The problem with Generation Y.

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Malach is from Generation X.
I can recall things like no internet, nor cell phones, no PC's is every home, no Cable Television, Rotary Phones, the Cold War, The USSR, etc. The first time I was required to write a paper on a PC was my second year of college (1992), before that I used a typewriter. I remember my parents first cell phone, it consisted of a huge ass phone, with an attached battery briefcase. I remember when MTV only played videos and the NBA Dream Team always won the gold.

Perhaps I am just at that "When I was your age stage". But I have a real problem with generation Y, or as I call them the "internet generation", and I only figured out today what my problem with them is.

Malach runs a men's softball team, and on this team there is a group of us who are my age (35ish), and then there is another group that is 18-25. We are all friends, or friendly enough with each other, and mostly get along. Malach basically manages the team, does all the administrative work, and handles the team money. He is actually the one teams founder. Every year, we have a pre-season meeting, to go over administrative stuff, new rules, new teams, collect team dues, and brainstorm about the team and team issues. So, Malach gave the team 3 weeks notice to show up to this usually hour long meeting. Some people informed me they would not be there, fine.

Now today was the day of the meeting, and the wife informs me in the morning that all of the younger portion of the team was not going to the meeting. They did not call or e-mail me. So basically the 6 members of the team around my age showed up, and the rest of the team, again who had 3 weeks notice, did not, only telling my wife, and not me, the night before. Now granted, this is not life or death, or work, but still . . .

I look across at those that are 25 and younger and this is what I see. People who don't care about responsibility, and if the situation interferes with "playtime" they aren't interested. At my full time job, hardly anyone working there under the age of 27. Those under that age who have been hired have all been terminated because of the exact above issue. They don't care, they don't take responsibility, and do stuff like the above. They don't know the proper protocol for interacting with real people ... they are so used to the internet, e-mail, text and instant messaging. They are so used to socializing over technology, they don't know the rules of real socialization. And it is not just locally, I see it everyday from a very young MySpace generation.

And it is not just softball and work. Look at sexual relationships, men and women have this "hooking up" attitude about sex. One night stands among those under the age of 25 are very common, and girls are as bad as the guys. It is really sad. I see it to, the partying, the stuff I did in college, my just out of college friends party like they are still in college. Think nothing of drinking most nights of the week, and think nothing of drunk driving.

I don't know, maybe I am just pissed cause I feel that people older that 18 should have more responsibility for themselves. It is all instant gratification with little care for other people. I see it in this generation, i see it my younger clients. Maybe I am just getting old.

I am Malach and back in my day . . .