Post by amandarussell on Aug 4, 2011 12:37:42 GMT -5
Every generation has special characteristics to call its own. Baby Boomers are work-centric and self reliant, Generation Xs are flexible and individualistic, and Generation Ys, my generation, are tech-savvy, and achievement oriented. My one concern is that previous generations are now forcing their characteristics on our generation. So what if we study harder than previous generations? Is it so wrong to be focused on school instead of social politics? I do not believe that David Brooks, author of “The Organization Kid,” truly understands the way that generations change as advancements in education and socialization change. Brooks states regularly that a main issue with the generation of today is the lack of involvement in campaigns and protests. He states that, “There are a lot of things these future leaders no longer have time for. I was on campus at the height of the election season, and I saw not even one Bush or Gore poster.” Another thing that David Brooks finds an issue with is the fact that students of Generation Y, for the most part, do not challenge authority.
According to David Brooks, Generation Y takes no interest in political campaigns, because they have to time for them. However, at the time of Gore vs. Bush, a whopping 86% of the total registered population voted. And even if many of those were not college students, the government census for the 2000 elections showed that people with higher education and more income were more likely to vote. So if Princeton students didn’t vote in 2000, they are most likely adding to the voting population now. “[Brooks] was told that most students have no time to read newspapers, follow national politics, or get involved in crusades.” This is definitely true in comparison to previous generations, as Generation Y has made a point that education comes first. To be honest, the vote is better used when there is an educated decision behind it. Not to mention, the more that Generation Y continues to rigorously ‘attack the books,’ the more educated voters the United States will have in the future.
The abundance of those willing to challenge authority fluctuates from generation to generation. Generation Y has a tendency to recognize authority figures as a group that is not to be questioned. As Aaron Friedberg told David Brooks, “It's very rare to get a student to challenge anything or to take a position that's counter to what the professor says.”But is this because of our workaholic nature, or because it’s been drilled into our brains from day one of school? I tend to believe the latter. Not until High School was I challenged to improve upon a teacher’s ideas or find mistakes in a teacher’s work. By that time, I had already gotten into a rut of believing that no educator could be corrected. In fact, I strictly remember correcting a teacher in Middle School only to be told that the teacher was always right. So when David Brooks attacks the nature of Generation Y, my generation, I can only be offended, as I did not simply have this attitude. It was forced upon me by the generosity of a previous generation.
All in all, I think David Brooks is rather mistaken on his view of my generation. Do we work harder at academics than previous generations? Yes, perhaps. But Brooks must also keep in mind that the reason Generation Y is so focused on education is because previous generations are forcing mine. From the time I was a baby I’ve been told to get the best education I can because “you can’t make a living working off your back anymore.” Do not blame Generation Y for its attitude, when clearly, everywhere around us, there is more pressure to be the smartest, the best.
According to David Brooks, Generation Y takes no interest in political campaigns, because they have to time for them. However, at the time of Gore vs. Bush, a whopping 86% of the total registered population voted. And even if many of those were not college students, the government census for the 2000 elections showed that people with higher education and more income were more likely to vote. So if Princeton students didn’t vote in 2000, they are most likely adding to the voting population now. “[Brooks] was told that most students have no time to read newspapers, follow national politics, or get involved in crusades.” This is definitely true in comparison to previous generations, as Generation Y has made a point that education comes first. To be honest, the vote is better used when there is an educated decision behind it. Not to mention, the more that Generation Y continues to rigorously ‘attack the books,’ the more educated voters the United States will have in the future.
The abundance of those willing to challenge authority fluctuates from generation to generation. Generation Y has a tendency to recognize authority figures as a group that is not to be questioned. As Aaron Friedberg told David Brooks, “It's very rare to get a student to challenge anything or to take a position that's counter to what the professor says.”But is this because of our workaholic nature, or because it’s been drilled into our brains from day one of school? I tend to believe the latter. Not until High School was I challenged to improve upon a teacher’s ideas or find mistakes in a teacher’s work. By that time, I had already gotten into a rut of believing that no educator could be corrected. In fact, I strictly remember correcting a teacher in Middle School only to be told that the teacher was always right. So when David Brooks attacks the nature of Generation Y, my generation, I can only be offended, as I did not simply have this attitude. It was forced upon me by the generosity of a previous generation.
All in all, I think David Brooks is rather mistaken on his view of my generation. Do we work harder at academics than previous generations? Yes, perhaps. But Brooks must also keep in mind that the reason Generation Y is so focused on education is because previous generations are forcing mine. From the time I was a baby I’ve been told to get the best education I can because “you can’t make a living working off your back anymore.” Do not blame Generation Y for its attitude, when clearly, everywhere around us, there is more pressure to be the smartest, the best.