Is this generation too weak?

I am 31 by the way. So I am not old. But I was watching the Today Show and they were talking about how parents are burnt out. Back in my days we weren't glued to our screens (because we didn't have them) and we weren't picky eaters and we played outside until it got dark.

Idk. Does anyone know what I'm trying to say?

Yes.... I do... and you're quite right.

Sad these days, really...

Alright, just look the other way if you don't want to hear an old fogey's perspective. I don't even know where to begin with this one....


I remember:
1. Actual pedal bikes.
2. Playing outside until dark.
3. Playing King of the Mountain at recess.
4. Playing tackle football at recess.
5. Playing on monkey bars over concrete.
6. Climbing the rope in gym class and actually being encouraged to touch the top beam in the rafter and get your name put on the "Tarzan Club".
7. Cutting grass for money.
8. Wearing jeans and nylon shirts as our baseball uniforms (because travel ball and the ridiculous expenses that go with it were not even around then).
9. Actually fearing my parents, teachers, and cops.
10. Taking responsibility for my screw-ups instead of blaming it on a rough childhood, ADHD, or peanut allergies.
11. Eating dinner together as a family and if you didn't like what mom served, too bad.
12. Actually riding the bus to school.
13. Respecting other people's property.
14. Suffering through the trauma of having to walk to the TV to change the channel.
15. Walking the railroad tracks. If a train came, you got in the ditch.
16. Playing Jarts.
17. Being Evel Knievel and convincing myself, that yes, I CAN jump over four of my friends on my bike using this crappy ramp that I built.
18. Playing baseball and not being decked out in padding from head to toe like a hockey goalie.
19. Riding in the bed of a truck was a treat.
20. Swimming right after we ate.
21. Cars without backup cameras, blind spot detectors, or lane assist technology. Drivers actually paid attention.
22. Taking pride in my 1976 Buick Regal (it was a beater) because I bought it at 16.
23. If two kids had a beef, they'd duke it out. Nobody pulled a gun.
24. A student smoking section in high school. PS - I'm NOT encouraging smoking. I just laugh that there was such a thing once-upon-a-time.
25. Standing up for others instead of fearing the consequences.

There are more but these came to mind pretty quickly. Thanks for the wonderful memories.

I would just say that I think pretty much every generation thinks the one that comes after theirs is "weaker" or more pampered. Talking to my mom about her childhood and I can see similarities to the way I was raised, but I also see many things that were harder (especially during WWII).

I grew up on screens -- TV screens and computer screens. But I also played a lot outside. I think it comes down to parents finding a balance that works for them, and with both parents working pretty much the norm, it is definitely a challenging time period.

@Revenge Tour, LOL at myself. I thought you were around MD's age for some reason. Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.

If I may add to your list..

1. Nobody ever heard of play dates. You'd call a friend and see if they wanted to play.
2. Playing in the fog from the mosquito truck. Yeah, I know playing in a fog of poison was not too bright.
3. Childhood meant lumps and bumps and scrapes from playing outside. No one ran to the doctor or worried about scars.
4. This is from a bit older than MD meant. Furnishing your first apartment in "early Salvation Army" castoffs.
5. Walking to school. Hell, walking, or riding your bike, everywhere.

Idk man, I’m a little younger than you (27) they didn’t have snow days in my town growing up unless the trees were blocking the roads, but now if there’s 2]inches of snow they stay home. But then again I didn’t really worry about being shot on an ordinary Tuesday. I got to play outside all day and learn what to do if you encounter a bear and what kind of noises the different types of finches make, meanwhile those still in school had to basically teach themselves trigonometry for a couple years during Covid.

I’d say as time goes on we’re becoming more so slaves to technology, starting with the agricultural revolution when we catered to wheat instead of having the variety of food hunted and scavenged and soon ending when humans become more robots than organisms or some shyt.

Speaking of WWII, my mom's friend's family ran away from the Nazis when she was little. Her family went through the mountains from Austria to Poland and eventually to America. They were taught not to take off their shoes at night because their feet were so swollen, they wouldn't be able to put their shoes on in the morning. She's as tough as they come.

Add away!

Never played in the mosquito truck fog. Too funny. You probably have an immune system like no other.

My sister had a chemistry set with a Bunsen burner and vials of arsenic, mercury, and other wonderful toxins. She grew up to be an engineer.

Aside from jarts, there was;
Easy bake oven that had no safety features
This plastics molding factory metal mold that you pours chemicals into and heated up
Chemistry sets with dangerous chemicals
Cherry bombs
Going door to door by myself selling and then delivering cookies

There were other dangers but those were the ones I played with. Actually I loved the freedom of leaving in the morning with a can of mandarin oranges and coming home after dark. Because I grew up when most moms stayed at home and there were party lines the moms kept an eye on kids.

I'm 55 and I do think that some things are harder for young people now, then it was back in my 20''s.


For example, I did a humanities degree in university, English and Philosophy. It did take a lot of letters and applications because I graduated in the midst of a recession, but I did have a full time permanent job lined up immediately upon graduation, with a pretty decent salary for the time. Renting was affordable on my salary and while I never purchased a home, I could have, it was more a choice for me that I didn't want the hassle of owning.

I contrast this experience with some people I know, who are in their 30's and they've never had a permanent job, all they've been able to find are contracts. And they're not making much more than I did back in 92 in my first job, while rent is massively more expensive.


I also work with some young people, and they are smart and motivated and really committed to the job.

I just think that some things are harder for young people than it was back then.

@splitimage, we had a greater sense of community, I think, back then... it is harder for young people these days... very sad.

@Revenge Tour hahaha Enjoyed your post!! I could relate to pretty much everything...

I remember seeing the Easy Bake Oven commercials during Saturday morning cartoons. Always made me laugh to market stuff to kids that could reach 375 degrees. Lawsuit City these days.

Wow! I’ve been looking up the stuff I listed and all of it was banned! You can still get chemistry sets but they are not the same and much safer. Wow! And of course they’ve taken away the playground spinners and replaced the concrete with padding. I’ll say it taught you to be careful and not fall. Bloody knees and elbows were common.

I guess my perspective is change is part of life. Some things are better - I do think generally boys and men aren’t shamed for sharing their true emotions these days for instance. Some things aren’t so good - I’m a believer in allowing kids to get bored and maybe that doesn’t happen too much these days, I do feel it would benefit their development though.

Playing outdoors until it’s dark is definitely something all kids should experience IMO.

There’s a movement, I can’t remember what they called themselves but a movement of letting kids do more. One parent taught their 6 yr old to walk to the store and buy milk or other small things. The first time she was to go on her own the cops bought her back. So now the movement suggests you let authorities know your kid is out there establishing autonomy and self esteem.

Have to notify the authorities you sent your kid to the store by them self!?!? WTF!?!?!?

I can see people being upset if they see a toddler wandering down the street in nothing but a nappy, but a 6 year old walking to the store does not merit a call to the police!

Interesting discussion.

My husband supervises people just out of law school that are doing the required internship they need to become lawyers. Here, you can start studying law right after high school, instead of a bachelor's degree and then law school. If you finish on time, you complete your coursework in five years. So, he's dealing with a lot of people in their mid/early 20s. He's been doing this for a long time.

He says these last few groups of interns really seem less prepared to deal with their internship and life generally. As he puts it, some seem to be made of glass.They become very sensitive if he tells them they did something wrong, for example. They don't make reminders for upcoming court hearings, even though it's easier than ever to add one to your phone, and then forget to attend. One guy logged in to an online court hearing from his car ! Another reused a legal document and didn't change the people's names or ID numbers. One woman quit a few weeks in because she couldn't take the stress.

He works hybrid so sometimes I hear these conversations. He's very measured with them, he doesn't berate or scold them. He just corrects them and reminds them of what they need to do, why it's important to be organized, etc.

Maybe having to study online during the pandemic played a role? I'm not sure. As in other places, the helicopter parenting style seems more prevalent in the last 10-15 years, that could play a role too. Whatever it is, I've never seen him so frustrated with this aspect of his job.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DocJohn I would just say that I think pretty much every generation thinks the one that comes after theirs is "weaker" or more pampered. Talking to my mom about her childhood and I can see similarities to the way I was raised, but I also see many things that were harder (especially during WWII). I grew up on screens -- TV screens and computer screens. But I also played a lot outside. I think it comes down to parents finding a balance that works for them, and with both parents working pretty much the norm, it is definitely a challenging time period.

Doc John, I believe you are right about each generation believing the next one is "weak". Flip side of that is the younger generation believes the older generation ruined the world and left them with a mess.

When integrity and ethics are too heavy to shoulder for those in positions of responsibility and become nothing but a weight to be flung contemptuously into the ditch...

then we're ALWAYS going to be effed. Or at the very least perennially bent over in obscene supplication. Not easy to make great strides all hunched over with yer proverbial underwear around your ankles.

Thing is, whatever the generation...a disturbing number of people will never understand that.

It just occurred to me as this thread popped up.

Of course the older generations are going to be stronger. All the weak fellas died! Survival of the fittest hasn't worked it's magic yet
But then maybe it won't because I feel like most parents would want to make the world a "safer" place for their children. And companies don't want to get sued for burns or puncture wounds because kids were idiots when using their products.
I hear old chemistry sets had blowtorches, cyanide, hot plates, glass blowing equipment, sometimes uranium, and probably some other shyt a five year old with the right mind could use to overthrow the government, put all the Russians in concentration camps, and completely destroy China. Badass.