Below is part of a quote that will be in a Hog Futures story this summer.
“I think toughness is something that’s really been lost in our culture today. Just kind of pushing through hard times and difficult times.”
Yes.
Yes and no, it’s not a blanket situation for all, as there have been many stories of youths overcoming great odds to succeed in all aspects of life. Now, do I think it’s more prevalent, no doubt.
Yes. Of course there are exceptions, but in general, yes.
No. That has been the refrain for every generation since…well forever.
“I walked to school every day…up hill…both ways…”
Yes!
There is a sense of entitlement for a lot of people these days and it’s not just found in the young people.
I think there has always been people who aren’t tough and people who are.
I have students who are pushing through things that no one their age should ever have to go through and are still being successful.
Maybe people see what they want to see or see what they choose to focus on the most, but there are plenty of people in today’s culture that are a lot tougher than a general quote like that gives them credit for.
Yes…
There are exceptions to this, but for the general population this is really not debatable. You can’t scold, reprimand or chastise anybody because it might damage them or hurt their feelings. So many people feel like they are a victim…few want to take responsibility for the hand they are dealt. Call the lawyer…somebody has to compensate me for this problem. I want my share of what this man has. He doesn’t deserve it…I do.
Public schools don’t demand respect and good behavior. Parents won’t let a teacher discipline a student. The parents usually take the side of the child, not the teacher. The teacher is in a very vulnerable spot. In days gone by, if you got a whipping or disciplined at school, a parent would probably give you more discipline at home…not anymore.
Look at sports…a coach cannot be tough on players anymore or they get a bad reputation and the kids won’t play for a disciplinarian. They want a coach in touch with the player’s “feelings”. I didn’t start…I want to transfer. My parents told me I should be starting. I quit or I am moving on.
Life isn’t fair…it never has been…it never will be. As Don Henley of the Eagles sang, “Get over it”.
No doubt, too many people try to pigeonhole others into their preconceived stereotypes.
Absolutely. My wife and her mom both are educators. I’m amazed to hear the stories of perseverance by the kids that come through their doors.
I don’t like generalizing but in my experience, the statement is truer today than in the '40s, '50s and even the '60s, and '70s, in that there is more of a sense of entitlement today. I don’t blame the youth of today. The hippies in my generation have grown up and infected our educational, legal, and political systems.
Of course, each successive generation has puzzled over the “kids of today”. Probably always has been and always will be that way.
I agree with the quote. No one is saying there aren’t tough people in today’s world. I just think there are less because of the way a lot of kids have been raised. My generation and younger were much easier on their kids vs. how they were raised. Ask anyone that’s hired or fired over the last 30-40 years and they’ll tell you the work ethic of millennials is the worse they’ve seen. Why? I blame parents. My mom told me you go to work unless you’re on your death bed. Now people will no-show, work a few days and quit or just preform at a very low level. That’s always happened yes, but it’s more so today.
Most parents have quit being demanding of their kids and accept less. As far as you’re statement your students fighting through things no one should endure, it just proves how tough people can be when they have no other choice but to overcome their circumstances.
I’ll have to agree to disagree here Richard. I don’t think most parents have quit being demanding, and I think its too easy to just say no one is saying there aren’t tough people in the world. The quote said toughness has been lost in our culture today, and I think that that is taking it a little too far. There’s too many tough people still out there to just say our culture is not tough, except for a few exceptions. I don’t hire or fire, but I work in today’s culture and see enough people that someone would be hard pressed to change my mind.
Not saying you or anyone is wrong, just saying what I think.
That’s fine. We can agree to disagree. That’s what the board is all about. Opinions.
There is some truth to this! I honestly think there has been a down turn, but you are right, each generation seems to think that of the next one.
That said, looking at, for example, kids transferring, and transferring in the middle of the year, it seems to me that there is more of that than ever before, which, would lead one to conclude that when something goes wrong, kids quit at a higher rate than before.
Yes.
“The children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise.” Socrates 469 - 399 B.C.
Our congressmen have made it to easy to get by without the normal effort to provide for self and family. The younger work force— inmuch greater proportion than when I was young— are not effective and productive employees. That is a fact based upon my own employees and doing a ton of workmen comp “injuries”.The country I live in is not the country I was raised in.
sacketthawg, I deleted your post because it veered over into politics. Which this whole thread is teetering on the edge of anyway, but you went over the line.
I was talking with Socrates’ parents the other day, they said all he wanted to do was sit around a philosophize.