in my generation we grew expecting to bust our tails and make it in the world. Perhaps coming only a generation or two removed from the Great Depression put a different spin on things.
Even though my parents were doing very well there wasn't this concept of loading children down with gifts and such they clamored for because it can lead to disappointment later on or worse dependence.
When push came to shove I know more than a few who did a stint in the service to shore up finances, teach responsibility, and save up for college. Perhaps its a regional thing, but we never though of deserving more than the chance to try and succeed but recent generations come across as wanting it all now
> in my generation we grew expecting to bust our tails and make it in the world
I respect the attitude, but realize that times are different now. It's just not possible in a lot of situations to do this.
Since I don't know the generation you grew up in, I'm going to assume the 60s. Which means you would be getting started in the 80s.
In the 80s a "basket of goods" (CPI) was 3x cheaper. And that's assuming they haven't hacked the numbers to make that report seem a bit nicer. Meanwhile, wages have stagnated and college tuition has increased substantially. They are also dealing with obesity epidemic, never-ending war, and the impending doom of climate change.
So those kids are just not in as good a position to succeed.
>They are also dealing with obesity epidemic, never-ending war, and the impending doom of climate change.
I can picture it now. A cry echos from many basements in America: "MOM I CAN'T GET A JOB, CLIMATE CHANGE!"
I'm 27 and a high school drop out. I've supported myself since I was 18 and own my home. war, climate change, and obesity (I'm not a thin man) never prevented me from getting a job.
> I'm 27 and a high school drop out. I've supported myself since I was 18 and own my home.
Nice, that's not easy. And if it was 50% harder to do, you might have been able to do it anyway. But there is some threshold where you would not have been able to. It might be 200%, 500%, 1000%, but there's a line somewhere.
> war, climate change, and obesity
This was more to point out how different the world is now, not provide excuses for laziness.
Wow. Is that really how you see it? Most parents care, they don't all have the same amount of money.
That said, I knew one parent that would demand student loan money from her kid during college.