I don't feel all that entitled but I can understand why the "get good grades, goto a good college, have a wonderful life" crowd feels short changed. That message was drilled into their heads by teachers, family, friends, etc. I would probably feel entitled in that situation. You did all the "right things" and aren't seeing the promised benefits. No one mentioned sometimes it takes a while or just never happens. For any political issues like health care young people make themselves, and issues they care about, irrelevant by not voting in sufficiently large numbers. Again, the promise of democracy doesn't really live up to reality. I suspect it's just a common generational problem. In your 20's you're young enough to remember carefree youth but not successful enough yet to see your own life as living up to your expectations.
On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
41–50 of 105 posts
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#42Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Doing volunteer work for Government compensation is called being a Government employee. So does that make people that collect social security and/or welfare cheques 'government employees?'
Social Security is (or is at least supposed to be) reimbursement of money you paid into the system. Welfare is a system in which society has chosen to give people money to live to prevent them from having no money at all so it's a gift not payment for any service.
Social security was never supposed to be reimbursement of money you paid into the system. It's always been a system of transfer payments - reimbursement of money other people paid into the system. That's why it worked: when it was instated, there were many more people paying into the system than receiving benefits.
The sooner people realize that, the sooner they can come to terms with its eventual bankruptcy. That's why I hate it when people repeat the myth that you're supposed to get out what you put in. It'll make for a very rude awakening when you don't.
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#43The author was lied to, but not by me or my kind. I actually vaguely remember hearing the same lies, but not from my parents, at least not without the "nobody owes you anything" caveat. It didn't take me long to realize, intuitively, if not explicitly, that finishing college wouldn't help me get the job I wanted. Today, obviously, it might not even help me get any job. Even absent an entrepreneurship opportunity, I d…
You know, I was told if I worked hard I would get a job. I did, and I did. Many people I know did the same, were always working during Uni, and had little problem getting a job. Many people I know don't work hard, slacked around at uni, and can't find a job. I found this advice to be quite good, although I am sure it doesn't work for everyone. Then again, I never felt I was entitled to a job.
I was told if I worked hard I would get a job. I figured this was bullshit, so I slacked off. I never had problems finding a job. :-P
The plural of anecdote is not data. ;-)
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#44Earlier quoted context omitted.
"The purpose [of volunteer work] is to show people the value of sacrifice." No it isn't. It's to help people and/or the community.
What do you think the value of sacrifice means? The value in sacrifice is in the helping of other people. That's why we talk about the value of sacrifice when describing military personnel but not when we talk about suicide.
That's actually really interesting, I've always interpreted the 'value' in that phrase to be a character trait. Whereas you are saying that it's 'value' as in an equation, so putting in hours volunteering = good outcomes.
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
> Doing volunteer work for Government compensation is called being a Government employee. So does that make people that collect social security and/or welfare cheques 'government employees?'
Social Security is (or is at least supposed to be) reimbursement of money you paid into the system. Welfare is a system in which society has chosen to give people money to live to prevent them from having no money at all so it's a gift not payment for any service.
Social Security is (or is at least supposed to be) reimbursement of money you paid into the system.
This is true only to the extent that it reimburses/rewards/repays people who actually work. It isn't really based on how much you pay, but the taxable amount of your income. Also, how long you've been working.
Interesting that this topic should come up; just this morning I received my yearly information statement from the SSI. Have been working since age 15 (according to the statement, this is how long I've been paying taxes, too). Actually am pretty astounded at how little "taxable income" I've made in my lifetime. Has absolutely _nothing_ to do with how hard I've worked.
Maybe people who spend all day in nice air-conditioned offices who complain about how "unfair" things like Social Security are should try ditching their suits for a construction belt in the Las Vegas sun for 3 or so years. That's what my dad did (construction), and he passed away before he ever saw a penny of his Social Security benefits. Of course. That's how the people in the air-conditioned offices like it, don't they?
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#46Why is this even getting voted up?
This guy needs to join that girl in her silly lawsuit she filed against her college. I'd never hire her nor this whiner. Though maybe this is there way of thinking of the box and getting attention. They say any kind of attention is good(publicity), yet for me I still would not hire either!
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#47The author was lied to, but not by me or my kind. I actually vaguely remember hearing the same lies, but not from my parents, at least not without the "nobody owes you anything" caveat. It didn't take me long to realize, intuitively, if not explicitly, that finishing college wouldn't help me get the job I wanted. Today, obviously, it might not even help me get any job. Even absent an entrepreneurship opportunity, I d…
False dichotomy. You can go to college and start a business or learn a trade. And it gives you way more choices and options, not to mention enriching your life.
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#48Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yikes. Potty mouth.
Surely we can hack our language to get across our emotions civilly without resorting to swear words. I appreciate your comment and hope the sentiment you expressed is more widely shared around here.
What exactly is the problem with swear words? He's using a word with the appropriate emotional connotation to express his message. Why hack a system that doesn't work when we already have one that does exactly what we want?
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#49I believe private insurance for 20-somethings is very cheap. Anyway, health care. I think old people understand that the system is kind-of, sort-of insolvent already, and that expanding it will probably push it over the cliff at a bad time for them. Being shrill and ranty is all well and good, but other people have their worries, too.
It's not.
I'm perplexed by this. I pay $44/month for Blue Shield California health insurance. Prior to that I live in Washington state and paid only $37/month. Clearly, I'm a recent graduate, and I'm young and healthy, so lots of people won't be able to get that sort of policy. But the article specifically addresses young, healthy, recent graduates!
For some reason the Blue Shield website isn't responding for me right now, but I just checked out Anthem CA's website (the other Blue Cross/Blue Shield company in CA) and they have a bunch of plans listed right off the bat that start at $80: https://express.rwsol.com/roi/getCCRecommendations.do?produc...
Now, is $80 really that expensive for health insurance?
Re: On those "Entitled" Twenty-Somethings
#50I believe private insurance for 20-somethings is very cheap. Anyway, health care. I think old people understand that the system is kind-of, sort-of insolvent already, and that expanding it will probably push it over the cliff at a bad time for them. Being shrill and ranty is all well and good, but other people have their worries, too.
It's not.
My wife and I are both self-employed, in our late 20s, and live in CA. We pay around $150 per month for both of us to be covered, with a $4 - 5k deductible. Office visits and prescription drugs are both covered, and we pay like $40 / month for basic dental coverage.
Now, we're both healthy, which is a huge blessing. The issue of not being able to get coverage if you have health problems is one of the main problems I have with the healthcare system. That said, $150 / month for two people is hardly insurmountable.