Why do kids have it harder today?

Great Debates
1

Seems to me we can wear whatever we want if we have the confidence to wear it in schools. We don’t have to walk a mile to school (as my dad puts it no less), or carry firewood just to stay warm in the winter. We have tons of selection of good food, very little racism, the ability to stay healthy is at an all-time high. People are educated that having unsafe sex can get you a kid without you wanting it (if you cherish the ability to have sex in the 60s without protection, I hope for your kid’s sake that you didn’t have one), so they wear protection.

And the internet, quite possibly one of the single greatest accomplishments in the history of humanity. Anyone across the world can talk together in real-time with hundreds of others, while battling dragons in some far distant reality. Or maybe educate yourself on the intricacies of life using Wikipedia, and Google, with access to virtually every album of music for absolutely free. The most selection of movies, television shows, music, and entertainment, you hate music of the post-millenium variety? No problem, listen to the Beatles or whatever your taste is.

Yes, we have more homework, but that doesn’t mean kids do it. We have supposedly restricted ability to go places without adults. To my understanding, people are talking about getting into R rated movies, or a bar underage. To that I say who cares, most kids get into the R rated movies anyways, and if they don’t, they can ask an adult nearby to say they’re together and get in, no problem. And to people that seriously think the age limit cripples teen’s ability to drink themselves into comas are sadly mistaken.

I prefer to live in a society free from drafts, disco music (although we do have “gangsta” rap, which seems to be the “new” disco), the blacks and women having equal rights as the white man.

I don’t know, maybe it’s because I’m 17, but I think this age is a pretty darned good one to be a teen.

2

It’s harder for kids today in some ways, easier in others. I’m 42. From what I’ve seen kids today work harder in school than we did, but they’re better educated too. They’re more tightly regulated, but they’re also better protected.

When I was a kid and a teen in the 1970’s we were for the most part ignored by the rest of society. I had lots of friends who were “latch-key kids” and after school we pretty much just ran wild in the neighborhood. If you had half a brain you could coast through school hardly cracking a book. Lots of freedom and lots of opportunities to totally wreck your life.

Maybe the hardest thing to appreciate was the almost total lack of “kid culture” at the time. There was no Nickelodeon, no MySpace, no Abercrombie & Fitch. Cartoons were poorly-animated crap. The only time teenagers appeared in movies was as delinquents or fresh meat for serial killers. There’s a huge industry that exists now to service the wants and needs of kids and teenagers and when I was growing up there just WASN’T.

Personally I’d rather be a kid or a teenager today.

3

Supposedly it’s harder for you to get into college than it was for me (born 1975). There were a lot of schools that had sprung up to serve the baby boomers, but then there was a decline in the birth rate into the 1970s. So there were more college slots and fewer prospective students competing for them.

I know I easily got into a good state school with a decent but not great GPA and SAT score, no extracurriculars, and very few AP or honors classes in high school. From what I’ve heard (which may be biased), that probably wouldn’t happen today.

4

Not to mention, when I was a teen, we didn’t have the SDMB!

5

Well, if you’re to believe my dad (which I do, for the most part), we (the teens now) are going to have a much worse time as adults. What with oil running out, the increasing gap between the upper and lower classes (and disappearance of the middle), and America slowly becoming a fascist state.

But today is great.

6

All you kids get off my lawn!

7

[QUOTE=Anne Neville]
I know I easily got into a good state school with a decent but not great GPA and SAT score, no extracurriculars, and very few AP or honors classes in high school. From what I’ve heard (which may be biased), that probably wouldn’t happen today.
[/QUOTE]

Depends on the school itself. Some have rigorous academis standards, and others will take just about any student with a highschool diploma who can pay the fees.

Hubby teaches for the local branch campus of our state university, and from reading their papers and grading their tests, I can say with complete confidence that few of them could possibly be honors students. The main campus is more choosy, as I’ve heard, but IIRC, the diplomas issued to a grad from the branch campus is the same as the one recieved by a student at the main campus, meaning that it simply says “[State] University” not “[State] University Branch Campus.”

As for the premise of the OP, I’d say that every generation has its own challenges and benefits. I don’t believe any of them had it “better” because a student’s experience is subject to their perspective. It’s all relative, in other words.

It’s much like the oft-heard complaint that this generation of kids is worse than the last, (dumber or more ill-behaved ) which is a cliche which was heard back in the time Socrates, and was probably as equally meaningless then.

Today’s world is different in that we have access to vast amounts of information, on a scale unheard of in the past. However there are a couple of issues we need to keep in mind when considering that:

  1. How much of it is bunk, and how many people know how to filter the wheat from the chaff?

  2. You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. Though there is an ocean of information, many people choose to ignore it in favor of what they’re comfortable believing, or use the resources only to find data to back up their points, and disregard that which challenges them. There’s also the matter of indifference. There are a lot of people who lack any curiosity about the world around them except as it relates to their personal daily experiences.

I disagree with the OP’s suggestion that kids are more comfortable in wearing and doing what they choose than kids in the past. Just today, I saw a couple of third graders mock two girls who were holding hands, and all of the kids were dressed in similar clothing. There may be a greater range of styles from which to choose, but there’s still a stigma for those who don’t “fit in.” Peer pressure still exists, though it may be more subtle in some areas, and what is emphasized may have changed a bit. Nor do I think that the current generation is free of racial prejudice, I’ve seen too many examples of it from young people to believe that.

8

Why is it harder today? (I think it is.) I’d say: you have too much choice (there is such a thing), peer pressure is a lot harder, faster, and more marketing-oriented than in my day, there’s not enough caring or understanding on the part of adults who basically want to a. cocoon you, b. kick your behinds from here to next Tuesday or c. legislate your lives, all for mostly wrong reasons. And there’s a whole great whopping lot of uncertainty waiting for you out there in a few years, and it’s the one thing no adult can, will, or would ever think to help you with.

[QUOTE=MGorgon]
I prefer to live in a society free from drafts, disco music (although we do have “gangsta” rap, which seems to be the “new” disco), the blacks and women having equal rights as the white man.
[/QUOTE]
My young friend, either you need an extra and in there someplace, or else you’re telling us you prefer to live in a society where blacks and women don’t have equal rights…see what I mean?

9

[QUOTE=Beware of Doug]
My young friend, either you need an extra and in there someplace, or else you’re telling us you prefer to live in a society where blacks and women don’t have equal rights…see what I mean?
[/QUOTE]

You’re right, it does sound like that. But I meant I prefer it where they are equal :).

10

I think another pressure teens face today is that we are now a very global market, and not only do we (they? I’m 22… obviously not a teenager but still same generation?) have competition amongst our peers, we also have to compete with kids in other countries as well, which leads to more competition to get into universities and get good jobs afterwards.

Also, I think it’s become very difficult to get by in our society with just a high school diploma. Just to get an office admin job making 30K a year, you need to have a college degree. The pressure to succeed is moreso than I think ever before.

11

Academically, I think that more is expected of kids today than those of recent generations; this is partly due to the increased competition foreseen for the future job market, and is manifested in the increasing difficulty of college admissions (I do not know about state schools, but certainly the elite private universities in the US are increasingly selective). Childhood is also becoming more structured; partly because parents want to increase the “efficiency” of childhood (going back to competition), and partly, I believe, because the baby boomers, the current generation of parents (at least of teens), is used to getting more of what it wants politically and culturally, and this is spilling over into parenting.

12

[QUOTE=DVsickgirlDV]
Also, I think it’s become very difficult to get by in our society with just a high school diploma. Just to get an office admin job making 30K a year, you need to have a college degree. The pressure to succeed is moreso than I think ever before.
[/QUOTE]

Most career paths are like this, but not* all*. There are still some fields where experience matters more than education, like in the museum field, where I work.

My workplace is a small museum where I clean, document, research and store artifacts, help design and install exhibits and give tours. Last year, we had an intern who was finishing up her master’s degree in museum studies. She was a little bitter at her experience, because during and after her bachelor’s degree, she searched and searched for jobs and couldn’t get one because she didn’t have enough experience. So, she had gone back and gotten her master’s degree and was still hitting the same roadblocks, plus had a huge debt to pay back, so couldn’t take any low-paying positions. (And I gotta tell you, you don’t work in a museum to become rich.)

I, on the other hand, started out as a volunteer who doesn’t even technically have a highschool diploma. (I graduated from a Christian highschool which isn’t recognized or accredited by the state, making me a technical dropout since the eigth grade.) After a year, I was offered a position on staff. From what I’ve seen in web searches I’ve done for shits-and-giggles, I’d have no trouble getting a job in another museum anywhere in the country, and several positions from which I could choose.

There are other skilled trades, such as electricians, who make a great living and only need licensing to work. (I’ve met electricians who make more per hour than mid-range executives.)

College isn’t for everyone. Some people simply aren’t made for an academic environment. Their talents lie more within the practical and hands-on areas.

13

It’s also a pretty hard question to answer. There’s so much bias and nostalgia that plays into it and it’s also impossible to push yourself into an era from 20 years ago.

With that being said, I’ve heard a whole lot of talk of how kids are asked to/are growing up earlier in life. That introduces more pressure into an early life to be an oldre person.

14

**Lissa ** is right on the money.

Look in the classifieds section of your local newspaper for job ads. You’ll see a whole plethora of skilled labor jobs, things like HVAC technicians or lighting installers or paint coating inspectors or welders. While the rest of the kids are busting their asses in college studying things that may not have any application to their lives whatsoever, a young person can go to trade school and then start making actual money. These jobs pay good money. There’s no shame in them. Learn certain trades and you will always be employable no matter where you go. Certain people would fare far better by pursuing this path than by going to college.

15

[QUOTE=Argent Towers]
**Lissa ** is right on the money.

Look in the classifieds section of your local newspaper for job ads. You’ll see a whole plethora of skilled labor jobs, things like HVAC technicians or lighting installers or paint coating inspectors or welders. While the rest of the kids are busting their asses in college studying things that may not have any application to their lives whatsoever, a young person can go to trade school and then start making actual money. These jobs pay good money. There’s no shame in them. Learn certain trades and you will always be employable no matter where you go. Certain people would fare far better by pursuing this path than by going to college.
[/QUOTE]

I absolutely agree. There are many people in college that should not go to college but they do anyway because of social pressure. Become a plumber or an electrician or some other skilled trade for Gods sake. The contractor that just did disaster recovery for my house makes 350K a year I have been told by reliable sources and my excavator that started buying his machines at 16 years old makes close to 90K at 24 years old. Not everyone will make that much but hard work and ambition still pay off. The skilled trades need people and those that work hard at their own business can do quite well. Ask my FIL who started out as a butcher and is now a multi-millionaire many times over.

I am a highly paid consultant but much of what I do is trade work. I work on pipelines for data flow while they may work on what is necessary to get a skyscraper built. I do other things as well but many of my coworkers do not. I detest union work but I would be thrilled for my kids if they wanted to take an actual skill and turn it into a business.

16

[QUOTE=Least Original User Name Ever]
With that being said, I’ve heard a whole lot of talk of how kids are asked to/are growing up earlier in life. That introduces more pressure into an early life to be an oldre person.
[/QUOTE]

I’ve also heard that kids aren’t growing up until later in life- more of them are living at home with their parents after college, for example.

I’d say that was true when I was applying for college (it’s probably been true for much longer than that, too). I really don’t like the way some people try to pressure teenagers by telling them they won’t get into college if they don’t take all honors classes, have extracurricular activities out the wazoo, etc. Not that those aren’t good things to do, but somebody should be telling those kids that not all colleges are so selective, and that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get into one of the ones that does insist on that kind of thing. I don’t even know where the vast majority of my co-workers went to college (the ones I do know, it’s almost always because they say something if their college is involved in a major sporting event of some kind).

What I’m saying here is, what college you go to will not determine what the rest of your life will be like. It’s just not that simple, or that unforgiving.

I’d say that every individual in every generation has their own challenges and benefits. Whether “kids today” have it better or worse than earlier generations depends quite a bit on what kind of people are being compared in each generation.

17

As a kid, I’d play outside all day, all summer, virtually unsupervised. My friends and I would walk to the neighborhood pool and hang out there all day. We’d visit old ladies in the neighborhood who had a reputation for stockpiling candy. My only scheduled activity was one piano lesson per week, and that was a lot more scheduled activities than most of my friends.

No one worried that I might get kidnapped or assaulted, and the possibility never occurred to me. I got exercise and fresh air, and lots of imaginative play.

I think mine was the last generation to grow up like that, and I feel sorry for my students, most of whom don’t really get much of any time when they’re not supervised and told what to do by teachers or parents. I fear they’ll grow up to be less able to think, innovate, and solve problems.

But I’m sure it’ll all work out okay. The human race has thrived this long, and it’ll keep going, I reckon.

18

[QUOTE=Anne Neville]
I’ve also heard that kids aren’t growing up until later in life- more of them are living at home with their parents after college, for example.

I’d say that was true when I was applying for college (it’s probably been true for much longer than that, too). I really don’t like the way some people try to pressure teenagers by telling them they won’t get into college if they don’t take all honors classes, have extracurricular activities out the wazoo, etc. Not that those aren’t good things to do, but somebody should be telling those kids that not all colleges are so selective, and that it’s not the end of the world if you don’t get into one of the ones that does insist on that kind of thing. I don’t even know where the vast majority of my co-workers went to college (the ones I do know, it’s almost always because they say something if their college is involved in a major sporting event of some kind).

What I’m saying here is, what college you go to will not determine what the rest of your life will be like. It’s just not that simple, or that unforgiving.

I’d say that every individual in every generation has their own challenges and benefits. Whether “kids today” have it better or worse than earlier generations depends quite a bit on what kind of people are being compared in each generation.
[/QUOTE]

Well, this is also correct (when talking about moving back home). I’m currently one of those graduates that’s moving back home, hopefully short-term. My mother is happy about it because I can repay student loans back and not have to worry about rent, but that doesn’t bother me. I wouldn’t mind living poor for the first few years of my working life. Hell, I’m doing that now.
I don’t want to go back home, but it’s the only recourse I seem to have at this present time.

19

Unless one wishes to end up in academia I would suggest a 50/50 co-op education. End up with both a degree and experience in the field of your choice. Graduates of such programs have a head start with businesses and industries.

20

College before 1970 or so was a different institution than it is today. We hadn’t spun up yet to provide universal education. Today, you can go to college somewhere if you have a pulse, but in 1970, people didn’t get into college unless they’d earned a spot in the upper tier (maybe the top 10-25% of their peers).

Anecdotally, I have heard from older professors that the influx of predominantly blue-collar WW2 vets into college via the GI Bill was a precursor to this gradual lowering of standards. My math professor brother also claims that the shift to education as a business turned students into customers who ‘own the process’.

This brother of mine graduated from high school in 1970, and went to college. He genuinely sweated passing several classes, on pain of becoming eligible for the draft. I’m a mere seven years younger than him and I cannot comprehend what that must have been like.

Yes, college is required today for most jobs. But since a larger percentage of the population can meet the standards required for a four-year degree, I reject this as proof that life is harder for kids today.

I do think that there are other reasons to support such a claim, but I don’t have the energy to get into that now.