The Kids Aren't Alright [ADMIN WARNING: NO POLITICS]

[glenng6]

I was a School Principal for 20 years and put my self through three university degrees ending-up with a Masters of Education. I started-our running wheelbarrows of cement for a concrete forming company while in high school. Worked-up to concrete pouring crew chief. Started my own crew pouring foundations for local cottages, then framing them, then finishing them. In the winter we did interior renovations. We graduated to small cottage construction, then smaller homes and finally big custom homes. I had my own trucks, Ford Econolines to start. In the late 1990s as the Principal of one of the biggest schools in the system I and a group of like-minded colleagues battled the Board of Education as they closed one trade school after another. In one heated discussion I told the Assistant Director of Education, "The electricians, brick layers, plumbers, framers, finishing carpenters etc. I employ all out earn YOU. At the same time parents were being told the trades were "beneath" their children while statistics showed we educators that about 30% of boys and almost as many girls would be much better in a defined trade started in early high school. We were told "society" needed computer "experts" - read that $30K a year coders while the tradespeople were making $80K a year....and yes the immigrant children's parents were smacking them if they didn't get top marks while other parents were complaining the standards were too high and weren't fair. Competitive sports teams were being replaced with co-operative teams where everyone played even if they could barely walk - and everyone got medals. Geez, even the kids knew it was a sham. Everyone got scholastic certificates for everything. It was nuts! Now you can't deduct marks for late papers, correct their behavior in any way and competition is a "hurtful" word. I was considered a top educator in my day and don't recognize the system now. I KNOW this is a MUSTANG forum but there are constant comments on our forum (and all other forums, cars, boats, planes) about the quality of our vehicles - for us that's our Mustangs and the cost of them. What I know as an educator, parent, businessman would come to pass, has and I can now see that with my own eyes - all of which is confirmed by comments like Ford CEO Farley. We have taught the kids to NOT compete, NOT work hard, NOT value quality and complain.....really - it's NOT fair to have to work, anyway. They expect to make $120K a year while doing what they want, often from home and working a three day week so they can have "experiences". No wonder industry is in trouble and Mandami won in N.Y. Today's youth think socialism will save them. Nope. BTW I am a Canadian and the nonsense I described is happening here too. I was educated in both Canada and The USA - but that was back when there were expectations, not excuses when quality and hard work counted. Soooo all that considered I'm pretty satisfied with the quality of my 2024 GT Premium Convertible and have traded it in on a 2026 with active exhaust. How can I afford that - I grew-up in a era where hard work, expectations and personal integrity counted. I am the product of a work based reward system (capitalism) and am both proud of that and enjoying the results of starting with a paper route when I was 10 and working constantly until retired. As I rip through a curve in my GT, with the top down I just "smile and nod" at today's insanity and continue to rip down the road.

Well, that is an apt description of the last 40-50 years. And unfortunately, I can't disagree with what you say. Today's education system is a sad state of affairs. I am one that chose an alternate route for my future. I tried the college route until the second semester of my junior year (Architecture), and Uncle Sam suggested I take a free vacation in Nam. When I got back, I decided a college full of snot-nosed assholes wasn't for me. I took a job with IBM and never looked back. This route isn't for everyone, but it is certainly doable with many occupations. I've done well enough. Enough that I retired 19 years ago (at 60) and have lived only on my retirement and Social Security and today have twice the nest egg than when I retired. How is that possible? Educate yourself on investing! If the damn schools won't do it, do it for yourself.

Mat1955, I am also Canadian, to this day. My Mother moved us here when I was ten. You picked a beautiful place to retire. I nearly bought one of the condos down by the St. Lawrence. Tall Ships Landing, maybe? Beautiful place, with views forever. Glenn

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[GeekGT5.0]

all i know is GenX here, and we are just facepalming for what the future holds. GenZ just doesn't have it, zero ambition, entitled, won't learn something on their own. Like man we're screwed. We learned cars because we love cars and wanted to do stuff with them (race). When i was in highschool autobody, auto mechanics and shop class was maxxed out. Now, they are barely anyone there.

 

[Frogdog1]

Anyone in Canada or the U.S. has more opportunity than anywhere in the world. All it requires is hard, smart work. An education opens doors if in the right major to match the personality profile. Getting a nursing degree if one hates nursing is stupid, same with any vocation. I worked a minimum of 84 hours up to 105 hours a week offshore during summers and graduated with money in the bank. I knew what I wanted to do, wasn't afraid to ask for a job and advanced through ambition and, again, hard work. I don't have to work now so there ya go. I'm nobody special but I am willing to work and focus. Ambition and focus are the missing links perhaps, besides a messed up education system with union teachers? Maybe laziness and the entitlement syndrome?? Yeah, Mustangs cost too much for young kids that don't want to work, save, and focus on life, just like they always have. Just my 3 cents.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

all i know is GenX here, and we are just facepalming for what the future holds. GenZ just doesn't have it, zero ambition, entitled, won't learn something on their own. Like man we're screwed. We learned cars because we love cars and wanted to do stuff with them (race). When i was in highschool autobody, auto mechanics and shop class was maxxed out. Now, they are barely anyone there.

Entitlement isn't limited to GenZ. Its the great American cancer that's ruining us. As a Healthcare worker, I think boomers are some of the worst offenders.

 

[Gregs24]

And yet, we are still the greatest economy in the history of the WORLD. We may be living in caves in 20 years but we will be free. You will be living under Sharia law as slaves.

Meanwhile in the real world ........

 

[Gregs24]

Just read the 12/14 forum which I've read daily since I received my '24 Mustang in '23. I am impressed and I'm in my 80's; haven't been impressed by much lately. I really appreciate the intelligent, reasoned and critical debate concerning education in this country. Personally, I agree with ROBERTWINS' position but everyone's comments were intelligent with no vitriol or insults. Compare that with other platforms! Must be something about the type of person who decides to buy a Mustang.

There is still time

 

[Gregs24]

Anyone in Canada or the U.S. has more opportunity than anywhere in the world. All it requires is hard, smart work. An education opens doors if in the right major to match the personality profile. Getting a nursing degree if one hates nursing is stupid, same with any vocation. I worked a minimum of 84 hours up to 105 hours a week offshore during summers and graduated with money in the bank. I knew what I wanted to do, wasn't afraid to ask for a job and advanced through ambition and, again, hard work. I don't have to work now so there ya go. I'm nobody special but I am willing to work and focus. Ambition and focus are the missing links perhaps, besides a messed up education system with union teachers? Maybe laziness and the entitlement syndrome?? Yeah, Mustangs cost too much for young kids that don't want to work, save, and focus on life, just like they always have. Just my 3 cents.

I would say 'as much opportunity' as there are plenty of places in the world, Europe included, where there is everything you need to succeed if you take it.

 

[Gregs24]

all i know is GenX here, and we are just facepalming for what the future holds. GenZ just doesn't have it, zero ambition, entitled, won't learn something on their own. Like man we're screwed. We learned cars because we love cars and wanted to do stuff with them (race). When i was in highschool autobody, auto mechanics and shop class was maxxed out. Now, they are barely anyone there.

Well I have two GenZ sons (one snuck in by a year) and there is no problem regarding their work ethic so broad statements don't really work (although are easy to say)

I actually think it is background more than anything - if you come from a family of moaning underachievers that blame everybody but themselves for their shit lives they tend to have kids the same. It is easy to fall off the over achiever route but very difficult to climb back on.

Comes down to basics like food, water, heat and light. If you haven't got them you work real hard to get them, if you have them without any effort you can easily become complacent.

 

[jeffnudi]

Entitlement isn't limited to GenZ. Its the great American cancer that's ruining us. As a Healthcare worker, I think boomers are some of the worst offenders.

Although I strongly disagree with the premise that "boomers are some of the worst offenders," I am curious to understand that perspective.

 

[erocker]

Costs of living (food, housing etc.) are far outweighing wages and salaries. Decades of defunding public schools. Yeah, shit's a mess and things are going backwards more than ever. So many other countries are passing us by right now.

 

[RobertWins]

Anyone in Canada or the U.S. has more opportunity than anywhere in the world. All it requires is hard, smart work. An education opens doors if in the right major to match the personality profile. Getting a nursing degree if one hates nursing is stupid, same with any vocation. I worked a minimum of 84 hours up to 105 hours a week offshore during summers and graduated with money in the bank. I knew what I wanted to do, wasn't afraid to ask for a job and advanced through ambition and, again, hard work. I don't have to work now so there ya go. I'm nobody special but I am willing to work and focus. Ambition and focus are the missing links perhaps, besides a messed up education system with union teachers? Maybe laziness and the entitlement syndrome?? Yeah, Mustangs cost too much for young kids that don't want to work, save, and focus on life, just like they always have. Just my 3 cents.

I think that lack of ambition and focus are largely the result of modern technology. We have trained the human brain to be impatient with instant gratification at the tips of our finger. Remember when you used to have to suffer through a bad song to get to a good one on the 8 track or cassette? Or waiting for a song on the radio to hit record to make a mix tape? Now it's just skip-skip-half way through skip. Without the need for patience we are missing a critical building block of ambition. Couple that with lack of consequence and everybody gets a trophy mentality and it is a recipe for the week and lazy.

And focus ... People are like T-rexs now, arms bent in close typing on their phones instead of paying attention to and enjoying the world around them. They don't exercise because there is a drug for everything and if you don't remember the name of the drug, just watch tv for 5 minutes. The ad will come on complete with a list of side effects like bleeding between the anus and genitals. But they never list the side effect of giving up taking care of yourself.

While I am on this soapbox ... Younger generations also don't appreciate ownership or earning. They don't understand earning respect and friendship. Earning is about more than money, it's about dignity. They don't own their music, they don't own their domiciles. Hell, they don't even own their cell phones or software, and they will probably never hold the pink slip to a car in their hands. Everything is rented. It's all on subscription. And so it is hard to truly appreciate something that will never be yours.

THIS is why we buy these cars. Yesterday it was 47 here. I took MY Mustang out of the garage, top down, heat up, beanie on and went for a drive. Favorite music, brisk air, growling pipes and trees and bridges whizzing by overhead remind us of why we are alive. Forums like this connect us to other awake (not woke) human beings. There ARE still first place ribbons and achievement prizes in this world. We are driving them.

 

[Gregs24]

I think that lack of ambition and focus are largely the result of modern technology. We have trained the human brain to be impatient with instant gratification at the tips of our finger. Remember when you used to have to suffer through a bad song to get to a good one on the 8 track or cassette? Or waiting for a song on the radio to hit record to make a mix tape? Now it's just skip-skip-half way through skip. Without the need for patience we are missing a critical building block of ambition. Couple that with lack of consequence and everybody gets a trophy mentality and it is a recipe for the week and lazy.

And focus ... People are like T-rexs now, arms bent in close typing on their phones instead of paying attention to and enjoying the world around them. They don't exercise because there is a drug for everything and if you don't remember the name of the drug, just watch tv for 5 minutes. The ad will come on complete with a list of side effects like bleeding between the anus and genitals. But they never list the side effect of giving up taking care of yourself.

While I am on this soapbox ... Younger generations also don't appreciate ownership or earning. They don't understand earning respect and friendship. Earning is about more than money, it's about dignity. They don't own their music, they don't own their domiciles. Hell, they don't even own their cell phones or software, and they will probably never hold the pink slip to a car in their hands. Everything is rented. It's all on subscription. And so it is hard to truly appreciate something that will never be yours.

THIS is why we buy these cars. Yesterday it was 47 here. I took MY Mustang out of the garage, top down, heat up, beanie on and went for a drive. Favorite music, brisk air, growling pipes and trees and bridges whizzing by overhead remind us of why we are alive. Forums like this connect us to other awake (not woke) human beings. There ARE still first place ribbons and achievement prizes in this world. We are driving them.

That just sounds like an angry old man speaking

You do realise your parents said exactly the same thing about you when you were younger.

You never owned your music or software, it was only ever licensed to you. Different to what we did doesn't mean bad and Spotify is not the reason for the world's problems. The world changes but you can still have values that are important and strive to be a better person without having to always hark back to the good old days (which weren't). Just because my son gets his music by streaming, leases his car and lives in his house with a mortgage doesn't mean he doesn't earn respect and friendship.

 

[RobertWins]

That just sounds like an angry old man speaking

You do realise your parents said exactly the same thing about you when you were younger.

You never owned your music or software, it was only ever licensed to you. Different to what we did doesn't mean bad and Spotify is not the reason for the world's problems. The world changes but you can still have values that are important and strive to be a better person without having to always hark back to the good old days (which weren't). Just because my son gets his music by streaming, leases his car and lives in his house with a mortgage doesn't mean he doesn't earn respect and friendship.

Get off my lawn! ;)

 

[Zig]

Costs of living (food, housing etc.) are far outweighing wages and salaries. Decades of defunding public schools. Yeah, shit's a mess and things are going backwards more than ever. So many other countries are passing us by right now.

Do you suspect this is due to the lack of trying or misapplication of expertise?

 

[agreywolfe]

Although I strongly disagree with the premise that "boomers are some of the worst offenders," I am curious to understand that perspective.

taxes have been raised with little to show for it for the areas that matter to the younger generation. Medical care is completely unaffordable for those who cant afford insurance, insurance is unaffordable because subsidies have been gutted for Medicare. Social Security is on track to be effectively non-existent for the younger generations because the older ones decided to drain it to fight their wars in 3rd world countries. Pay is complete crap and the overabundance of poor older generations is squeezing the younger generation for entry level experience that many companies require out of "fresh grads". While older generations are on their 7th or 8th sports car, Johnny fresh out of high school cant even afford a 10 year old Toyota Camry because used car prices are hyper inflated thanks to the older generations "cash for clunkers" idea to save the auto industry. the older generations turned housing into an investment instead of a place to live so now even the most modest homes require over a hundred thousand dollars a year income to afford the house and all associated expenses.

this isnt a "boomers are the worst" thing, its a "the boomers started it and nobody wants to fix it" thing

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