As I was walking from my car to class the other morning, I started thinking about the sense of entitlement I’m told the Millennial generation (those born between 1980 and 2000) has, and where this comes from.
I recalled a story a classmate told about how, in today’s competitive sports, everyone gets a trophy. In days past, only the winner of a game would receive a trophy. Today, everyone gets one merely for participating. This culture is furthered by the helicopter, blackhawk, and lawnmower parents that I discussed in my last post, parents who will not allow their children to accept responsibility for their actions, and to fail, and therefore learn, on their own. The deck is stacked against this entire generation.
This saddens me.
I can understand wanting to be an individual, and wanting work life to compliment personal life. I truly believe that it is possible. I also believe that every company operates from a core set of beliefs. Those beliefs may be somewhat flexible, but more often that not they aren’t.
The simple fact is that the world does not owe any of us anything. We have to work hard to get ahead. We also have to know what we believe in, what we want, and what we’re willing to do for it. We have to take responsibility for ourselves, and we have to let others take responsibility for themselves.
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