The article is one thing, but the comments are another… amazing… there is the usual generational banter but I saw some comments from Gen Y who said “we were duped – it’s not all about getting a good education, which leads to a good job” and some from older hiring managers who won’t hire Gen Y based on their poor work ethic.

I know there is a lot of stereotyping going on but it was refreshing to read an article with more fact than spite, and the comments coming from regular people facing the issues from various seats at the table…

In the 1st century AD (or CE if you prefer) the Roman writers were complaining that the younger generation had no idea and no respect

Pretty sure this has been going on since the Garden of Eden set saw Adam and Eve moving into town (with their son Cain) and thought “there goes the neighborhood…”

By now, seems like the world should have degenerated into a cesspool of immorality, political and financial turmoil, and freakish global weather patterns.

Oh, wait… : -)

What scares me is the number of younger people who have no sense of individual responsibility for their own lives because they still live at home, and get supported by parents. Because they don’t seem prepared to pay for what the Baby Boomers thought was important.

I am not saying it’s wrong, it’s just a different priority. iPod and iPhone, car and status clothing, consumer electronics, symbols. Whereas I lived poor so I could rent my own place.

And for the record, this Baby Boomer cusp (1964) hates having regular work hours too… but I sack people who don’t show up. And I run 30 minute meetings.

To the guy who talks about emotional intelligence.. you only have half the story. You don’t want to be a ‘manager’ – you need to be a leader. Two different things. That’s why I still go to lunch with people who worked for me 8 years ago, at their invitation. EQ is no substitute for leadership. It’s a (very) small part.

D.

Every older generation complains about the younger generation.

I’m sure we’ll complain about Gen XYZ.

Again, we’re just trying to make it, day by day, like the rest.

For the record, I don’t have a 42″ TV and my car is an 1998 Honda Accord.

I was raised “old school” by Baby Boomers.

For the kid that spends $180 a week on Starbucks, well…what did his parents teach him?

Actually guys – you never had it so good, try calculating how many minutes/hours you have to work for that car or that loaf of bread, now contrast it with 20-40-60 years ago.

The difference is that Y seems to want everything now. The people I see who have good jobs want to buy huge houses and expensive sports cars in their mid twenties. Then they complain that they can’t afford that.

That isn’t how economics works guys. People start small build equity.

But in the meantime Gen Y spend huge sums on disposable electronics, consumer devices, lifestyle (who wants to be like the 18 yr old kid I read about last week with a $180 a week Starbucks habit?). And hey, they can’t live without that 42″ Plasma screen.

Gen Y is consuming so much more than the Baby-Boomers ever did. And doing it with a smug self-satisfaction because they buy rain-forest coffee.