In a fortuitous turn, both my College Comp I and II classes are working on persuasive papers.
My College Comp I class and I were discussing millennials and the threat they pose to our country’s place in the world.
Numerous critics from Neil Postman to Bill Gates to Mark Bauerlein worry that this ‘dumbest generation’ is not intellectual up to snuff with our stiffest competition: China and India.
We were having an interesting discussion about how this millennial generation differs from the generations before them - especially when it comes to their dependence (addiction to?) technology and their need for instant gratification.
In the middle of it all came a knock on my door. It was a student from my fourth block class who explained that he would be gone today.
“I’m going to be gone today,” he said. “Can I get my work?”
“Sure,” I said, “just come back later. I’m in the middle of class.”
“When?” he asked as if I just insulted him.
“How about at lunch?” I asked.
Blank stare. Then, “But I’m leaving now.”
Ha. That is a millennial move. No time to wait. Everything revolves around their schedules. They do not adhere to anyone else’s schedule.
How ironic.
“Well, you’ll have to miss out and make it up when you get back,” I said.
Kudos for stopping in and telling me he was going to be late. Just do that with a modicum of notice, please.
But this happens almost all the time. It used to be the standard where students came in - usually in the morning - if they were going to be gone to get make up work. Not anymore.
The millennials are here.
The question is, who is going to blink first? Will the schools and business who have to depend on these millennials? Or will the millennials slowly mold themselves into reliable students, citizens, and employees?
It will be interesting.
If I’m betting, I bet on the millennials.
It’s already happening. Business are hiring consultants to the tune of billions of dollars to learn how to deal with their new employees who put themselves first, not the company (imagine that!). Or who schedule their work around their personal schedules rather than the way it used to be. Or who are completely comfortable hopping from job to job to job or working several jobs at once. Or who look like you have personally insulted them if you tell them to get off Facebook or put their Blackberry away.
This is not the workplace of the Baby Boomers or even Gen X anymore.
1 comment:
I'd not call today's kids the "dumbest generation." But perhaps collectively they are the most irresponsible, which may be worse.
Further coddling them in the workplace by consulting on methods to work with spoiled brats is just dumb.
If companies are spending money and time on the problem, they should address the real issue. If these kids are not properly trained in adult behavior, use the consultants to teach them proper behavior.
Or simply hire someone willing to do the job properly. In these economic times plenty of mature people are available, and predictions indicate a surfeit of unemployd to choose from for years to come.
In the home and in school, kids should be taught that in the workplace you often don't get a do-over or a second chance, especially when it involves behavior.
When I was in business, I discovered that people, high school graduates, often didn't know rudimentaries like how to figure 10 percent off. That I could teach them, but inability to behave properly toward co-workers and customers was inexcusable. I couldn't afford consultants to babysit.
Parents and teachers do kids no favors by coddling to the point of irresponsiblity. Those who instill that virtue are doing the kids a great favor, not to mention benefitting future employers, future families, local neighborhoods, and national and international communities.
A good day's work. Yes?
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