[vampyregirl]

Since i was a kid i have been lectured about my generation being spoiled brats. Now that i think about it maybe we are. Do i consider instant gratification to be a birthright? Yes i suppose i do. Do i take the first world middle class lifestyle for granted? Yes i guess i do. I know that a lot of things i take for granted are considered real luxuries in many countries but i don't think of myself as fortunate, I just accept it as life in an advanced and i do dare say superior culture.
Is that good or bad or neither one really?

[Eli]

It is just what happens when people are given more than they really need. You become desensitized to things very quickly.

Just get ready because we are not going to be spoiled for long.

[vampyregirl]

Gee thanks Drifter but i live in Canada not the US. And don't start telling me about America being the greatest because I have been to America and seen for myself the average American is no better off than the average Canadian.

[Plantagenet]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vampyregirl', '.')..the average Canadian.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vampyregirl', 'G')ee thanks Drifter but i live in Canada not the US. And don't start telling me about America being the greatest because I have been to America and seen for myself the average American is no better off than the average Canadian.

[hardtootell]

Damn right we are! And soft!

It is one of my biggest fears. Although I spend alot of effort keeping in shape and eating well, I am sure my ancestors would be embarrassed at what a wimp I am when it comes to backbreaking work in the hot sun, day after day, season after season...
Imagine no heat (or AC), no running water, constant exposure to the elements and poor-no food. Most of us wouldnt last long!

Even more disapointing is how soft the youngsters seem. Totally unmotivated and averse to work.

"Here Brendan, heres a juice box and a marshmellow square for on the way to music lessons"

I heard a Harvard prof today say that overweight Americans cause the unnecessary burning of a billion gallons of fuel a yr just to haul their fat around!

I think we are f##ked when hard times hit. There will be alot fewer people around.

[Novus]

You bet you we are damn spoiled. Just go to any store, restaurant, gas station and observe how the public acts about what they think they are entitled to. A bunch of spoiled ungrateful babies they are. Too much advertising has left the sheeple in an infantile state unable to understand where all the things in their lives come from. This is where we get attitudes about where is my service, give me my gas. These people are what I call zombies in training and they won't last 2 weeks after TSHTF. Good riddance I say.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('hardtootell', '
')I heard a Harvard prof today say that overweight Americans cause the unnecessary buring of a billion gallons of fuel a yr just to haul their fat around!

[phaster]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vampyregirl', 'S')ince i was a kid i have been lectured about my generation being spoiled brats. Now that i think about it maybe we are. Do i consider instant gratification to be a birthright? Yes i suppose i do. Do i take the first world middle class lifestyle for granted? Yes i guess i do. I know that a lot of things i take for granted are considered real luxuries in many countries but i don't think of myself as fortunate, I just accept it as life in an advanced and i do dare say superior culture.
Is that good or bad or neither one really?

[yull]

I am in my early 20's and I think we are spoiled. However, things are easy enough now, but look at the world that's been left for us! I think we deserve a bit of a break considering what we're going to have to go through, no doubt trying to support the increasingly large and old last generation along the way, those who put us in this mess. Thanks baby boomers...

In 50 years I will only be in my early 70's, I mean Jesus, what's the world going to be like in 2058? Probably a cold dusty load of radioactive rubble.

[Hagakure_Leofman]

If you earned $20,000 a year USD, you'd be in the top 11.16% of the worlds average annual salary.

By comparison, if you only earned $5,000 USD, you'd still be in the top 14.39%.

Finally, if you earn only $500 per year, you'd be in the top 80% of the worlds population.

Does that give you some idea of who much most people in the world actually earn?

[Kingcoal]

I'm 45 and I am spoiled compared to my parents and especially compared to my Grandparents, God rest their souls.

The thing I've noticed about a lot of twenty somethings these days is that they don't understand basic economics and they seem to think it's normal to stay with their parents when they are capable of living on their own. When I was in my early twenties, I realized that, by US standards, I was poor and I wasn't alone. I lived within my means, didn't run up my credit cards and worked my way up the ladder. A typical Saturday night when I was 24 was me and my buddies playing penny poker, drinking beer at home. I was on my own, living in a dump and it was fun. I didn't have any money, but I was on my own and that meant a lot - I was proud! We couldn't afford to go out and blow money at clubs, we couldn't afford new cars, etc. We knew we were poor and somehow managed to have fun. What I see these days is young people getting out of school, moving back in with their parents, buying a brand new car and going out to clubs and bars every weekend wasting all their money. They ruin their credit history early on, compromising their future. They seem to subscribe to the "fake it until you make it" philosophy and end up being a lifetime burden on their parents/grandparents.

When I was in my twenties, it was weird to stay with your parents and it was cool to be out on your own.

It's really simple; you have x amount of money coming in and x amount going out and you make that balance. If it doesn't balance, you make some business decisions. You don't assume that your boss is going to walk up to you in six months and tell you that you are going to get a big raise and promotion. You do everything you can to get ahead, but you don't assume that you are going to be ahead in the future. In other words, live within your means, make good investments and things will happen for you.

[burtonridr]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Hagakure_Leofman', 'I')f you earned $20,000 a year USD, you'd be in the top 11.16% of the worlds average annual salary.

By comparison, if you only earned $5,000 USD, you'd still be in the top 14.39%.

Finally, if you earn only $500 per year, you'd be in the top 80% of the worlds population.

Does that give you some idea of who much most people in the world actually earn?

[Ainan]

I agree with yull. I am also in my early 20s and some what spoilt, although no where near the level of anyone else in my age range that I know. I've had a car, live by myself and have savings, it all came easy, I'm never too cold in the winter, I don't have to think about how much energy i use at all. My friends think I'm tight and should spend more money, they are all in debt because they waste their money on high street clothes, games consoles, takeaways and assorted rubbish. They are used to being spoilt by their parents and now continue the same lifestyle they have always known, fortunetly I grew up poor. (British poor, it simply means you cant eat at TGI fridays)

However, the babyboomers are the ones who will have spent most of their lives with plenty and opportunity. They like to tell us that we are spoilt and have it so easy, but it will be my generation who pay the price of their overconsumption.

Still, I'm not going to get into a 'them' and 'us' frame of mind. At least my generation will learn the value of hard work.

[hironegro]

yes we are, because of the baby boomers!

[bodigami]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('vampyregirl', 'S')ince i was a kid i have been lectured about my generation being spoiled brats. Now that i think about it maybe we are. Do i consider instant gratification to be a birthright? Yes i suppose i do. Do i take the first world middle class lifestyle for granted? Yes i guess i do. I know that a lot of things i take for granted are considered real luxuries in many countries but i don't think of myself as fortunate, I just accept it as life in an advanced and i do dare say superior culture.
Is that good or bad or neither one really?

[taizy]

I grew up on oatmeal for breakfast.... packaged cereals only at Christmas. Boxes came with used plastic toys (barbie and Ken) from our American relatives, yet we used to make our own knitted gloves, hats etc... wooden dolls houses, forts, carts. My brothers would take things apart and put them together again, bicycles, motorbikes etc.

We walked and biked everywhere, bus and train to school. Camping holidays etc.... I was never in a restaurant until my 20's, but fresh self caught mackerel, priceless.

I feel that I was spoiled in that my parents considered that money was better spent on education and facilitating a carefree childhood. I still eat oatmeal for breakfast and don't know if having a choice of a hundred cereals is necessary a sign of a "superior" culture........richer, yes.

[socrates1fan]

Living in a family that often has times of tight budget I've never had the chance to really be spoiled other than avaliable food, transportation, and a roof over my head.
Outside of that, until the past two years I would get hand-me-downs for clothes, hair cuts from relatives, garden grown vegetables, biking around my home town(no we didn't have an SUV), and thinking something that was ten bucks was expensive.
For the longest time I lived in a rundown 1880 apartment building(haha no, it didn't have any nice features it was remodeled in the 70's.) that had bad air, plastic covered windows, electrical problems, cold water, and sinking floors.
The only way I'll ever live a life of luxury is if I get a job(Which I plan to do.) and pay for everything myself.
I do believe I'm spoiled because medical care, food, and shelter is avaliable and this country is sort of 'calm'.

[Pretorian]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('taizy', 'I') grew up on oatmeal for breakfast.... packaged cereals only at Christmas. Boxes came with used plastic toys (barbie and Ken) from our American relatives, yet we used to make our own knitted gloves, hats etc... wooden dolls houses, forts, carts. My brothers would take things apart and put them together again, bicycles, motorbikes etc.
We walked and biked everywhere, bus and train to school. Camping holidays etc.... I was never in a restaurant until my 20's, but fresh self caught mackerel, priceless. I feel that I was spoiled in that my parents considered that money was better spent on education and facilitating a carefree childhood. I still eat oatmeal for breakfast and don't know if having a choice of a hundred cereals is necessary a sign of a "superior" culture....richer, yes.