Originally Posted by Cali Panthers Fan
I dunno...
I teach a lot of this Gen Y/Gen Z group, and I see some things on a regular basis:
Learned helplessness-basically, they've been told their whole life that their shortcomings aren't their problem and we will accommodate them to make ends meet. They're the product of a broken system. These kids will never accomplish anything and will be a drain on society. Probably 15% of young people are like this.
The apathetic-many just say "#### it" and decide that they will do the minimum required to get what they need in life and screw everything else. Thankfully, this isn't a large percentage, roughly 20%
Then there's the enthusiastic, but clueless-They care...a lot (thanks Faith No More). They want to improve things, have a good career that is socially responsible, and make things better for the next generation. However, they have no real skills or aptitude to effect any real change or have the life they want to live. The sentiment is nice, but meaningless. Unfortunately, this is about 40% of the kids I see.
The wandering soul-This group is above average in almost every way, but is unclear on where they want to go or what they want to do. They're smart, capable, and ready to effect real change, but they're aimless. My hope is they find a path at some point. This is about 15% of the young people I see.
Then there's the achievers-These are the super-motivated group that says #### you to all the roadblocks and obstacles put in front of modern kids. They kick ass and chew bubble gum. They're the ones that I would gladly follow into battle. I put the percentage at about 10%, which is quite high considering what I'm talking about.
I look at all this and I think about my peers growing up, and the generation before me. I say to myself, "Self? Is this any different than generations that came before?", and I say "No, not really. If anything, the motivations are genuinely great, but they're limited by a crap education system that didn't prepare them well. Whereas before, they didn't give a #### but were well educated."
It's a catch 22.
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