How do you view young people now that you're older?

Every generation has it's fair share of idiots, followers, rebels, squares, and hell raisers. Did I just describe your long ago high school friends ? Probably . Young adults today are just the same, although they do have more access to knowledge than in the past, through their use of computers. What they DO with that knowledge is some times silly. Imagine me having to teach a 22 year old how to sweep a floor , or how to wash the windows ? They may know all about the solar system, but they can't manage to change a light bulb with out instruction. JImB.
 

Chet said:
I think they fail to realize the futility of the effort they put into life when in the long run, we all end up the same way.
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I think “effort” needs to be qualified. If by that you mean being part of the Rat Race, chasing after material gain over intangibles like love, kindness, time with family, etc, then I agree.

I’m sure you don’t mean don’t put any effort into life 🤔
 
The pandemic really changed my view of young people. The first thing I heard from young people when Covid broke out was them calling it “Boomer remover. “
The young folks I ran into in public had no desire to protect vulnerable older people by distancing or masking.
For the first time in my life, I felt worthless and like a drain on society due to their treatment and by the things they were saying. I have to agree that young people today are selfish and feel entitled...and not only that, I now feel that they are a danger to my very life!
 
Marian said:
The pandemic really changed my view of young people. The first thing I heard from young people when Covid broke out was them calling it “Boomer remover. “
The young folks I ran into in public had no desire to protect vulnerable older people by distancing or masking.
For the first time in my life, I felt worthless and like a drain on society due to their treatment and by the things they were saying. I have to agree that young people today are selfish and feel entitled...and not only that, I now feel that they are a danger to my very life!
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What you just described in one word....Empathy .......is lacking in the young. Although some of them do jump on the "important thing of the week " like campaigning to get farmers to put clothes on their cows, or some other such nonsense. JimB.
 
oldaunt said:
Depends on which ones. Some are smarter than others.
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That is absolutely right. I find it impossible to lump them all together in one box. Some are smarter, more thoughtful, kinder, more honest, more responsible, more courageous, and harder working than others.

I sure hope young people don't lump all of us seniors into one narrowly defined little box.
 
According to Socrates:

“The children now love luxury; they have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are now tyrants, not the servants of their households. They no longer rise when elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize their teachers.”​


Looks like nothing much has changed;)
 
I am impressed by the younger generation. Whenever I am tempted not to be I try to think about how I, and my friends and family, were at that age. When I do that honestly they compare pretty well, maybe better. Adding to @Georgiagranny 's quote above:

All generations have thought otherwise, I remember what the older folks thought of us when we were young...

“[Young people] are high-minded because they have not yet been humbled by life, nor have they experienced the force of circumstances.
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They think they know everything, and are always quite sure about it.”
Aristotle

For more see:

The 2,500-Year-Old History of Adults Blaming the Younger Generation
https://historyhustle.com/2500-years-of-people-complaining-about-the-younger-generation/

I think we need to remember that whatever the younger generation is it was us who made them. If there is fault we need to share in it.
 
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There are some youngsters who are very respectful and others who think seniors are worthless and in the way. There are those who are spoiled and feel entitled to having everything handed to them, and others who are willing to work to achieve their goals. I can't just lump them together as a group. It really depends on the youngster.
 
They always seem to be trying to prove something. Something to do with the fact that no adults have any authority over them any more. All rather sad, in fact I feel rather sorry for them. We were young in better times.
 
When we were young, so much was new. There is no excitement these days, everything seems dull and repetitive. The young seem to find solace in drugs and alcohol....and so many commit suicide because life is so hopeless.
 
The more influence kids gleen from social media or teachers influenced by social media the less control parents have over how their children turn out.
I feel sorry for them and their parents also.
 
Pecos said:
That is absolutely right. I find it impossible to lump them all together in one box. Some are smarter, more thoughtful, kinder, more honest, more responsible, more courageous, and harder working than others.

I sure hope young people don't lump all of us seniors into one narrowly defined little box.
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From what I’ve seen in the past few years, they don’t lump us in any kind of box at all. They don’t even see us. We are invisible to them.
 
I love young people and have done what I could to help many over the years, as long as they're willing to put in some sweat equity.

What worries me with the current generation of 16 to 25 year olds is I see a general attitude of defeatisiam. They expect things aren't going to work out how they like so don't bother putting in the effort. Sure they may have some entitled expectations, but I don't understand why they will accept having nothing just because they can't have everything.
 

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