I Like the Younger Generations

Photo courtesy of morguefile.com
Laguna Woods, California
October 15, 2017 7:18pm CST
Recently I read a post which is going around on Facebook about all the horrible things which are wrong with the younger generation. The post said they play too many video games, are disrespectful, are self-centered, and were not spanked enough when they are young. It also criticized parents and coaches for giving today's children "unearned" praise and trophies. To read this post, the younger generations are completely useless. It would have been easy to "Like" this post which was shared by a friend on Facebook and move on. However, instead of "Liking" it, I said, "But, I LIKE my children. I think they are good parents and I think my grandchildren are great. I do NOT believe the criticism in this post is valid!" I honestly believe what I wrote. While it is easy to be critical of everyone else's kids, I honestly think the vast majority of today's young adults are doing just fine ... at least the ones I know. They all have jobs, are raising kids, volunteering, and speaking out against injustice. They are active, athletic, and try to live healthy lifestyles. According to studies, today's teens drink less, use fewer drugs, and have less sex than teens did in the past. What right to we have to criticize the younger generations or pass these critical posts around Facebook? I am being much more thoughtful these days about what I "Like" on Facebook and other social media sites ... especially if those posts do not reflect the way I really feel. What about you? Do you like the younger generations?
11 people like this
12 responses
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
17 Oct 17
Of course I love my children and grandchildren. I even like their friends, too, for the very reasons you mentioned. However, there is good and bad with all generations.
3 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Oct 17
@DianneN - Yes, you are right. There are good and bad kids every generation. I just don't like those Facebook generalities that condemn all the younger generation as being spoiled brats or badly behaved. If I were a young adult, I would hate those types of comments on Facebook and I like my children, grandchildren and their friends!
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Oct 17
@DianneN - Ha ha! I have a lot of family and friends on Facebook, including grandkids, or I would skip it, too. I agree that it is full of oddballs and some really weird posts!
2 people like this
@DianneN (246452)
• United States
17 Oct 17
@DeborahDiane Facebook is so full of oddballs. I usually skip that dribble.
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
18 Oct 17
I like the younger generation but I do see parents that are too permissive. I see children who do not obey their parents and tell them to their face they will not do as they are told. I see children that are so disrespective that I want to tell the parent, correct your child. Not all parents and children but too many.
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
18 Oct 17
@RubyHawk - In every generation there have been some parents who were too permissive ... not just today's generation. I think most of the kids I know are growing up to be impressive adults!
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
19 Oct 17
@RubyHawk - I have hope for them, too.
1 person likes this
@RubyHawk (99437)
• Atlanta, Georgia
19 Oct 17
@DeborahDiane I'm happy with that, I don't see it around me but I always have hope for the new generation.
1 person likes this
• China
16 Oct 17
I can't visit the Facebook over here, so didn't read the post.I think the one who started the post took a part for the whole.Not every young people and parent are like what she/he critisized for.
1 person likes this
• China
17 Oct 17
@DeborahDiane Most young people will play a major role in the future.They need adults to guide them,rather than just finding fault with them.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Oct 17
@changjiangzhibin89 - You are so right! I like the way you think. We need to guide the younger generation, not find fault with them!
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@changjiangzhibin89 - I agree that not every young person should be criticized. In fact, most people like nearly all the young people they know.
1 person likes this
@nangayo (2291)
• Nairobi, Kenya
16 Oct 17
I think it depends on how you were raised up. Most parents are not available to teach their children, they are too occupied in their careers that they do not have time for their children. Some just damp their children in the boarding schools when they are still too young and at the end of it all the children do not know their parents and the parents do not know the children's behavior. Parents should take time to be with their children and know them more.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@nangayo - Yes, it is ideal when people are able to raise their own children. However, thousands of young people have been able to turn out well, even when their parents are not involved. I think young people are usually pretty capable of living their own lives and doing it well.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Oct 17
@nangayo - The same thing happens here in the United States when kids do not have jobs ... they get involved in very bad activities. It is a sad situation. Around the world we need to make sure that young people have a way to earn a living.
1 person likes this
@nangayo (2291)
• Nairobi, Kenya
18 Oct 17
@DeborahDiane We really try our best but some of them are just lazy they think money comes easily. They do not want to struggle and look for it.
1 person likes this
16 Oct 17
the younger generation deserve the right to express themselves. they do go over board sometimes but hey their young let them enjoy life.. we sure did when we were young..
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@averagejane - You are absolutely right! Sometimes young people make mistakes, but that does not mean they are bad. We made mistakes when we were young, too!
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Oct 17
@averagejane - That's a good point! Yes, they have the right to learn from their mistakes, just like we did.
1 person likes this
17 Oct 17
@DeborahDiane so true , besides we should let them learn from their mistakes.
1 person likes this
@Alian123 (549)
• Philippines
16 Oct 17
I'm one of the younger generations, and I must say yes I like it. I'm really proud to say that my parents have raised me well... Yes I'm no perfect, I'm still young and I still have so much to learn. So criticizing my attitude towards things won't be right. And younger generations or not, we're still humans
2 people like this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@Alian123 - Thank you for standing up for your generation! That alone makes me proud of you and makes me believe you are exactly the type of young person I would say I like and admire!
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
17 Oct 17
@Alian123 - Be proud of your generation! You have a lot to be proud of!
@Alian123 (549)
• Philippines
16 Oct 17
@DeborahDiane thank you so much... Atlast, for the first time I have been appreciated for being one of the new generations.
1 person likes this
@crossbones27 (48336)
• Mojave, California
16 Oct 17
I do, think their is much more wrong with adults and older adults more than there is with kids and younger kids. My opinion though. Besides, we know who teaches them and shapes them, as always have to look in the mirror.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@crossbones27 - That is a very good point, that before we criticize the youth in our country, we need to look in the mirror.
1 person likes this
@BelleStarr (61050)
• United States
16 Oct 17
I like some of them but others seem to have a sense of entitlement which is unattractive. Too much time is spent by some on social media and it seems that life revolves around electronics, but as in all things, everyone is different and I don't like generalizations. None of my grandchildren is into social media at all.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@BelleStarr - What you said is typical of my experience ... you think your own grandchildren are great (like I do), but see a problem with the grandchildren of other people. I agree that generalizations are a bad idea. Sometimes, we just don't have the opportunity to get to know how wonderful those other kids are, too.
@franxav (13583)
• India
16 Oct 17
As a teacher I find them generally good, though some of them are cause of displeasure for parents and teachers.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@franxav - I am so glad that, as a teacher, you agree that most of the younger generation are generally good. That is what I have seen, too.
@ourlot (982)
16 Oct 17
People claim that the younger generations are less wise, less patient, less intelligent since thousands of year. The ancient Romans were already complaining about it. If it were true, we all would already be retarded.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@ourlot - Ha Ha! I agree with what you said. People have been complaining about the younger generations for thousands of years and, in truth, each generation has always risen to accomplish whatever needed to be done. Our offspring are better than we think they are.
1 person likes this
@YesWay (3674)
16 Oct 17
I think it's like anything - in any demographic there will be good and bad. We shouldn't generalise
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
16 Oct 17
@YesWay - I agree that there are good people and bad people (in all age groups) and we shouldn't generalize!
@YrNemo (20272)
20 Oct 17
From what I heard, quite a few from the older generations criticized the younger ones. Some of those younger ones are now in their 70s, looking back, and laughed about this tendency.
1 person likes this
• Laguna Woods, California
21 Oct 17
@YrNemo - Yes, I think it is common for each generation to think the next generation is not as competent as they were. Of course, this could not always be true or the human race would not have survived this long.
1 person likes this
@YrNemo (20272)
21 Oct 17
1 person likes this