Do young people have a tougher life today?

**markas214** · 02-18-2004, 02:08 PM

I'm wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on this. I'm 42 and have been told I don't understand today's generation. I work in a very busy ER and trauma center and treat ODs, gunshot wounds, ski and snowboard accidents, etc. My personal opinion is that kids and young adults think they are different from previous generations but aside from more material possesssions, a violent media, and a higher standard of living things are no different than they were 20, 100 or 500 years ago. You come of age and try to rebel against the current system and in another ten years you are part of it.

**Elliot** · 02-18-2004, 02:22 PM

there are much more stimulus now a days then in the past as you said more and wider spread of drugs, wepons are much widely avalible, more kids in gangs, more kids see that rappers are dumb rich and think they can be them, more single parent house holds. bro its WAAAAAAAAY tougher to be a kid nowadays then it was 10 years ago..

***50%Natural*** · 02-18-2004, 02:28 PM

I don't see why it would be tougher, but as the debt inevatibally worsens, we will be faced with paying 50-60% taxes for the social security failure due in about 9 years. I see it being tougher to make it successfully as a young adult. My youth wasn't hard, so long as your grow up in a nice neighborhood, you shouldn't have anything too bad happen as far as drugs and such. It really is about choice. I never wanted to get into drugs, simply because I knew it was the right choice. Some parents are able to teach their kids these things and some children are able to learn them. This is what makes a childhood easy, or rough...it's all about the choices one makes

**lxorl** · 02-18-2004, 02:55 PM

everything is relative.... i cant see one of todays teens living in 1820 chopping wood all summer to make it through the long winter.... but I also dont see an 1820' s teen making the decision not to try cocaine. every generation has its obsticals to overcome....

**RP7** · 02-18-2004, 03:06 PM

Originally Posted by lxorl

everything is relative.... i cant see one of todays teens living in 1820 chopping wood all summer to make it through the long winter.... but I also dont see an 1820' s teen making the decision not to try cocaine. every generation has its obsticals to overcome....

Good point. I think the problem is the quality of parenting has decreased, and family values are hurtin these days - thats why we ot so many ****ed up kids.

Anytime I think I got it rough though, I think of all those boys my age who had to fight and die in Europe 60 years ago. Always puts things in perspective.

**markas214** · 02-18-2004, 03:11 PM

Originally Posted by lxorl

everything is relative.... i cant see one of todays teens living in 1820 chopping wood all summer to make it through the long winter.... but I also dont see an 1820' s teen making the decision not to try cocaine. every generation has its obsticals to overcome....

So it's relative. That's what I was thinking. I wouldn't have wanted to be a teenager in Europe during the Black Plague, at the turn of the last century working in the coal mines or in a sweatshop, the Civil War, the depression, etc.

**spywizard** · 02-18-2004, 03:24 PM

You Hit it............

I too am 43.... have raised 2 kids to adulthood.. 1-22, the other 20...

Now.... both were raised middle income neighborhoods..... prom, clothes, the whole nine.. vacations.. etc...

but with some restraints.. ie.. thier 1st cars.. i bought.. $400 each..
they quickly learned to get a job and buy thier own..
Prom and crap that goes with it.. they paid 1/2

college.. I paid the first year... she got b's and c's then she had to pay for it all.. she got all a's... and finished 2nd in her class, and 5th in the state board certs.. cost.... $32,000 school loans.. (remember... she is a white girl... no grants)

alot of thier friends were raised next door to us.. 1 child is doing a double major in accounting, and science at the University of Minnesota.. all the rest that were given new cars when they turned 16... are moving in and out of drug rehab, on thier 3-4th college, and still living off of dad's visa cards..

I am about to have a child with my new younger wife this year.. we are both of the opinion.. the more affluent you are, and the more you give your children, the less they can do for themselves..

Originally Posted by markas214

I'm wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on this. I'm 42 and have been told I don't understand today's generation. I work in a very busy ER and trauma center and treat ODs, gunshot wounds, ski and snowboard accidents, etc. My personal opinion is that kids and young adults think they are different from previous generations but aside from more material possesssions, a violent media, and a higher standard of living things are no different than they were 20, 100 or 500 years ago. You come of age and try to rebel against the current system and in another ten years you are part of it.

**Elliot** · 02-18-2004, 03:32 PM

Originally Posted by spywizard

the more affluent you are, and the more you give your children, the less they can do for themselves..

couldnt agree more.. i never had **** it my life and that is what basiclly drives me now.. i would love to have a real life matchbox car some day..

**daman1** · 02-18-2004, 03:33 PM

Originally Posted by markas214

I'm wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on this. I'm 42 and have been told I don't understand today's generation. I work in a very busy ER and trauma center and treat ODs, gunshot wounds, ski and snowboard accidents, etc. My personal opinion is that kids and young adults think they are different from previous generations but aside from more material possesssions, a violent media, and a higher standard of living things are no different than they were 20, 100 or 500 years ago. You come of age and try to rebel against the current system and in another ten years you are part of it.

No they don't IMO.

**spywizard** · 02-18-2004, 03:36 PM

yep.............through adversity, we grow... strong, and determined..

Originally Posted by Elliot

couldnt agree more.. i never had **** it my life and that is what basiclly drives me now.. i would love to have a real life matchbox car some day..

**RP7** · 02-18-2004, 03:49 PM

Originally Posted by spywizard

the more affluent you are, and the more you give your children, the less they can do for themselves..

BINGO. This is how my father has raised me, and this is the way I will eventually deal with my children.

**USfighterFC** · 02-18-2004, 05:33 PM

Originally Posted by markas214

I'm wondering what everyone else's thoughts are on this. I'm 42 and have been told I don't understand today's generation. I work in a very busy ER and trauma center and treat ODs, gunshot wounds, ski and snowboard accidents, etc. My personal opinion is that kids and young adults think they are different from previous generations but aside from more material possesssions, a violent media, and a higher standard of living things are no different than they were 20, 100 or 500 years ago. You come of age and try to rebel against the current system and in another ten years you are part of it.

It's not even that......job competition is extremely fierce......things are much more expensive while making less money. There are fewer safety nets than their use to be. It was almost like if you came out of college with a degree 25 years ago you were guaranteed a job right away. Nowadays everyone goes to college and getting a degree is the equivalent to graduating high school. It's only going to get progressively worse as greedy corporations send jobs overseas more and more each year.

**RageControl** · 02-18-2004, 06:30 PM

I dont think the problem is material things at all . I blame everything on how horrible parents raise there kids these days. Back in the day people had to have morals and manners or else they got wooped up. Nowadays most of the parents dont give a **** about anything and let there kids raise themselfs. Now the kids that did ger raised by decent parents now have to deal with the losers and the **** caused by the bad parenting.

**monster.** · 02-18-2004, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by USfighterFC

It's not even that......job competition is extremely fierce......things are much more expensive while making less money. There are fewer safety nets than their use to be. It was almost like if you came out of college with a degree 25 years ago you were guaranteed a job right away. Nowadays everyone goes to college and getting a degree is the equivalent to graduating high school. It's only going to get progressively worse as greedy corporations send jobs overseas more and more each year.

Oh i agree with this 100%.. I wouldn't say it's tougher, It defintley is a challenge nowadays.. My brother graduated college in 87.. He was making good money at 19 years old.. He landed a job in his field, When i say good money, he was making like 4000 a month with no degree!!! There was such a demand for engineers, or people about to graduate back then thats what the rate was.. Haha, I made half that my first position.. Also everything is more expensive!!!!! tuition??? Tuition is up at least 50% then what it was.. It's silly, plus it is more difficult for our generation to learn, because we have to learn everything that was taught to the students before us, and adjust to changing technology, and combine the two.. (I hope that came out understandable)... Pop culture has a major effect on todays kids too.. back when i was growing up, music wasn't as negative i don't think, as it is now, or it was just starting to get dirty.. I remember 2 live crue was coming out, and NWA, and Ice T, and my favorite Too Short.. When i heard that stuff it was like ****, did they just say the f word...haha.. Everyone took it differently, It depended on how you were raised.. Drugs are huge now, more then ever i'd say.. It's easier to get, and its easier to get caught with, cause its everywhere.. Alot of young girls i see have no self respect.. It's alot easier to mistake a 13 year old from a 20 year old now, then back when i was growing up.. and i'm 23...

Oh well i ranted enough.. i think it depends on how motivated one is, and ultimately how good your parents raised you.. It is different times compared to 20 years ago for sure..

**Jackman** · 02-18-2004, 08:12 PM

Its alot harder to get a house nowadays for some one who is starting off especially! very hard

**markas214** · 02-18-2004, 11:30 PM

Originally Posted by USfighterFC

It's not even that......job competition is extremely fierce......things are much more expensive while making less money. There are fewer safety nets than their use to be. It was almost like if you came out of college with a degree 25 years ago you were guaranteed a job right away. Nowadays everyone goes to college and getting a degree is the equivalent to graduating high school. It's only going to get progressively worse as greedy corporations send jobs overseas more and more each year.

Back in the 60s and 70s when I was growing up you could plan on getting into Bethlehem Steel, Mack Trucks or a dozen other companies around here right out of high school. The pay was enough to buy a house and have your wife stay home and raise the kids. Very few of my friends moms worked. "Greedy corporations" are run by greedy individuals. We are getting close to the early 1900s when people were virtual slaves of the corporate elite. The economy usually turns around and produces good jobs. It is happening right now. The problem is that the jobs are in India, Mexico, China, etc.

**USfighterFC** · 02-19-2004, 12:22 AM

Originally Posted by markas214

Back in the 60s and 70s when I was growing up you could plan on getting into Bethlehem Steel, Mack Trucks or a dozen other companies around here right out of high school. The pay was enough to buy a house and have your wife stay home and raise the kids. Very few of my friends moms worked. "Greedy corporations" are run by greedy individuals. We are getting close to the early 1900s when people were virtual slaves of the corporate elite. The economy usually turns around and produces good jobs. It is happening right now. The problem is that the jobs are in India, Mexico, China, etc.

Exactly....i couldnt agree more

**bermich** · 02-19-2004, 07:41 PM

Its tougher in certain aspects. Sure my dads age had to work at age 13 and help support the family. They usually moved out at age 18 and were already starting families.
Sure todays youth stay at home til age 25, if not longer (laugh) They usually dont start working at a real job until age 18. A lot of parents help them with their first car, etc. BUT. A kid trying to move out at age 18 in CALIF is almost impossible. If you have a car payment and a rent payment, you are looking at 1000 dollars a month for a one bedroom apartment. Then car insurance, food, gas. Not to mention little odds and ins.
Then, buying a house today is almost impossible without 15k saved up from somewhere.
I feel kids are a little more sheltered when it comes to having help from parents and able to stay at home longer and stuff but financially, it is bad.
Drugs and etc will always be an issue regardless of the times.

In a way, there is no way to compare generations to the next.
Just dont grow up to be one of those people "WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE" That s h i t gets old. You didnt wanna hear it from your grandpa so dont tell it to your kids or their kids. Life changes over the years.