Study finds widening generation gap in US

[Coventina]

Source: The Guardian

Associated Press Writer= WASHINGTON (AP) From cell phones and texting to religion and manners, younger and older Americans see the world differently, creating the largest generation gap since the tumultuous years of the 1960s and the culture clashes over Vietnam, civil rights and women's liberation.

A new study released Monday by the Pew Research Center found Americans of different ages increasingly at odds over a range of social and technological issues. It also highlights a widening age divide after last November's election, when 18- to 29-year-olds voted for Democrat Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 ratio.

Almost eight in 10 people believe there is a major difference in the point of view of younger people and older people today, according to the independent public opinion research group. That is the highest spread since 1969, when about 74 percent reported major differences in an era of generational conflicts over the Vietnam War and civil and women's rights. In contrast, just 60 percent in 1979 saw a generation gap.

Asked to identify where older and younger people differ most, 47 percent said social values and morality. People age 18 to 29 were more likely to report disagreements over lifestyle, views on family, relationships and dating, while older people cited differences in a sense of entitlement. Those in the middle-age groups also often pointed to a difference in manners.



Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/feedarticle/8582160

[SkyDaddy7]

1. I believe it!

My parents, especially my Dad, think in very simple terms...He watches nothing but FOX News and claims there is this vast Liberal conspiracy in all other media. His answer to every foreign policy conflict is "Drop a nuke and be done with it" There is no reaching him even when all the evidence is shown to him he claims it is just "Liberal Lies"

I wished Liberals had as much power as these "Old Farts" claim we do!!! The world would be a much different place. IMHO.

[pattmarty]

2. Well, I am now 62 and have been a "liberal" (and I mean radical) since.....

.....I was probably 14 or so, and for any number of things. My dad was what I call an old "Mayor Daley" liberal and I was brought up going to Catholic elementary school and going to church every Sunday. I was lucky to go to a very good Chicago suburb public high school with teachers that taught students to question things. So, just because someone is "older" doesn't necessarily mean they are "fox watchers" (although in all honestly a large part are).

[Dappleganger]

56. Good point.

[madrchsod]

3. they`ll grow up and their kids will feel the same

i guess it must have been a slow day at pew research

[sutz12]

4. I guess I'm in the minority, then...

I'm 56 and I really, really can't stand most conservatives. :shrug:

Sorry, but 50 years of ever increasing corporate control and ever more Ayn Randian philosophical bullshit has jaded me to being a full blown liberal.

[SharonAnn]

51. Me too. Many years ago, I thought I was a "conservative". I believed in Civil Rights though

and some thought that was problematic. The Dixiecrats were strong in the Democratic Party back then so i assumed i couldn't be a Democrat.

[Demit]

5. There isn't one reference in that article to stats collected for people aged 50 to 64.

Either we have no opinions or we exist in some shadowy netherworld for 14 years.

[Joanne98]

6. I'm 55 and there's no generation gap with me except maybe cell phone use.

I don't have one. I hate phones.

We both hate conservatives. That's not a gap, that's progress.

[ovidsen]

80. I'll second your opinion..... mostly.

I've always considered the telephone something of a necessary evil. True, it allows you to stay in touch with family and friends, and can literally be a lifesaver, but I'm not the kind of person who gabs for hours over basically nothing. I am in no way like the younger person (no slap intended against people younger than me, which is anyone younger than 55) who shared a car on a trip I took recently on Amtrak who spent 30 minutes (at least) on her cell phone talking about.. her shoes.

I have a cell phone; but only two dozen or so people know the number, and their attitude about the phone is about the same as mine. If you can't say it in 5 minutes, you're wasting your time, and mine. I'd much rather chat with folks face to face, in my home or theirs, on the street, at a comfortable watering hole, etc.

I draw the line at texting. I just don't see the point. Just call me, okay?

If that puts me at the gray haired level of the generation gap, than so be it.

[starroute]

7. How is this different from "don't trust anyone over 30"?

We boomers knew in the 60's that the gap wasn't just between us and our parents -- it was also between us and the generation that had come of age in the 1950's, still believed in traditional gender roles, and preferred alcohol to pot as their drug of choice.

Some members of the generation that is now over 65 were giants of that era -- but they were a small minority in their age-group. There were far more Dick Cheneys born in 1941 than Bob Dylans.

So from my admittedly biased perspective, it looks not so much like a new generation gap between today's kids and their grandparents as it does like the same old generation gap getting more acute with the passage of time.

If this weren't LBN, I'd suggest the thread should actually have been headlined, "Pundits admit: 1950s are never coming back."

[raccoon]

8. Kudos to the young ones for that!

"It also highlights a widening age divide after last November's election, when 18- to 29-year-olds voted for Democrat Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 ratio. "

From an active adult who voted for Obama. :-)

[Odin2005]

9. Cue the usual Boomer BS claiming us Millennials are a bunch of narcissists.

:eyes:

[murielm99]

10. I'm 60, and I don't see any criticism of millennials in this thread.

Why are you so thin-skinned?

Every generation likes to blame all the ills of the world on the preceding generation.

All three of my kids are good Democrats and activists. They are more moderate than me. In my Democratic central committee, I am surprised that many of our older members are more leftist than the younger ones. Maybe life will radicalize the younger Democrats.

I don't think our party gets it either. They haven't yet moved as far to the left as the rank-and-file. They are being too cautious at a time when we need radical change.

[Odin2005]

21. I remember some threads where posters regurgitated the "generation of narcissists" BS..

[Duer 157099]

11. You're kidding right?

I don't think there's ever been a bigger generation of narcissists than boomers.

I think millennials are a good generation, you guys have a ton of shit to deal with and I think you're uniquely qualified for it. At least I hope so, since my son is also one...

:thumbsup:

[Odin2005]

20. There has been a spate of recent stuff by Boomer academics bashing us Millennials.

Most notable being a book by a certain Twenge lady. I always got the feeling that this nonsense was nothing but the Boomers' owm projection. A lot of it basically consists of calling us narcissists because we dare have the "self-centered" view that if we work hard in school and college we should get a good paying job instead of being stuck at some BS McJob. Other stuff I've read is typical "all this new-fangled stuff is evil, why don't do the stuff we did when we were kids?" BS.

[Darth_Kitten]

57. You want narcissists, check the under 21's.......

I'm sorry, but I've never known so many spoiled, entitled people in all my life.
Yes, there are the odd good, hard-working, and open-minded ones, but too many spoiled, petulant brats. They wouldn't have a life if Mommy or Daddy didn't have to drive them around to it.

Sorry, you don't get everything in life by the time you are 25....sometimes you have to..wait.

[JNelson6563]

79. At 46 my experience is very different.

Those my age and older seem to have an enormous sense of entitlement! Let's start with inheritance issues: Those in the generation of my grandparents were pretty good at stacking up cash and denying themselves luxuries. I can't tell you how many people I know (boomers) who got their hands on that dough (finally!) and couldn't buy enough luxury for themselves. While their parents helped them all the time but still managed to save a lot (and leave much behind when they died) the boomers don't seem to ever have enough and so often refuse to help their own kids or do so begrudgingly. I have found this to be a fascinating study in contrasts.

Additionally I have worked with the public for many years. It's the boomers who feel free to park in the leased parking (that is signed complete with threats of towing), who demand all sorts of extras and special treatment in the retail or restaurant world and always want more.

Yeah, let's talk sense of entitlement. I've been out in the world since age 15 and the boomers are untouchable when it comes to sense of entitlement. World class--but usually lacking the class.

Julie

[Raine]

13. I'm a boomer, I think your generation is great

my generation is the one that never lived up to it's potentional.

[SharonAnn]

52. I'm a Boomer, and I agree. I think we haven't lived up to our potential.

[provis99]

14. or the usual Boomer crap claiming Generation Xers are lazy slackers.

[Deja Q]

48. My 4.0 average has helped lift the class average... 80% of the class being millennials

I now have some worries what some corporations say might be true. :scared: :(

Sorry to boast about 4.0 -- by next year I'll try to keep it at 3.75... perfection is a mental illness, you see...

[KakistocracyHater]

15. yet they are the "Me" generation

go figure

[Deja Q]

49. Like Windows Me. There's a vista nobody wants to look at ever again...

or two...

:yoiks:

[Blandocyte]

27. Chill. It's not all about you

:evilgrin:

[myrna minx]

32. I'm gen x and I think your generation is fantastic.

Some of the greatest, smartest, most thoughtful people I've met have been Millennials. It really gives me hope. :hi:

[Odin2005]

37. Thanks!

:hi:

[Zhade]

78. Same here. Way less bigotry and homophobia, for one.

NT!

[Deja Q]

47. I'm an X'er and both generation geritol and the millennials both have points.

Stuck in the middle; I've seen it all.

Didn't do it all, however; I still keep sex special.

And I keep the whippersnappers off the front porch too...

I'm an X'er. WE are the narcissists. :P

[psychopomp]

62. I like the way that Gen X'ers are maturing

I'm an X'er. WE are the narcissists.

Speak for yourself, bub.

[annabanana]

65. Oh horseshit. .

I'm a boomer with Millenial kids.. They are as involved and radical as I ever was.. The biggest difference between us is that my failing eyesight and lack of need to keep instant tabs on my contemporaries keeps me from all that texting stuff. . .

[MindPilot]

12. Bringing back the "gap"

:eyes:

This yet another way the marketeers slice and dice us into target demographics. And then we get to point and say "it's because your generation is {insert disparaging remark here}"

I'm going to take a new approach and blame all the shit that's wrong in the world on people who haven't been born yet. They get to deal with it and pay for it so we might as well make it their fault.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

17. Yes...Another attempt to divide liberals.

If there's a gap, it's being created by people who can't evolve beyond narrow-minded generalizations...and I'll pin that accusation on young and old alike.

Come on people...

[Hannah Bell]

19. how they slice us into fragmented "interest groups" to fight over (supposedly) scarce resources.

this generation will be the one to end social security.

many have been totally brainwashed into the "it's bankrupt, won't be there for me, costs too much, boomers are rich" mindset.

many think they'll be getting more for themselves if SS goes away.

but they'll get even less.

[Odin2005]

22. Wrong, generations have a clear sociological sorce.

Read some of the books by social historians William Strauss and Neil Howe. Generations aren't mere inventions of marketers or (as Hannah Bell claimed) of cynical people trying to create divisions.

[slackmaster]

16. Filed for future reference

In the Twilight Zone.

[Psephos]

18. damn you kids, get off my lawn!

lol

just practicing for when I get old someday

[The Backlash Cometh]

23. We need more Stephenie Meyers.

I swear, my relationship with my daughter improved ever since I read the Twilight books. Though I'm more hooked on digging up day to day information, (because the whole book to movie magic thing enthralls me and the twilight blogs are pretty good about digging up background information on everything: set, directors, screen writer, casting etc.), I also happen to go onto sites that give me background information on other, young actors and movies that I wouldn't have bothered to look up before.

For example, I knew Megan Fox's name for Transformers, which earned me a look of admiration from my daughter.

I noticed this need for "common bond" between generations thing at my wedding, years ago. We had such a diverse group of people. Preppies, retail techies, old and young hispanics, old and young anglo-Americans. And a funny thing happened with the music. For Americans, it was very age specific. The older crowd danced to older music, the younger crowd danced to the Top 40, but they all needed a few drinks under their belt before they broke the ice. But the hispanics, young and old, the minute the latin music came on, it was like their cue card. They all descended on the dance floor at the same time, dancing to a beat that seemed to have been beaten into their blood.

I knew that, at least where I came from, having only two channels to grow up to also contributed to this singular bond. However, the latin music was constantly, the same.

[WriteDown]

26. So what's it like after Mormon conversion?

:evilgrin:

[The Backlash Cometh]

39. Oh, you're talking about Stephenie Meyer.

Listen, any woman can relate to her little fantasy dream that made it to the written page. No religion has a monopoly on the imagination.

[MADem]

24. Texting and manners, most certainly.

Cell phones and religion, not so much. In fact, I've met a disturbing number of "Christian rock" type kids who identify as Republicans.

That's the scary part. I'll be on my deathbed, and there will be "Jesus Rocks Republicans" in charge. Ech.

[EndersDame]

25. The trouble with kids today by Socrates

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

[MADem]

28. I didn't say they were tyrants, I just said a lot of 'em were Republicans!

Is there a difference?

And manners do come and go, sure--in this era, they've gone.

[EndersDame]

29. Every generation has republicans

I am 23 and currently living in Waco and was pleasantly surprised when my co workers (i work in a restaurant most of us are late teens early twenties there are a couple of oldschool waitresses though) just treated a new employee who quite obviously and fabulously gay just as another guy. However the older ones thinks it ok for him to be gay.... just not in public . I realize that all boomers are not like this (such as my fabulously hippy mom0 just as all kids arent republicans (in fact they overwhelmingly voted for obama as the above article stated)

[MADem]

30. I don't understand how any of them can be Republicans--especially the women.

How a woman, knowing the GOP view on women's issues, can vote for that party is beyond me.

The people in my generation of old farts were mostly Democrats when they were young. I didn't know any Republicans my age when I was young. Some of them grew up and got mean and greedy and went GOP. But when they were young? They had ideals.

[EndersDame]

31. They learn hatred from their parents

I have seen it many of times.Kids picking up their parents prejudices. I have even seen adult picketers of Planned Parenthood bring their children. I don't see it as an excuse but an explanation.

[MADem]

33. I wish it were that easy, but no, it's not always true.

I have granola eating 1960's "early hippie" pals who taught the "peace, love, save the planet" themes to their kids, way before it was even "cool," and some of their kids are into the "reject the 'rents" mode --if their parents like it, they hate it.

Sorry, some of these kids are just greedy. Some are acting out. Others are succumbing to peer pressure.

They want the latest electronic stuff, and more of it than they need, they want "consumables" and cars and clothes that are idiotic-expensive and trips and hair straightening and piercings and tattoos and all of this stuff that costs a lot of money. And they excoriate their parents if they can't provide these things.

And they like the Gordon Gekko "greed is good" thing, in a creepily retro way--what they want, as many kids do, is to be "not like" their parents.

[EndersDame]

34. I grew up with a woodstock attending hippie

and I am pretty lefty although my views differ than hers on guns (I believe in all of the Bill of rights) I pretty much think that like every person in every age group some are going to be greedy republicans and some are going to be peace loving lefties. Although young people are more likely to be leftish according to the article
"18- to 29-year-olds voted for Democrat Barack Obama by a 2-to-1 ratio"


BTW check this out from the CS Moniter CS Moniter
"Younger voters are more diverse demographically than older voters. In 2008, 62 percent were white, compared with 74 percent eight years earlier. Projections show young voters will become increasingly diverse. They are also less religious and more culturally liberal, two indicators of Democratic support."

I will say that it might be different in your neck of the woods but I gotta defend my generation

[MADem]

36. Well, you're from a red state, too.

Your peers would be the kids of Republicans, so many of them would rebel against parental authority and they'd go the other way.

I'm from a blue state--most of us are Dems or lefty/Indys.

Not all of the youngsters are Republicans--just enough to concern me. Like I said, I didn't know a soul in the mid sixties who confessed to being GOP. Nowadays, they aren't ashamed to say they like McCain or Romney--and I'm talking a diverse population, too. Black, white, many hispanic, asian, biracial, and southwest Asian, you name it--and invariably, they are the ones who want all of the expensive "treatments," from that "Chinese Straight" hair processing and those pearly fake teeth and those fancy (and to my eye, rather ugly) accessories and that overlarge, multicolored, expensive tattoo just like (fill in name of famous person, who probably had a "temporary tattoo" made up so as not to ruin their skin) and those silly enormous clothes that some bozo singing star sports, or overpriced stuff that just doesn't look worth the price tag that Paris Hilton wears....

When I ask why they lean towards the Republicans, they say, pretty much, "Because I don't want to have to pay for the old people." They've been sold the GOP line that Social Security is no good, and even when I point to the stock market and say "HelllOOOOOOO, young 'un? How do you think it would have worked out if Bush privatized that social program?" they still give me some shit about wanting to keep "their" money (this is as they're asking mom or grandpa for a hundred bucks to "go out with friends" or something).

I just.....shake my head! Every generation of course likes to be different, I "get" that--many in this "young adult" generation, though, like to make their youthful indiscretions permanent. You can overcome a horrible haircut that stays hidden in the yearbook picture--a tattoo that covers an arm or a leg, or putting shower hook-sized holes in one's ears-- not so easily--you're stuck with that for life. I just hope their being contrarians up here in the Northeast doesn't stick.

I just wish I could live to an exceedingly freakish ripe old age, just so I could see some of those tattoos and piercings and "body art" and so forth in the nursing home! Gravity does some serious stuff to folks, and when you're young, you never think it could happen to you--I didn't believe it, either!

[tabbycat31]

45. social issues

when they're being preached to about abortion and guns from day 1

[Darth_Kitten]

58. I like your sig line.....

:)

[Odin2005]

38. us Millennials lean to the left generally, especially on social issues.

It is mainly the combined political power of Millennials and Gen-Xers that is pushing through legalizing same-sex marriage.

[MADem]

40. I hope you're right, and keep leaning left!

[TrogL]

35. So where's the gap? I'm in my 50's and I tend to side with the youngin's

[MADem]

41. They don't want to chip in for your social security? NT

[No Elephants]

43. If so, only because people tell them there's no way OASDI is going to be there for them, if, as and

when they need it.

You cannot have a social contract if one of the parties involved--young uns--is expected to contribute only, without ever sharing in the benefits.

OASDI contributions should always truly have been in a conservatively managed trust fund. Instead, they were plundered to benefit a few, like almost everything else in this country.

On second thought, scratch "country." "World" would probably be the more accurate word.

[MADem]

46. Well, if we start restoring Al Gore's lockbox, it'll be there. It'll take time, though. NT

[No Elephants]

42. My experiences always seem to be the exception that prove the rule. My father, an

immigrant and a very proud union shop steward (only a handful of employees in the shop, though), would have chewed off his own hand before marking a ballot for a Republican at any level of government.

My son and I are both Democrats, even though I never discussed politics with him before he was well into adulthood. However, to my surprise, I am more left than my son, including putting more of a premium and urgency on human rights and equality than does my son. Certainly, he favors them, but does not give them the sine qua non top priority that I do.

Go figure.

[ellisonz]

44. I'm quite disgusted with the older generation.

And it's all economic...

[Deja Q]

50. The high school grads blindly swallow half of what's being said in the media too...

A self-fulfilling prophecy, I suspect... and it is about economics, albeit tangentially...

[ellisonz]

59. Nixon, Reagan, Two Bushes...

I'm not impressed.

Barack Obama would really be shaking things up if he could just kick the boomers out of the way...

***breathe and now ask yourself what the world would look like in 2020 if Obama hadn't been elected***

[GoddessOfGuinness]

64. The Census Bureau defines "boomer" as someone born between 1946 and 1964, inclusively

Are you suggesting Obama should kick himself aside?

I'm appalled by the narrow-minded crap that I hear from pockets of every generation about thoughts and behavior that is "typical" of another generation. Democratic ideals are supposed to espouse tolerance. This sort of divisive squabbling does nothing of the kind.

[ellisonz]

67. His campaign compared to certain other candidates...

...was youthful.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

68. So why blame a generation?

People are people.

[ellisonz]

69. Look around...

I'm not saying there aren't exceptions but by in large the boomers and genxers are killing the American Dream.

Paradigm shift now!

[GoddessOfGuinness]

71. Look around yourself...

"Generation gap" bullshit has been around since time immemorial. Someone else on this thread mentioned the famous quote Plato attributed to Socrates. I'm sure generations groused about each other long before that. But to what purpose? What good is there in creating divisions based on age?
It appears to be about as useful as dividing people by race or gender or sexuality.

I'm all for a paradigm shift...away from the divisive crap and toward a unified society that respects and appreciates the differences of the various generations, cultures, races, etc; and works together to make a better world instead of dismissing any one segment as so many now seem inclined to do.

[ellisonz]

72. As several other posters have demonstrated...

...generation gaps are real. They are what drive history in no small part and it just so happens that the era of the boomer is going to divide, gridlock, and bankrupt this country all while destroying large parts of the planet.

40 years of severe political-economic mismanagement.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

73. They are only "real" because we choose to create them.

Economic mismanagement is nothing new, and it isn't a generation that is to blame; it's corporate greed...another thing which is not peculiar to any one generation.

You still haven't answered my question. What good comes of embracing this division? Do you think it will make the Democratic party stronger by insulting and driving away those who were born between 1946 and 1964?

I say it's as boorish and foolish as the "Don't trust anyone over 30" crap that people spouted out 40 years ago. Then again, they say history repeats itself.

[ellisonz]

74. I think it helps to be honest about the situation...

...otherwise we get screwed in the economy. In fact, we already are being screwed as our college degrees might as well be worthless in this economy since older people are working longer in order to pay off all the debt they've accumulated.

Don't expect us to pay for endless Medicare and Social Security when y'all have squandered opportunity on wars of choice and luxury. What good comes from refusing to acknowledge failure?

And they were right then! You don't have to lie to be right:shrug:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

76. No, we get screwed in the economy by being critical instead of analytical.

It has everything to do with looking at the system, identifying the problems, and doing one's best to fix them, (which, by the way, usually creates an entirely different set of problems.) It has nothing to do with trying to eradicate a personal sense of guilt by blaming those problems on another generation...or even another political party.

Please remember that boomers have been paying for Medicare and Social Security all their lives, too.
Would you deny us the benefits we've invested in over the years?

I'm not sure what "wars of choice and luxury" you're referring to; but if you could be more specific, I'd be willing to bet that they're still things to be blamed on the human condition, and not a generation.

And the boomers who spouted about distrusting people over 30 were wrong...as wrong as the elders who complained about young people protesting the Vietnam War and marching for Civil Rights.

[ellisonz]

77. "Would you deny us the benefits we've invested in over the years?"

You spent all of your benefits and now we're expected to pay heavily into the system to save it because for some reason its a miracle if you can raise taxes in this political system.

You believe things are the way they are because that is how it is. I believe human agency is involved in the human condition and that whole groups of people may need to be publicly held accountable in order to rectify the situation.

I'm not for bipartisanship. I'm for crushing the opposition and then enacting a much more socialistic society.

You have no right to tell me what to think...

[GoddessOfGuinness]

85. If you think this generation was happy when Congress dipped into SS

then you're sadly mistaken. Do you realize that you aren't the only one paying into the system?
Certainly I have no right to tell you what to think, but since you are "for crushing the opposition and then enacting a much more socialistic society", you evidently feel you have the right to tell everyone else what to think. Don't look now, but your hypocrisy is showing.

I'd recommend that you let go of your unfounded notions about "whole groups of people". Without evoking the most obvious comparison, let me just say that numerous dictators throughout history have had similar convictions. They were wrong.

I'll say no more on this subject except this: One day it will be your generation that is in charge of things. I hope the generation that follows you does not waste its time and energy by blaming you for the fucked up state of the world. It's stupid.

[ellisonz]

86. Thank God for that...

...however, it is entirely likely that your generation will have left us such a mess that it will be quite difficult to reverse course. Capitalism is killing this planet just a little more every day, but we're just cogs in a machine right?

And your paternalistic streak is showing...

[Name removed]

63. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[EndersDame]

87. Hey I am right on the Edge of being a Millenial or Xer and you should lay off the geezers

They did a hell of a lot of good.My mom watched MLKjr. when she was 13 she went to Woodstock and fought against the Vietnam War even though her studies suffered. Each generation has awesome people and assholes

[Endangered Specie]

53. I think this political cartoon sums up the generations:

Even though its a graduation cartoon, it has some not so subtle messages to it.

[ellisonz]

70. Exactly.

[Endangered Specie]

54. This also reminds me of the CBS piece on "the millenialls"are coming"

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/11/08/60minutes/main3475200.shtml

coproduced by Socrates

[NashVegas]

55. I'm Appalled By the Blatant Social Darwinism Mindset of the Under 30 Tech Crowd

Check out the Brazen Careerist blog some time if you want a real eye opener into the cool kids' mindset.

They're so keyed into the idea that social skills are the only real asset needed for career advancement, and ethics? What are those?

When I think of the moral lapses I see in young people it's less to do with sex and more to do with things like integrity, honesty, etc. It didn't start with Millenials, it started with Super Mario Brothers and all those video games that published "cheats" so they could sell magazines in addition to consoles.

I see the entitlement at work all the time, but am not sure that's age-related. I see it as more internet related. If there's some application you want, some piece of information you want, someone somewhere is going to provide it for free. So I'm supposed to drop fucking everything to answer some question a caller could easily look up themselves, but don't have the time for.

[Sin]

61. I'll give ya this tip for free.

If you blame every thing on Video games you start to look like the bitter old person waving a cane and yelling at kids to stay off the lawn.
because you know Normal people know that they are just pixels on a screen, Then again I hear that Rock and Roll Stuff is quite evil you should check into that.

[NashVegas]

66. It's Not the Game, It's the "Cheats"

And the industry surrounding it.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

75. Dumbya fits that mold perfectly...

His "social skills", while drenched with good-old-boyisms helped him advance in certin areas. Of course, his money and family dynasty lent him a hefty dose of entitlement. Ethics? They don't apply to him. "Cheats"? He didn't need video games to learn how to use those in his real life dealings.

[NashVegas]

81. Yeah

I think that's certainly a part of it. There's the perception that the "game," if you know what I mean, is 100% rigged at all levels so why not join in?

I see a lot more of it in the South, the old boys club. In my field, when I lived in NY, you had to demonstrate competence to be accepted into what I'll call "Circles of power." Here, I've got a manager who's put the whole company in jeopardy for 10 years and two days ago, he did something that might cost us a $50k or more fine. I'm crossing my fingers his backers will finally say, "enough."

[MindPilot]

83. You are right about that!

I just came from a two-day job-search skills class. it's all about getting past the gate-keepers, getting past HR, and in front of the "hiring manager". In short it's all about "networking" and gaming the system.

[Hepburn]

60. I am a Senior and most of my pals voted for Obama...

...and if they voted for McAsshole and Whalin' ~~ they are not people who I would normally associate with. Gag me... I have only one friend who did not vote for Obama ~~ and he passed his vote on the presidential choice. So, I can tolerate that. He did not like Obama, but he hated McCain and Palin. So, he remains still cool in my book.

All of my pals are pro-gay marriage and very liberal. And, yes, I live in a Seniors Only development. There are one or two RW assholes, but they are the exception and not the norm. This is a huge place with nearly 500 homes ~~ and we had only one "Yes on 8" poster. No McCain-Palin signs, tho!

Most of us when we hang out in the spa talk politics ~~ and it is a decidely liberal slant to all of the discussions: Anti-war, pro single-payer, pro gay marriage, etc. Matter of fact, in addition to me, there are a few other far, far left liberals. One of my fav pals is a retired Episcopal priest ~~ I am Wiccan and we discuss the different philosophies of life all the time. He has NO problem that I think Christianity is a fairy tale. He is one very cool person ~~ nearly 80 years old ~~ and after he retired from the priesthood, he worked as a drug counselor and did charity work on Skid Row in L.A.

There are some assholes in here ~~ but most of that ilk seem to be bitter older women with multiple divorces in their past. They are equal opportunity haters since they hate EVERYONE and EVERYTHING. There is one mega RW male asshole who thinks that Global Warming is a fantasy ~~ he is an all around jerk...and everyone avoids him. Big, fat tall blow hard, loud mouth who thinks only HIS opinion counts. Ummmmm...typical RW Pubbie, IMO!

So, no, I see no generation gap around me with those younger. In fact, I am probably more liberal than most of the sons and daughters of those who I hang with.

:hi:

[surrealAmerican]

82. I would expect this trend to accelerate.

People now tend to have less of a "shared culture" than in even the fairly recent past. This will lead to us being more divided, not just by age, but by class, politics, religion, etc.

[lunatica]

84. I'm 61 and as I grow older I get more Progressive

By the time I'm 80 I'll be a real radical fall off the cliff lefty! Probably more like push some idiot conservative off the cliff. What? Will the court give me a life sentence? Big fucking deal. The state can care for me in my dotage. Problem solved.