I learned...

Not one of them follows politics. Not one

2/8 knew what jihadist meant. If they want to kill you you should probably know who they are.

None of them knew where the Alamo was or what happened there.

I asked them who Joe biden was. Crickets...

I asked them if they thought the affordable health care act or Obama care was better.. 50/50 with compelling arguments for both sides.

 

I could go on but as you can see today's youth (generally speaking) don't know shit besides how to tweet or omgtakeaselfie. The worst part is 6 of them voted for Obama in the last election. The other two did not know when the last election was. Why is America's youth so clueless when it comes to the things that matter? Woody? I don't lump you in with them but I'm hoping you can give me some sort of perspective being in your early 20s

[Westside Steve]

I don't think it gets much better when American citizens enter their 30s and 40s. Look at the numbers of how many age eligible citizens actually vote at all.

A few people have politics as a hobby but I would guess it's a small percentage. To be honest I wish it mattered more but I often get the feeling that those of us who spend time following this stuff are actually just spinning our wheels.

To quote Paul Simon from Mrs Robinson "laugh about it, shout about it, when you have to choose. Anyway you look at it you lose."

WSS

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Anyone 25 and younger should be sent to depussification camps except for those who were in the Military.

[LogicIsForSquares]

I am only 32 and I literally have nothing in common with most people who are 25 and younger. It is like at a certain cut off point, men stopped being men. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule but, jesus christ fellas why skinny jeans?

[sadbrownsfan]

Most college age students(18-22) don't realize how much politics and the world can affect their everyday life, I believe this has been true for the last couple generations(and probably beyond). But once these kids step out from the school they will realize how much the world affects them in their every day life, and most will take more of an interest in the matter. I personally didn't follow politics much when I was in my 20's(always enjoyed history) but now that I am in my 30's I always try to keep up on the happenings in the world.

[MLD Woody]

1) I wanted to be done with this board, but you asked my opinion and the OP wasn't dickish

2) This thread will quickly become full of said dickishness

3) Where do you go to school?

4) Is this really that different than what has always been? Do we really think the older generation was full of political scholars when they were 20? Do we really think this tech oriented, internet raised, new age generation has actually less info about the world around them?

5) Many people just don't give a fuck. Large companies and money run the show. Congress is broken. Etc. Why bother? I don't think I ever had any kind of political discussion while studying engineering. Everyone had more important shit to do.

[blowe]

1) I wanted to be done with this board, but you asked my opinion and the OP wasn't dickish

2) This thread will quickly become full of said dickishness

3) Where do you go to school?

4) Is this really that different than what has always been? Do we really think the older generation was full of political scholars when they were 20? Do we really think this tech oriented, internet raised, new age generation has actually less info about the world around them?

5) Many people just don't give a fuck. Large companies and money run the show. Congress is broken. Etc. Why bother? I don't think I ever had any kind of political discussion while studying engineering. Everyone had more important shit to do.

I go to Cincinnati and study CE. You are ME if I'm not mistaken.

Me and my friends followed politics through out high school and early college. I at least knew the answers to the questions I asked.

Congress is broken and the president is becoming too powerful, which is exactly why we should give a fuck. We are the enforcers and it has been far too long since we the people have been heard from.

[blowe]

Most college age students(18-22) don't realize how much politics and the world can affect their everyday life, I believe this has been true for the last couple generations(and probably beyond). But once these kids step out from the school they will realize how much the world affects them in their every day life, and most will take more of an interest in the matter. I personally didn't follow politics much when I was in my 20's(always enjoyed history) but now that I am in my 30's I always try to keep up on the happenings in the world.

I hope you are right. It will be interesting to see if the children of the internet can take their eyes off of their phones long enough to see what's going on.

[blowe]

I am only 32 and I literally have nothing in common with most people who are 25 and younger. It is like at a certain cut off point, men stopped being men. I am sure there are exceptions to the rule but, jesus christ fellas why skinny jeans?

I have a pair of skinny jeans because some chicks dig them and they help get my dick sucked. If not for that I would never wear them.

[MLD Woody]

I go to Cincinnati and study CE. You are ME if I'm not mistaken.

Me and my friends followed politics through out high school and early college. I at least knew the answers to the questions I asked.

Congress is broken and the president is becoming too powerful, which is exactly why we should give a fuck. We are the enforcers and it has been far too long since we the people have been heard from.

In what way is the president becoming too powerful? What's different?

 

Yeah, ME.

 

I did not follow politics in high school. I don't believe most people do, or ever have.

 

I don't think this is so much the youth of today changing for the worse, but you getting older.

[blowe]

In what way is the president becoming too powerful? What's different?

 

Yeah, ME.

 

I did not follow politics in high school. I don't believe most people do, or ever have.

 

I don't think this is so much the youth of today changing for the worse, but you getting older.

Executive orders, power over healthcare, seems congress can't or won't check the last 2 presidents. This isn't just an Obama thing so don't worry.

 

I know I'm much older than my surroundings, but I remember what it was like to be their age and I know me and my friends acted differently. Maybe we are the anomaly. Also 9/11 happened when I was a freshman in high school so that kind of made some of us follow politics back then.

[tiamat63]

I've found a certain disconnect with anyone born in the 90's. I was born later 80's, I'm a 90's kid. But these fuckers, its a whole different flavor of life.

[blowe]

Something off topic but as for me being older.. I still get mistaken for freshmen sometimes. Must be good genetics because I age so fucking slow

[DieHardBrownsFan]

I'm glad you guys are here. Refreshing to know not everyone is like peckerhead.

[DieHardBrownsFan]

Something off topic but as for me being older.. I still get mistaken for freshmen sometimes. Must be good genetics because I age so fucking slow

Don't worry, it will catch up to you one day. Enjoy it now.

[MLD Woody]

Executive orders, power over healthcare, seems congress can't or won't check the last 2 presidents. This isn't just an Obama thing so don't worry.

I know I'm much older than my surroundings, but I remember what it was like to be their age and I know me and my friends acted differently. Maybe we are the anomaly. Also 9/11 happened when I was a freshman in high school so that kind of made some of us follow politics back then.

Maybe, I was in elementary school. I really didn't know what was going on.

[Westside Steve]

Actually there was a group of us who were very interested in politics when we were in high school. We were all pretty left wing, anti war etcetera.

For us I think it made sense because we were approaching draft edge and there was the Vietnam war going on.

WSS

[calfoxwc]

Well, I was born in 1950. Learned hunting and gun safety when I was in the fifth grade,

fishing and canoeing when I was just a little kid. When to a Browns game before I was

born...@@

 

There IS a disconnect. Steve and Diehard nailed it with a couple of comments.

I think without the sacrifice of hard work, and seeing the world's evil affect us here,

and instant entertainment gratiification, the second generation after the greatest generation

doesn't appreciate much in life.

They don't have to work to have food, they don't have to "work" to use cardboard boxes as tanks

in a grassy field - they have these little electric jobbies give them real online tanks.

So many don't fish or hunt or camp or hike or garden or farm. If they DO get into the outdoors,

We saw them walk into the woods, way too close, to a black bear to get pictures. The park ranger was

trying to get their attention, thanked us for staying at roadside, and was walking quickly down the hill

of ferns to tell them to get the hell away from the bear. She was very concerned they could get killed.

They had no idea it was a dangerous thing to do. Their smartphone didn't tell them, eh?

 

They do stuff like go walking in a park, and fall off a cliff. Standing on the edge of a 400 foot dropoff is

a cool idea? Another smartphone failure. The list goes on and on.

 

Real life is lost on them, so too, common sense, and work ethic.And yes, so many vote for Obamao

because his utopian lies were like the internet - you get what you try to find. Until it turns out to be

malware.

 

Oops, bad things happen. Jay Leno used to ask people out on the street simple questions. And

these people had NO clue. And most all of them were young folks. Too bad.

 

Everything is given to them, food education, online anything and smartphone instant communication -

so much they don't know about, and think they don't have to. Common sense goes out the window, as

well as principles and work ethic.

 

And it reflects in their votes in politics. No common sense, no principles. Just instant

feel good, and free whatever helps them not have to really know about life.

[blowe]

I've found a certain disconnect with anyone born in the 90's. I was born later 80's, I'm a 90's kid. But these fuckers, its a whole different flavor of life.

There is a line drawn somewhere around 23 years old that I've noticed that disconnect. Maybe it was having the internet developed for them that changed them. I think technically I am a millennial, but I don't associate well with that generation.

[blowe]

Well, I was born in 1950. Learned hunting and gun safety when I was in the fifth grade,

fishing and canoeing when I was just a little kid. When to a Browns game before I was

born...@@

 

There IS a disconnect. Steve and Diehard nailed it with a couple of comments.

I think without the sacrifice of hard work, and seeing the world's evil affect us here,

and instant entertainment gratiification, the second generation after the greatest generation

doesn't appreciate much in life.

They don't have to work to have food, they don't have to "work" to use cardboard boxes as tanks

in a grassy field - they have these little electric jobbies give them real online tanks.

So many don't fish or hunt or camp or hike or garden or farm. If they DO get into the outdoors,

We saw them walk into the woods, way too close, to a black bear to get pictures. The park ranger was

trying to get their attention, thanked us for staying at roadside, and was walking quickly down the hill

of ferns to tell them to get the hell away from the bear. She was very concerned they could get killed.

They had no idea it was a dangerous thing to do. Their smartphone didn't tell them, eh?

 

They do stuff like go walking in a park, and fall off a cliff. Standing on the edge of a 400 foot dropoff is

a cool idea? Another smartphone failure. The list goes on and on.

 

Real life is lost on them, so too, common sense, and work ethic.And yes, so many vote for Obamao

because his utopian lies were like the internet - you get what you try to find. Until it turns out to be

malware.

 

Oops, bad things happen. Jay Leno used to ask people out on the street simple questions. And

these people had NO clue. And most all of them were young folks. Too bad.

 

Everything is given to them, food education, online anything and smartphone instant communication -

so much they don't know about, and think they don't have to. Common sense goes out the window, as

well as principles and work ethic.

 

And it reflects in their votes in politics. No common sense, no principles. Just instant

feel good, and free whatever helps them not have to really know about life.

Did you seriously say that kids fall off 400 foot cliffs because of smart phones?

[calfoxwc]

Oh, and my Wifie I do not look our ages at all - like I'm 63, I hear it all the time. I always say the same answer -

the secret to my younger looks is I'm chronically immature.....

[LogicIsForSquares]

Don't worry, it will catch up to you one day. Enjoy it now.

I am getting grey around the temples. No good.

[MLD Woody]

Did you seriously say that kids fall off 400 foot cliffs because of smart phones?

I wouldn't take any of that too seriously.

 

I also would guess every older generation has had similar views about the younger generation. "These kids today with their printed word. In my day we had to remember everything and send information orally." "These kids and their radios, in my day we only had books". Etc etc.

 

I wouldn't have considered myself a typical teenager and I'm probably not the average 22 year old either. That's fine. The "stereotypes" of this generation, the people that's representing, they suck. I don't wear skinny jeans, I don't have a facebook, and I don't take selfies. That being said though, those stereotypes aren't the majority. There is a clear biased against the younger generation by the older one in articles. The news, etc. Some of their perceptions of "millenials" are very misguided, or at least to generalized.

 

I just don't want to be the old guy that constantly rips on the younger generation when I'm older.

[jrb12711]

There is a line drawn somewhere around 23 years old that I've noticed that disconnect. Maybe it was having the internet developed for them that changed them. I think technically I am a millennial, but I don't associate well with that generation.

 

I'm basically 25 and I'd agree with this pretty spot on. I "grew up" with the internet in a way, but I really didn't use it in a mainstream way until College. The biggest thing with this generation is simple: technology has made EVERYTHING visible. You older members of this board would be dirty liars if you said you didn't do stupid shit in your late teens and 20's. You'd be liars (mostly) if you said you were upstanding citizens who followed government affairs with a watchful eye. That time of your life is to be dumb, not care (largely) and figure yourself out. Even at 25 I now am inclined to catch the news in the morning and click on political articles at work.

 

The issue of today is what I've heard called the video syndrome. Honestly, think about any somewhat decent event that happens. The first question is "where's the video?" and most of the time it's in our possessions within 10 minutes. Kids always have taken stupid pictures or so called "selfies" (God i hate that damn term now)" but it wasn't instantly loaded into a magical cloud software the second you took it. In a way, I envy not growing up a decade earlier for this reason sometimes, but it is nice to have the world at my fingertips.

[blowe]

 

I'm basically 25 and I'd agree with this pretty spot on. I "grew up" with the internet in a way, but I really didn't use it in a mainstream way until College. The biggest thing with this generation is simple: technology has made EVERYTHING visible. You older members of this board would be dirty liars if you said you didn't do stupid shit in your late teens and 20's. You'd be liars (mostly) if you said you were upstanding citizens who followed government affairs with a watchful eye. That time of your life is to be dumb, not care (largely) and figure yourself out. Even at 25 I now am inclined to catch the news in the morning and click on political articles at work.

 

The issue of today is what I've heard called the video syndrome. Honestly, think about any somewhat decent event that happens. The first question is "where's the video?" and most of the time it's in our possessions within 10 minutes. Kids always have taken stupid pictures or so called "selfies" (God i hate that damn term now)" but it wasn't instantly loaded into a magical cloud software the second you took it. In a way, I envy not growing up a decade earlier for this reason sometimes, but it is nice to have the world at my fingertips.

Well put.

[calfoxwc]

Did you seriously say that kids fall off 400 foot cliffs because of smart phones? Blowe

*******************************************

Well, I was just making a point about not having any common sense, referring to a story I read.

 

Like a video game, somehow you can fall off a cliff, and then pop right back in the game with a new life. Or something.

Let's say I just think not enough actual lack of experiences in life, like too much time not doing things when you're younger,

makes for a lack of common sense that led to this tragedy.

 

http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-climber-yosemite-park-death-proposal-20140819-story.html

[MLD Woody]

A 36 year old man makes an ill advised solo climb and falls to his death..... ---> .... youth today have no real life experiences! umm... ok

 

 

 

 

Again, I feel like you are just saying the same stuff every generation has probably said in some way or another about the next one. To do my part, I'll say that your generation screwed up plenty of things on your own, and I hope we can improve upon you guys (then our kids improve over us)

[blowe]

He sure was a youthful 36 year old. Watch out for ole cal you'll never take him alive. Fattest fingers in the west

[Westside Steve]

A 36 year old man makes an ill advised solo climb and falls to his death..... ---> .... youth today have no real life experiences! umm... ok

 

 

 

 

Again, I feel like you are just saying the same stuff every generation has probably said in some way or another about the next one. To do my part, I'll say that your generation screwed up plenty of things on your own, and I hope we can improve upon you guys (then our kids improve over us)

I think that's exactly the case. Every generation needs to plant its own flag and rebelled against the previous generation.

Every generation believes firmly that they are superior to the previous generation and the following generations for that matter.

As far as politics there's probably not much reason to pay attention if you are 18 thru 24 it probably doesn't affect you that much. The only reason my generation cared is that we didn't want to get drafted and go to fucking Vietnam.

 

Also being one of the baby boomers there were a lot of us so our opinions music customs and so forth had a bigger share of the world stage.

 

Birds push their young out of the nest to teach them to fly and when those young ones grow up they do the same thing to their children. Nature.

 

WSS

[calfoxwc]

Rebelling isn't what we're talking about here, though.

 

Too many kids aren't learning to read in school now. Not learning about the wars,

not learning legit American history.

 

Too much liberal oriented crap taught in schools, and gender related pandering to kids. Too much social

isolation over video games, phones, tv content is way out of control...

 

It's causing more and more, a disconnect with society. You can bet other generations knew what

was going on, they'd listen to the radio, watch it on tv, and talk about it in school.

 

Now? Hell, some don't think we went to the moon. They have little idea about the world wars and what

led to them, they even have trouble knowing how to spell, so many have so little clue.

 

Obamao is a prime example on the national stage. No experiences that relate to the military, running a business,

working for a living, either a sociopath, or just so isolated he became all he knew - a radical born of radicals,

surrounded by radicals all his life.

 

Nothing to them, is legit enough to be taken seriously, except what panders to them for their benefit.

So many kids today with no leadership, or father, in the home.

 

It's become an epidemic, that's to the progressive, self serving ilk of the likes of lbj. It wasn't enough

of a problem to get McGovern elected. Or that other guy who posed standing in a tank, whatever his name is,

that lost the presidential election by a profoundly embarrassing landslide.

 

But there is now. There is a disconnect with reality today. And it has nothing to do with a younger generation

simply making it's own path in the country.

 

Just a part of a possible explanation:

 

http://www.education.com/reference/article/Ref_Electronic_Media/