Google "generation stupid", and the first choices will be about Generation Y, those ones being born between 1982 and 2002. Yep, they've earned some reputation. The blogosphere and the press are in full assessment mode, and their judgement is harsh. The most recent uproar about them is that according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), about 41% of this year's graduates are turning down job offers because "they are not worthy of them". Being so, back to the parents and back to the rocking horse until something better comes.
This spell disaster. With a crumbling global economy, and with a lot of uncertainty in the horizon, this is not likely the sound decision to make. But who cares? Not the millenials, for sure. I've tried to find the original NACE report, but it wasn't easy: it seems the full report is for sale. I've found out about this reading the caustic Daily Gut and the somewhat meek New York Times Magazine report (it has a happy ending for the millenial kids, in spite of
the contrary evidence). But both are worth reading. And you can find a lot more about this online. But for the NACE source, I think this will do it for a while.In the meanwhile, Gen Y is in a hole and keeps digging and digging. The normal thing used to be the newest generation laughing at their elders, not the other way. Not convinced? Judith Warner from the NYT Magazine says:
And Greg Gutfeld adds:Not only do they believe these perfect jobs exist, but today’s recent graduates also think they’re good enough to get them. “They see themselves as really well prepared and supremely good candidates for the job market,” says Edwin Koc, director of research for the National Association of Colleges and Employers. “Over 90 percent think they have a perfect résumé. The percentage who think they will have a job in hand three months after graduation is now 57 percent. They’re still supremely confident in themselves.”
For critics, this is irrational exuberance, an example of group psychosis, proof that this generation is headed for a major crash. “It’s not confidence; it’s overconfidence,” Jean Twenge, a professor in the department of psychology at San Diego State University and author of “Generation Me,” told me recently. “And when it reaches that level, it’s problematic.”
For me, it simply means that a lot of us haven't experienced harshness, difficulties or thatMeaning, they’re special, so their jobs must be special. I mean, you can’t have a precious one-of-a-kind snowflake working in the mailroom! Snowflakes can’t open packages! Snowflakes can’t make coffee! Snowflakes are there to be appreciated, as snowflakes!
And so the job becomes another spoke in the wheel of self-fulfillment, something to accentuate the belly button ring and Asian lettered tattoo on your pelvis (which reads “stupid white person”).
You could say this is the ultimate consequence of self-love buoyed by a safety net. It’s not the kid who’s doing this, but the parents who indulge them. Kick ‘em out, they’ll find work.
deaded word (clears throat) failure. A lot of us simply pretend these conditions of life do not exist. Our parents are still there to put a veil over those unpleasant realities. And I think is not going to get any better for a while. Not convinced? Well, could you explain me why there are so many emos and tell me objectively if they have any reason to complain?Not very good news, indeed.
Thanks to the mean Diesel Wear advertising execs that once again got away, this time with the "stupid" ad campaign. It portraits the Gen Y quite faithfully, and (not surprinsingly) nobody is complaining about it. I used the ads without permission for this rant. Hope nobody complains about it, either.
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I hate these days. People are telling you to STFU. Just say it, no matter how stupid or offensive it is.