August 25, 2009

My Generation

This is pretty much the entire song:.


People try to put us d-down (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Just because we get around (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
Things they do look awful c-c-cold (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old (Talkin' 'bout my generation)

This is my generation
This is my generation, baby

Why don't you all f-fade away (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
And don't try to dig what we all s-s-say (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm not trying to cause a big s-s-sensation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)
I'm just talkin' 'bout my g-g-g-generation (Talkin' 'bout my generation)


Just thinking about generations over the years and how different things are now than in the 60's, 70's, 80's.

I think a lot of (not all!) our youth today is really messed up. And who is to blame? Possibly my generation.


13 comments:

Dan said...

If I were to pin blame on how youth are today I would say it began with our parents and then flows downhill from our actions or lack thereof. We were for the most part given too much freedom in our youth and not held to the fire when we should have been. But I also do not discount each and everyones personal accountability as well. Even our youth. I think most everyone of us have the ability to distinguish right from wrong. We choose to do what is wrong full well knowing that there are consequences. IMHO

drewzepmeister said...

Great tune!

Bridey said...

It is a great song, but "Hope I die before I get old" is maybe one of the silliest lines anybody ever wrote in a great pop song!

I dunno -- It's a little hard to generalize about such a diverse category as "young people" -- some are honest and hard-working, and some are ill-mannered, lazy screwups. Kind of like everybody else.

But I do agree with Dan that there has been more freedom -- more indulgence and "benign neglect" -- than is good for a lot of younger people. Not enough help and guidance makes it so much harder to do well -- so you get a higher percentage of messed-up youth.

Cinnamon Girl said...

The biggest issue with the youth of today is parents who are afraid to be disliked and treating every little thing they do like it was a super huge achievement. "Little Johnny wins the 8th grade award for best pencil sharpener!!"

Ugh.

Perplexio said...

I would agree that a lot of messed up youth today are the result of being too coddled. Life isn't always fair, you can't always get your way (or as the Stones would say, "You can't always get what you want"). Because many kids are as coddled as they are they never learn how to deal with disappointment properly and because many parents often do let them have their way they develop a sense of entitlement.

And that's where things stand today.

Vinny "Bond" Marini said...

Starr knows she hit my spot with her comment because the coddling of our youth has set them up for long falls when they join the workforce.

Bar L. said...

I have to agree that something is messed up. I am guilty of some of these things with my own son and have seen the results. Its scary that its so prevalent because these are the people who will be making the decisions in the future!

Sean Coleman said...

Permissive parents, teachers unable to discipline students and gold stars for every kid whether they deserve it or not. (Starrlight is bang on about over rewarding mediocrity)

Parenting is hard work. Even if you break your back doing it, all that training is likely to be undone as soon as the kid is let loose amongst their peers.

Bar L. said...

Sean, what do you think caused parents to change and be more permissive? I know I told myself I would be a "better parent than my mom" but I'm not sure if I went about it well....

zedonius said...

Fantastic song and great lyrics!!!!!!!!




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David said...

"And don't try to dig what we all say..."

Heard a chap on the radio this morning (in his 60s or possibly older) talking about the first rock record he bought as a teenager. It was Jerry Lee Lewis. He asked his dad to listen to it because he knew his dad was a keen pianist and thought he'd like it. After listening politely, his dad said, "Rubbish!" and walked away.

At one point, music was used as a mark of teenage rebellion and, at least in part, that's what this song is about.

I assume teenagers are still rebelling and probably always will but I don't think music plays the part that it once did. So what are the new markers of teenage rebellion?

Cinnamon Girl said...

I have a teen. Trust me music still plays a huge part.

Sean Coleman said...

Barb-I think that people bought into pop culture "doctors" and the books that they wrote on child rearing in the late 60's /early 70s.

In the past, kids were kept in check at home, at school and by other parents.

Now, no one is allowed to say anything, so kids have more of a free pass.

I do my best, but by no means do I have any advantage over the next person when it comes to parenting. I do know that things have shifted in a really troubling direction.

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