Entitlement generation

The Entitlement Generation or Generation Y? Whether or not today’s youth has really become the Entitlement Generation has been the focus of many debates over the past couple years. Those born in the mid 80’s and 90’s give off an aura of entitlement and this has raised many questions, including where is this idea coming from? Most believe it comes from the values and principles we were taught as children; however, some argue that the Entitlement Generation is learning their lesson. The great recession we are currently experiencing is teaching American teens to spend les, save more, and appreciate what they are given. The sense of entitlement is seen in many places, but mainly the workplace. New comers to jobs are asking for high pay and more vacation time even though they have little experience in the field. Regardless of the studies and surveys that have ben given, I believe that my generation should not be referred to as the Entitlement Generation. The way we present ourselves is influenced by our parents, teachers, other authority figures in our lives, and, most importantly, society. Does today’s youth really have a sense of entitlement surrounding them or is that just the Generation Xers being overly dramatic? Looking at strictly numbers and surveys, the answer would be yes. According to Professor Paul Harvey of the University of New Hampshire, it has been proven that those who belong in Gen Y scored higher than the Gen Xers in a psychological entitlement and narcissism survey. However, it really depends on who you ask and what situation you are referring to. If you look at the workplace, of course people are going to want to make the most money with the least amount of work. Most people are not going to say they would be willing to work as hard as they possibly can just to make minimum wage all their life. If you went to a wealthier part of town and gave that same survey, I think the results produced would most definitely categorize our generation as entitled. When you typically think of someone who has grown up with a wealthy family, you think of someone that has had everything handed to them with little to no work in return. It would be difficult for them to adapt to the real world and working for want they want in life and this is where a sense of entitlement would play a role. There are some cases in which some believe we are heading in the opposite direction away from entitlement. Some people believe that this recession we are experiencing has actually helped teens spend their money wisely and appreciate all the hard work their parents do for them. There many reasons that contribute to the reasons why we sometimes feel as if we are entitled. As children, we were all asked by every teacher, parent, and relative one question that is said to be one of the things that caused the sense of entitlement: If you could be anything you wanted, what do you want to be when you grow up? And many kids would answer professional sports player or President of the United States and never once would you here that teacher or parent say to that child, no you can’t be that because that is too hard or you’re not good enough to do that. We are also told over and over by our parents and even in children song’s such as renditions of Frere Jacques that we are special, boosting our self-esteem and raising the feeling of entitlement.