Why Gen Y yuppies are unhappy

[Tinordi]

Dementia

[Rerun]

Generation Y?
Generation X?

I definitely needed to know what and who we are talking about so I looked it up on Wikipedia

Western world[edit source | editbeta]

For the purposes of this list "Western world" can be taken to mean North America, Europe, South America, and Oceania. However, it should also be noted that many variations may exist within the regions, both geographically and culturally which mean that the list is broadly indicative, but necessarily very general. For details see the individual articles.

• The Lost Generation, also known as the Generation of 1914 in Europe,[19] is a term originating with Gertrude Stein to describe those who fought in World War I. The members of the lost generation were typically born between 1883 and 1900.

• The Greatest Generation, also known as the G.I. Generation, is the generation that includes the veterans who fought in World War II. They were born from around 1901 through 1924, coming of age during the Great Depression. Journalist Tom Brokaw dubbed this the Greatest Generation in a book of the same name.[20]

• The Silent Generation, also known as the "Lucky Few", were born 1925 through 1942. It includes those who were too young to join the service during World War II. It includes most of those who fought during the Korean War. Many had fathers who served in World War I. Generally recognized as the children of the Great Depression, this event during their formative years had a profound impact on them.

• The Baby Boomers are the generation that was born following World War II, generally from 1946 up to 1964, a time that was marked by an increase in birth rates. The term "baby boomer" is sometimes used in a cultural context. Therefore, it is impossible to achieve broad consensus of a precise date definition.[21] The baby boom has been described variously as a "shockwave"[22] and as "the pig in the python."[23] In general, baby boomers are associated with a rejection or redefinition of traditional values; however, many commentators have disputed the extent of that rejection, noting the widespread continuity of values with older and younger generations. In Europe and North America boomers are widely associated with privilege, as many grew up in a time of affluence.[22] One of the features of Boomers was that they tended to think of themselves as a special generation, very different from those that had come before them. In the 1960s, as the relatively large numbers of young people became teenagers and young adults, they, and those around them, created a very specific rhetoric around their cohort, and the change they were bringing about.[24]

• Generation X is generally defined as those born after the Post–World War II baby boom ended. Demographers, historians and commentators use beginning birth dates from the early 1960s to the early 1980s.[25][26][27][28][29] The term has also been used in different times and places for a number of different subcultures or countercultures since the 1950s.[30]

• Generation Y, also known as the Millennial Generation, describes the demographic cohort following Generation X. There are no precise dates for when the Millennial generation starts and ends. Commentators have used birth dates ranging somewhere from the latter 1970s or from the early 1980s to the early 2000s.[31][32][33][34]

• Generation Z is a name used (although other terms exist) for the cohort of people born from the early 2000s to the present day who are distinct from the preceding Millennial Generation.[35]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Tinordi

Dementia

And you are?

[blankall]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

It has far less to do with the economy than the bar culture here. There's an entirely different recruiting strategy that involves hiring fewer people to begin with and keeping a greater percentage of them. I.e. we'll hire 12 students and hire back 11 rather than hiring 20 and hiring back 10. We hire back about 90% of our articling students (that's actually a conservative estimate). Consequently, new recruits are treated as if they're full fledged members of the firm as soon as they're hired as summer students (basically interns) rather than when they get their legs under them as associates - the assumption is that if you're summering here you're probably going to be here in 5 years as a junior. At least until you go in house, or whatever.

That's just good business though. If your pop is in a position to ship legal work to the firm that's worth $1,000,000 per year, paying you $100,000 is a no-brainer. As for the other thing, in Calgary biglaw, people don't really get fired, people... ahem... find new opportunities. It just looks better on the firm when it appears that an associate voluntarily left rather than was fired. "We don't employ people who aren't competent or trustworthy lawyers" is the message. So yeah, damn right the firm will find them somewhere to land.

Calgary firms hire more articling students relative to their Vancouver counter-parts. They have a higher hire back ration, as their is just more work to go around. If anything the Vancouver firms are far picker....well I know that for a fact, as I was on the cusp of being a good student and got far more job interviews/offers from Calgary than I did from Vancouver.

Calgary just has more work to go around. Not just in law but everywhere.

[Sainters7]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

With the possible exception of the Greatest Generation, every cohort is disparaged by their elders when they're 20-somethings. Are we already forgetting how Gen Xers were collectively described as being a bunch of unambitious slackers in the 90s and how the Baby Boomers were called the "Me generation" in the 70s because they were perceived as being self-involved and narcissistic as young adults?

The funny thing is, in a history class I took in college, our prof talked about this notion, and we looked at a bunch of newspaper clips/stories in the U.S. in the days/weeks after Pearl Harbor. Adults at the time were seriously concerned that this later to be named "Greatest Generation" wouldn't be able to even fight the war properly. Many felt they were a bunch of lazy, self-absorbed swing kids.

The "greatest generation" IMO was just an ordinary generation who had extraordinary events unfold around them, and they rose to the occasion. Which is why they deservedly get the respect they do, but who's to say this Y generation wouldn't have done the same if it came to it? I'm pretty sure adults have been complaining about the younger generation since the beginning of time.

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

The funny thing is, in a history class I took in college, our prof talked about this notion, and we looked at a bunch of newspaper clips/stories in the U.S. in the days/weeks after Pearl Harbor. Adults at the time were seriously concerned that this later to be named "Greatest Generation" wouldn't be able to even fight the war properly. Many felt they were a bunch of lazy, self-absorbed swing kids.

The "greatest generation" IMO was just an ordinary generation who had extraordinary events unfold around them, and they rose to the occasion. Which is why they deservedly get the respect they do, but who's to say this Y generation wouldn't have done the same if it came to it? I'm pretty sure adults have been complaining about the younger generation since the beginning of time.

... and until the end of time, people will keep on saying it. I hope I never become a CaptainCrunch or anything.

The reality is, each generation has been better then the last and each generation after will be better then the previous. While brings this whole thing full circle, that for all the resources and everything that you have available for you, expectations are too high. Because every generation builds on the work and expectations of the previous ones and we always want a little bit more. The expectations here isn't always about entitlement (it can be, but thats not the point)... the point is how we compare reality to expectations that results in happiness.

[Tinordi]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

And you are?

Familiar with the symptoms.

[CaptainCrunch]

Thanks but if I want a professional opinion, I'll go to a professional.

Appreciate it though

[Regorium]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

the point is how we compare reality to expectations that results in happiness.

I understand that you read the article in a very neutral light, and I do agree with this basic premise of "expectations - reality = happiness", but I read it and felt a lot of condescension from the article. Especially the graph that showed "years of hard work" on the graph for the boomers - which implies that millenials aren't working hard. The whole 2nd point about being entitled is also extremely condescending.

I also highly agree with the social media portion of it - because boomers don't really have a reference to say something like "we were better than you", that part of the article is probably the most neutral and truthful part.

However, I don't think it is that far out to see the negative connotation from boomers to millenials in that article.

[Dion]

[Sainters7]

Just read through more of this thread, I see she took a turn. Had only read page 1 where that post I quoted was from, reminded me of a good class I took

[GirlySports]

Originally Posted by Dion

There's a 3rd.
Hookers and Blow

[valo403]

Originally Posted by 19Yzerman19

Blankall's summary is absolutely nothing like Biglaw in Calgary for what it's worth. Toronto is still somewhat like that.

Nothing like NYC either. Doesn't really sound like Biglaw at all.

[FlamingLonghorn]

The thing is every generation will complain they are worse off, because they actually are. And guess who is to blame? The previous generation! Until a generation learns how to (and cares to) successfully set things up for the next generation, this will be the pattern. I don't believe Gen X or Gen Y will break this pattern.

[mattcoco35]

Originally Posted by PsYcNeT

I'm confused? I'm Gen Y I guess, and I along with the majority of my Gen Y friends and family are educated with a bachelor's or higher, own property, are in stable relationships/married, have achieved life goals and continue to grow as people.

Who the hell are all these articles talking about? Bronies? Autistic manchildren living in their parents basement?

I think these writers really have to get off the internet as they have a very skewed view of what 20-30s are like right now.

Ha I was thinking the same. Being 30 with two houses and 3 kids and a pretty average job as far as income goes. I'm a pretty happy guy! Of course we all want more whether it be materialistic or something like a vacation. Isn't that normal? I'm guessing the previous gen where working for the same reason???

[fundmark19]

Originally Posted by mattcoco35

Ha I was thinking the same. Being 30 with two houses and 3 kids and a pretty average job as far as income goes. I'm a pretty happy guy! Of course we all want more whether it be materialistic or something like a vacation. Isn't that normal? I'm guessing the previous gen where working for the same reason???

I see you went with option #3 Hookers and Blow

[Phanuthier]

Originally Posted by Regorium

I understand that you read the article in a very neutral light, and I do agree with this basic premise of "expectations - reality = happiness", but I read it and felt a lot of condescension from the article. Especially the graph that showed "years of hard work" on the graph for the boomers - which implies that millenials aren't working hard. The whole 2nd point about being entitled is also extremely condescending.

I also highly agree with the social media portion of it - because boomers don't really have a reference to say something like "we were better than you", that part of the article is probably the most neutral and truthful part.

However, I don't think it is that far out to see the negative connotation from boomers to millenials in that article.

True, I can see where one side may be offended. Honestly I don't see why there is so much animosity between one and another.

Gen Y is better then Gen X, and in the coming years Gen Z is going to be better then Gen Y, and that trend will continue because we are socially evolving, etc... as previously mentioned.

At the same time, Gen Y's should be grateful that Gen X has set them up to be better. Sure they also did a lot of things to make life harder for us (tons of debt, etc)... but everything I have in life that I have going for me is because of Gen X. My parents supported me (all aspects) so I could have a successful career. At work, I am mentored by many Gen X's who have been patient through my mistakes and done more than they had to help me have a successful career. Etc. Is it there fault a undergrad univ degree is the new high school degree? No, its a consequence of us socially evolving that places higher demands on roles we have in society. Is it their fault housing prices have gone up? Not really... its a supply and demand. But did they make mistakes, like incur a ton of debt we'll be paying for as they live on the backs of social security? Yeah, probably... but its just money. Money is useless in your hand, it should go back into society anyways. Maybe you might have to drive a lower end BMW or whatever... but thats your unfortunate luck of being born into a society where you were fortunate enough to be brought up in a first world that has this social infrustructure.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Phanuthier

Side tangent that has nothing to do with the topic, but renewable, biotech and online has actually changed the market. Look at how companies like Tesla are challenging the industry. Android apps companies startup cost are so low they dominate VC/angel so there are no hardware companies entering the market (the last successful one was Marvel like a decade a go) that even successful RF companies who are in 2nd round of funding are still seeing their funding cut. Not to mention the IPO babies of Zynga, et al have cause a housing spike of 50%.

When the computer was invented, that changed the market.

When the car was invented, the way cities are built and the way people lived changed.

When the internet came out there was a huge shift in industry.

When the steam engine..

Printing press...

We aren't special. The world has been a changing place for a very long time.

Originally Posted by polak

Really? You're going to compare pre-industrial revolution generations? Well then those f***ers that built the pyrimads really had a rough go too.

You're right, we should totally just look at history in a timeframe that is the lifespan of one human.

People often live 80 to 90 years now. Go talk to a 90 year old and ask them if everyone is really hard done by now and never had it harder. I'm sure someone who lived through the Great Depression would love to hear all about it.

Go back the life span of 2 human lives, say 150 years ago. That is not that long ago. Look at health care. Look at the standard of living. Sanitation. What going to the dentist was like. What happened if you were handicapped.

I honestly think there is something to the theory about our generation being huge whiners.

[Rerun]

1970's typical middle class family RV...



Year 2010 typical middle class family RV...



Yep... life has definitely gone downhill in the past 40 years.

[CaramonLS]

Originally Posted by Rerun

1970's typical middle class family RV...

Year 2010 typical middle class family RV...

Yep... life has definitely gone downhill in the past 40 years.

Oddly enough, Boomers are the only ones to be able to afford either vehicle at either point in time.