The Real Selfish Generation is Not Gen X or Gen Y

I've heard it over and over again, that Gen X and Gen Y'ers are selfish, and have an unjustified sense of entitlement.  And I'm a bit tired of it.  If you really think about it, the prior generations are more selfish.  I don't mean to take anything away from all their efforts to put us where we are today, including hard work, and sacrificing their lives in major wars as well as raising us.  But don't forget that they were fortunate enough to live in a world in which they could go to school, work hard, possibly go to college, get a good job, get married, buy a house and live the American dream.  On the other hand, our generations have to go into deep debt to get a decent education, face bleak job markets with insecure, low paying part-time jobs having minimal benefits, cannot afford housing because the prices are outrageous.  So why is it this way?  I would say part of it is that the prior generations have accumulated wealth and power and are not willing to let go of it. 

How many executives keep working beyond retirement age and subsequently put a stop on younger  individuals from climbing the corporate ladder?  Who is responsible for expecting us to work extra hours without getting paid overtime?  Few in our generation will have pensions although many in the prior generation are all set.  It didn't used to be this way.  And who owns real estate that has ballooned in value since the affordable era and takes advantage of our inability to buy property by charging high amounts of rent?   The prior generations are much wealthier and we are the first generations that will not be better off than their parents' generations.  Sure kids these days are coddled as children, but when we are put out into the real world, it's a harsh one indeed.  At least most of our own parents love us and would take us in to live with them if we needed to. 

Politically speaking, politicians don't care about the needs of us younger people partially because not enough of us vote.  Even then, which politician has a platform that favors Gen X'ers and Gen Y'ers?.  Our government's spending deficit will surely haunt us long after these politicians have passed on.  Environmentally speaking, we owe the current predicament to the refusal of prior generations to plan for sustainability and pollution controls until recently.  I have a feeling that it has happened too late and now Gen X and Gen Y have to clean up the mess, (literally).

We are not perfect.  We can be a bit self-absorbed and have a difficult time committing to anything.  But companies aren't loyal to us, so we're not used to being loyally committed to them, let alone anything else.  Also, I understand that we have a propensity to spend more than we can afford, but which generation's marketers decided to prey on young college students by offering them easy credit before they even have income?  They could have at least educated us better so that we would know how much of a rip off the high interest rates are.  To make matters worse, there are less of us than there are baby boomers and they'll be counting on us for Social Security funds as if we don't have enough of a burden of our own.  The only saving grace is that they can't take it with them and they can't live forever.  Or can they?...

Here are some links to commentary by those who share some of my viewpoints and some who are a bit more extreme.

http://www.alternet.org/wiretap/36658/

http://www.coloradocollege.edu/publications/thebulletin/summer97/Hecox.html

http://housingpanic.blogspot.com/2006/05/housing-bubble-retirement-and-baby.html

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1519710/posts

http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/05/03/1083436540802.html?from=storyrhs

+ Atul

Comments

[ripi$money]

It appears as though this generation of young people will be the first in America to have a harder time than their parents.

Our current government is throwing money away, allowing people to destroy the environment in the name of profit, and doing nothing to stop the flow of outsourcing.

[Atul]

I agree rip. Thanks for chiming in. Let's hope our generation(s) don't turn out the same!

[jen]

I totally agree!!! Look at how much the generations that have come before us here have screwed up the environment and created a society that always wants more. Gah!! Its all thier fault!!

[Adam Selene]

lol - from my ancient perspective of 53 years, this is quite funny. My generation was accused, at the time, of being lazy slobs who didn't respect the hard work of their elders. After all, we didn't trust anyone over 30 and wanted to live fast and die young.

Nothing has changed all that much. Cycles come, cycles go, people blame everyone else for their troubles and forget that 90% of anything worthwhile is due to hard work on YOUR part.

My parents didn't know anything about soccer, carpooling, or preparing kids for life. We were told to get out of the house and find something to do. Well... we did. Now it's your turn.

[RiveraCathleen35]

I had got a dream to begin my own business, but I didn't have got enough amount of money to do this. Thank goodness my colleague advised to use the personal loans. So I received the short term loan and realized my dream.

[[email protected]]

The current generation is running the government and causing all your problems. Don't hate seniors for their contributions and willingness to work hard and live the dream. If you need a job look to other states that are hiring.