Overheard conversation!!!!

[widefat]

I am a bit more optimistic. My kids circle of friends are all squared away - all of them are working, trying to build a life, and
living like that have a bit of sense. I see more of that type than the aforementioned.
The other day, I had to go into a major metropolitan area for the day. One of the things I noticed was the huge number of 20 and 30 somethings on the streets dressed for business and obviously on a career path. Inside the building I visited, the HQ for the organization I spent my entire career working for, I noticed the majority of the staff were in there 30's.

I don't agree with some of their world views, but the point is I see a lot of hard working young people.

 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Simmer down you old timers...

Food for thought (a few quotes from days-gone-by):

"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint".
(Hesiod, 8th century BC)

'The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are tyrants, not servants of the households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize over their teachers.'
(Socrates)

"The world is passing through troublous times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress."
(From a sermon preached by Peter the Hermit in A.D. 1274)

They [Young People] have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations; moreover, their hopeful disposition makes them think themselves equal to great things -- and that means having exalted notions. They would always rather do noble deeds than useful ones: Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning -- all their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything -- they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else.
(Aristotle)


So this is nothing new, or special. Older generations have been complaining about younger since we first learned how to talk (and complain). I'm pretty sure each of your own parent's generations had the same complaints overall about YOUR generation.

Such is the way of things.

 

[check]

Simmer down you old timers... Food for thought (a few quotes from days-gone-by): "I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint". (Hesiod, 8th century BC) 'The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are tyrants, not servants of the households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize over their teachers.' (Socrates) "The world is passing through troublous times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress." (From a sermon preached by Peter the Hermit in A.D. 1274) They [Young People] have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations; moreover, their hopeful disposition makes them think themselves equal to great things -- and that means having exalted notions. They would always rather do noble deeds than useful ones: Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning -- all their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything -- they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else. (Aristotle) So this is nothing new, or special. Older generations have been complaining about younger since we first learned how to talk (and complain). I'm pretty sure each of your own parent's generations had the same complaints overall about YOUR generation. Such is the way of things.

Great post, Slim. And remember how horrified our parents were with our "Hippie" generation? Isn't that when the phrase "***, Drugs and Rock'n Roll" was first used?

Let's hear it for "Alice's Restaurant", "Up in Smoke", and Tiny Tim!

 

[oosik]

Oh, Man - if I have to "tiptoe thru the tulips" with Tiny Tim one more time - I'm 'a gonna puke.........

 

[GregbkH]

Oh, Man - if I have to "tiptoe thru the tulips" with Tiny Tim one more time - I'm 'a gonna puke.........

Good one! Coffee in the nose on that one!

 

[CobyRupert]

 

[EddieWalker]

My wife has four kids. She push the first three to get their 4 year degrees. The girls are the oldest and both work as waitresses in North Carolina. Neither have worked a day in their life in the field they earned their degrees. Once they graduated, they wanted to sit around and party, so they where kicked out and they moved to be close to their dad who allowed them to do nothing. One son has his degree, but works as a helper installing phone lines in Ohio and is barely getting by. Her youngest is the one still lives here in Tyler, but he wont go back to school, even though it's free to him since my wife is a professor there. He is 24 and he has never gotten his drivers license. He works at the hospital doing maintenance. All of the kids will tell you what's wrong with the world, how they need more money, that it's unfair how the rich keep all the money and the internet should be free. They are all gamers. The boys are the worse, their lives pretty much revolve around playing online games. They feel that they are very good at it because at some sort of ranking, they are in the top 1,000

It's become an addiction that removes them from reality, or actual achievement. Karen says that kids are over rated. I never had kids, and never wanted to. We spend more time with our pets and hope for the best with the kids, but really don't have any expectations that anything will change. None of them are in our will.

 

[newbury]

Great post, Slim. And remember how horrified our parents were with our "Hippie" generation? Isn't that when the phrase "***, Drugs and Rock'n Roll" was first used?
<snip>

Well I'm definitely getting the drugs, it's a standing joke I have with the mailman. I go out, he hands me the mail which has our big white pouches from Kaiser Pharmacy.
And I've a very nice Laz-Boy for the rock'roll.
So I guess 2 out of 3 is not too bad.

 

[Oaktree]

So this is nothing new, or special. Older generations have been complaining about younger since we first learned how to talk (and complain). I'm pretty sure each of your own parent's generations had the same complaints overall about YOUR generation.

For that matter, plenty of fiscal irresponsibility among older generations, some no longer with us. When I was growing up in the 50s & 60s we had any number of neighbors who lived in shacks I wouldn't use for a tool shed, yet had a color tv and a new car every couple years as well as expensive toys for the kids (that were generally not taken care of). Nothing new, or specific to "kids these days".

I look around at the fancy 4x4 trucks people are driving. Jacked up, big tires, black seems to be the color of choice lately. Big hat no cattle. Those trucks have never been off road. All for ego and looks.

Again nothing new. In fact, I don't see it much anymore, but in the 80s they were all over the place. Mostly Japanese trucks. Big tires, lift kits so high you needed a stepladder to change the oil, light bars...lots and lots of light bars. And not a scratch in the paint.

This behavior is in the same camp with people on government assistance with a boat and snowmobiles in the driveway. Or a shopping cart at the register full of junk food and pop, and out comes the government SNAP/EBT card.

Ticks me off every time I see my pay stub and how I am funding others.

Anyhow....I am going to go get another cup of coffee and let the blood pressure go back down.

Get ready for it to go back up again. I saw a news story on tv last night that some are petitioning to allow EBT cards to be used for pet food. Supporters say that Fido is "part of the family". Give me a break. If you can't afford to feed a pet, don't get one.
Bad enough they let you buy chips, soda, etc.

Makes me think of XM Radio. I asked if I could cancel if I sold my car. They said the only way out was to total your car. Man, that's a lot to ask just to get out of a radio contract.

??? My wife has Sirius/XM in her car and it's month-to-month. No contract.

 

[RSKY]

With one or two exceptions all of the friends of my two daughters are doing well. And in our area the economy is not good. Some of them are doing VERY well. Then I go to Wal-Mart in town and half the 20-30 year olds there are walking around in their pajama bottoms showing off their new tattoos.

It mostly depends on the example shown by the parents.

A couple came to our church Sunday asking for money. They run a group home in the local area. They had 12-15 kids with them. The kids were all colors and races. They were clean, well dressed, polite, and had a good time. I was an usher and so stayed out by the front doors but I could hear the man talking and it was very sad. Nearly all those kids came from homes destroyed by drugs. The home refuses state money and depends on donations to continue operations. Refusing state money allows them to do things like offer prayers before meals and have Bible readings in the home. Taking state money would mean they would have to stop those activities. I was sitting in the foyer when church ended and my two youngest granddaughters were each sitting on a knee laughing and chattering. I looked up and the group home kids were standing about ten feet away staring at us. The thought ran thru my mind that probably none of them had the experience of a parent much less a grandparent paying attention to them.

Children are taught by example. The kid skipping payments so he could buy another toy was probably following the example set by his parents.

Pay attention to your children and grandchildren and teach them well. And keep your fingers crossed that the lessons sink in.

RSKY

 

[NorTracNY]

With one or two exceptions all of the friends of my two daughters are doing well. And in our area the economy is not good. Some of them are doing VERY well. Then I go to Wal-Mart in town and half the 20-30 year olds there are walking around in their pajama bottoms showing off their new tattoos.

It mostly depends on the example shown by the parents.

A couple came to our church Sunday asking for money. They run a group home in the local area. They had 12-15 kids with them. The kids were all colors and races. They were clean, well dressed, polite, and had a good time. I was an usher and so stayed out by the front doors but I could hear the man talking and it was very sad. Nearly all those kids came from homes destroyed by drugs. The home refuses state money and depends on donations to continue operations. Refusing state money allows them to do things like offer prayers before meals and have Bible readings in the home. Taking state money would mean they would have to stop those activities. I was sitting in the foyer when church ended and my two youngest granddaughters were each sitting on a knee laughing and chattering. I looked up and the group home kids were standing about ten feet away staring at us. The thought ran thru my mind that probably none of them had the experience of a parent much less a grandparent paying attention to them.

Children are taught by example. The kid skipping payments so he could buy another toy was probably following the example set by his parents.

Pay attention to your children and grandchildren and teach them well. And keep your fingers crossed that the lessons sink in.

RSKY

Well said! Also remember that the few words from adult family friends matter too. What we say to other's kids supporting the lessons of the parents can really make a difference.

 

[PJ The Kid]

This one statement is hardly indicative of ALL the younger generation, but thinking like this does lead to hard lessons or a harder life, and it gives the smarter ones an easier time when competing.

The opposite of this is the depression era generation, who decided to never take any chances and never spend any money unnecessarily. That thinking leads to a long poor life too. My father, for instance, always wanted to work an hour for an hour's pay. Never wanted to invest in property that would send him into debt, temporarily. Consequently, he was always on a strict budget and could never grasp the risk he was taking by not having financial security or the risk associated with working a physical job and commuting on the highway for many years for a few dollars each day. Meanwhile all the property around him continued to go up in value his entire life, and eventually he became too weak to work.

I wouldn't say ALL the younger generation. My wife and I are nearly the opposite. Not quite to the extreme of a Dave Ramsey, but we are the "if I do a couple extra side jobs and bust a few more hours, I can pick up that junker on the side of the road and drive it till there is nothing left of it" or "I can buy that broke don car and fix it and drive it for a while and sell it for something with a/c." We are still young, but I refuse to open a credit card. She finally talked me into it and I set a limit to where I can pay it off in one pay check if something happens. Finally getting it through to her that a great credit score just means you are good at being in debt.

 

[oosik]

PJ - a great credit score does NOT necessarily mean you are good at being in debt. I have ABSOLUTELY no debt and my credit card score is well over 820. A good credit score means you are good at managing money.

 

[Raspy]

Simmer down you old timers...

Food for thought (a few quotes from days-gone-by):

"I see no hope for the future of our people if they are dependent on frivolous youth of today, for certainly all youth are reckless beyond words... When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly wise [disrespectful] and impatient of restraint".
(Hesiod, 8th century BC)

'The children now love luxury; they show disrespect for elders and love chatter in place of exercise. Children are tyrants, not servants of the households. They no longer rise when their elders enter the room. They contradict their parents, chatter before company, gobble up dainties at the table, cross their legs, and tyrannize over their teachers.'
(Socrates)

"The world is passing through troublous times. The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint. They talk as if they knew everything, and what passes for wisdom with us is foolishness with them. As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress."
(From a sermon preached by Peter the Hermit in A.D. 1274)

They [Young People] have exalted notions, because they have not been humbled by life or learned its necessary limitations; moreover, their hopeful disposition makes them think themselves equal to great things -- and that means having exalted notions. They would always rather do noble deeds than useful ones: Their lives are regulated more by moral feeling than by reasoning -- all their mistakes are in the direction of doing things excessively and vehemently. They overdo everything -- they love too much, hate too much, and the same with everything else.
(Aristotle)


So this is nothing new, or special. Older generations have been complaining about younger since we first learned how to talk (and complain). I'm pretty sure each of your own parent's generations had the same complaints overall about YOUR generation.

Such is the way of things.

Thank you. Good post.

 

[shaeff]

PJ - a great credit score does NOT necessarily mean you are good at being in debt. I have ABSOLUTELY no debt and my credit card score is well over 820. A good credit score means you are good at managing money.

Agreed. I'm 34, my wife is 31. We both have excellent credit scores, both before and after taking out a mortgage. We had ZERO debt before the mortgage, and we have no debt besides the mortgage.

We are both very good at managing money, always have been. Self control is key. One of my credit cards has a very high limit. If I can't pay off the card in full when the bill comes, I don't buy whatever it is that would cause me to cross that threshold. We had several banks fighting over us when we went to get our loan for the house.

 

[LittleBill21]

Agreed. I'm 34, my wife is 31. We both have excellent credit scores, both before and after taking out a mortgage. We had ZERO debt before the mortgage, and we have no debt besides the mortgage.

We are both very good at managing money, always have been. Self control is key. One of my credit cards has a very high limit. If I can't pay off the card in full when the bill comes, I don't buy whatever it is that would cause me to cross that threshold. We had several banks fighting over us when we went to get our loan for the house.

i have to agree. thinking a credit card is a bad thing is foolish. i had a credit card since i was 18, never had a balance, never paid 1 dime in interest. and i have raked in over prolly 5k in cash rewards since i got them (all i use are credit cards which have rewards attached).

i also have a 804 credit score and never had a single debt in my life including purchasing my house. i got a mortgage pre approval just for giggles and was approved for over 500k in 20 seconds over the phone.

My credit cards make ME money, if you have no self control, you have no need for a credit card.

I am also 34 and is my wife, she averages $320 in rewards every 6 months, and we just got new cards with even better returns.

work smarter not harder

 

[kcflhrc]

A mortgage pre approval is way different than an actual approval.

 

[LittleBill21]

A mortgage pre approval is way different than an actual approval.

the paperwork came a day later certified approved or whatever, i didn't have a need for it, i bought my house outright, my parents forced me to get one as a backup

to show how you can get in trouble though. i only asked for 250k, the approval amount was 500k which i never asked for. sneaky, sneaky

 

[turnkey4099]

I see them here with body lift kits on 4WD's, makes them top heavy and unstable on the road and when they go off road they still hang up on the diff.
Known collectively as wanker wagons.

And no matter how high they jack them, they gain no more than an inch or two of ground clearance - and that only by putting on bigger tires.

 

[Raspy]

the paperwork came a day later certified approved or whatever, i didn't have a need for it, i bought my house outright, my parents forced me to get one as a backup

to show how you can get in trouble though. i only asked for 250k, the approval amount was 500k which i never asked for. sneaky, sneaky

It's not always a bad idea to buy a house with a mortgage. Considering that a good mutual fund can return 25% per year and interest on a house is only 3-5%, you're losing money by buying with cash. And considering that if you have your money in a fund you can get at if a real emergency arrises. Just be careful not to get stung in the next downturn, and that is not too hard to avoid.

There are a number of ways to make money besides not spending it. Spending a little can sometimes make you a lot.

I get a lot of pleasure from knowing there is no bank involved in owning my home. Of course, ownership only means the County won't take it away from you as long as you keep paying your taxes. So who really owns it? Not much different than a mortgage.