Why does the current young generation have little respect for their elders?

Question

I am part of the current generation. I see everyday at my job how other people close to my age treat elderly people. I am nice to everyone. I don't make them feel bad if they are taking counting out change or do a little small talk. People are always in a hurry and I fear people would knock them out of the way if they could. You see others sighing and getting annoyed. I understand people not wanting to wait forever and people have places to go. But a lot of the time I am just disgusted by people's behavior. And there is self service lines at the grocery store now so those people could go over there if they are in such a hurry that they can't wait a few minutes.

I guess you're right lol. It's all about "me,me,me" today.

I'm 22 and I was really refering to people in their 20s and early 30s that I mainly see. Kids for the most part that I've seen are fine.

Answer 1

(Good grief, Roswelldreamer. I thought from your answers that you were an old lady like I am. You are a BABY! : ) Anyway, the disconnect between younger and older generations has multiple roots which entwined. It kinda sorta started after the Great Depression when families got busted up due to hard times. Although WWII got our economy back on its feet, the American family never really regrouped because it started getting hit hard by rapid cultural changes. For the first time, en masse, workers, white and blue collar, were being "transferred" out of their hometowns and across the nation away from their older relatives. Corporate moves like that were very damaging to families. People simply did not move around much like we do now. But, they saved a few bucks for the short-sighted stockholders.

Then, another hard hit: The U.S. Interstate system. It sliced and diced up every neighborhood in the nation. Subdivisions emerged with "younger and older" areas. People started segregating based on age, partly because the elderly could afford better homes than young families could and property values were affected by lesser valuable homes in your neighborhood. And, partly, the elderly segregated themselves in a mistaken attempt to avoid the "nuisance" of noisy children in the neighborhood. Architectural changes such as ranch-style homes without enough room for extended families started the trend for nursing home placements of elderly. And, then, women entering the work force en masses cinched the trend because no one was at home to care for older relatives as there had always been before.

Also, television, not the programming, but the multiple number of sets in a household started a trend of isolation within a home of individual family members who could watch different programs in their own areas of a house or their own rooms with doors closed, which was a MAJOR change in family behaviors of spending time together.

Also, this nation was very agricultural and rural until the '50's and children in school had frequent exposure to all ages of other students. Beginning in the '60's, mixed-ages were practically banned and a generation or two or three has grown-up with the terrible cultural sterilization of single-aged groupings. That trend has played well with and may have been promoted by Madison Avenue because with single aged-groupings, we are in tighter comparative competition and peer group pressure than when we are spread out over a broader, more natural spectrum of human ages. In tighter peer groups, we are less emotionally confident and more likely to respond to advertisement that suggests we won't "fit in" if we don't buy a certain product. See my point? With single-aged groupings, we really got used to disconnecting from different generations.

Of course, the greater the disconnect between ANY groups of people, the less sensitivity, understanding, fondness and need for each other there's going to be.

Answer 2

There are two problems contributing to this. The media idolizes the young - everything is geared to and marketed for youth. Because of this the young people of today believe they are infallible. The other problem is that a large portion of the elders we are talking about have done little to earn respect, being neglectful or abusive or hypocritical to the younger generations. No one can expect to be respected if they don't give respect first.

Answer 3

As an 18 year old, I don't disrespect the elderly. Yes there are teens wh do this, and eventually they will learn the hard way. Something will happen in their lives, and they will learn not to treat people like that. As a person, you have to take like, as it comes. It may be hard, young are elderly you will have hard times.

If someone respects me, I will respect them. If someone disrespects me, well I'll get them back.

The other day I was in a Wal*Mart. By where you get the shopping carts, there was a lady having a problem with a shopping cart. She was in the late 60's maybe early 70's. She asked me to help her with the shopping cart, and for some reason, I fixed whatever was wrong with it. It only took 5 seconds, but the basket in the shopping cart was lifted out of the cart. Well I helped her with it, and she thanked me.

this lady was so thankful for me, and I've seen a lot of elderly people who are so nice. Everyone needs to remember, "give respect and you will get it back sooner or later." For the teens who disrespect the elderly, well those teens will get old later on in life. They better watch out.

Answer 4

I disagree STRONGLY with BEATING kids... however, I agree with your basic premise !! I was spanked if I was caught doing something WRONG until I was about 9 or 10... then Dad would lecture us (which was worse) and ground us. Those early spankings and later lectures established the pecking order in the house.... taught us respect and discipline. We ALWAYS knew our parents loved us more than anything, but we weren't spoiled. Dad NEVER gave us an allowance (though he secretly deposited 25 cents a week into a savings account for each child from birth to 18 (just shy of $250 on top of a $2K savings bond)... but interest back then was 5% calculated DAILY... You had well over $5K on your 18th birthday. You EARNED money doing chores outside of the normal (dishes, cleaning, laundry, keeping your room clean)... lawn mowing, gardening, helping build or repair things, painting, etc... and he paid $0.50 to 1.00 an hour. The "money" was written into a book and you could make withdrawls but had to justify your purchases. I also had a paper route when I was 12 and a real part-time job when I was 16. As a Teen, Dad could STILL silence us boys with a single look... but would laugh with us when we did something silly or worthy. I raised MY daughters similarly, spoiled them a touch because they're girls, but was still firm. - Eldest graduated as a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine 3 years early at 23. - Youngest is in line to graduate high school in June as Valedictorian and has a slot at the US Naval Academy in July. Interestingly... a LOT of the parents out here in our neck of the woods are "old school" and you can SEE it in the local kids.... "Morning Mr. Whipple, how's Mrs Whipple?" is common along with "Yes Sir and No Ma'am"

Answer 5

That complaint has been boiced by adults in every generation at least since Plato, who complained about disrespectful and ill-behaved youth more than 2000 years ago.

They'll do fine. They jsut aren't grown up yet.

And here-s a hint: watch closely. Most are just "being kids." Some--a minority--are indeed problems. But some of the superficially obnoxious ones will turn out to be the "best and brightest"--the leaders of tomorrow. Idts always that way. The ones who are pushing the limits are the ones willing to take risks and step out in front.

Answer 6

People over 62 are great. But baby boomers - on average - are really bad news. Baby boomers are always trying to prove that they know best. They know better than their parents. They know better than their children. They feel that they are entitled to be selfish and immoral, to neglect their responsibilities, yet upbraid others. They are guilty of rank hypocrisy. Generally, the more formal education that they have, the worse they are.

As a younger boomer myself, I feel sorry for the young and the old who have to put up with us, since as a group we are arrogantly stupid, hypocritical and condescending and we were that way 40 years ago and we still are.

So children of these horrible boomer parents have every reason to treat boomers badly, because that is what boomers do to everyone else.

Answer 7

I respect SOME elderly people. I have respect for my grandparents and for most elders. But there are a few that I really don't like. Those are the few rude ones I do not show respect for.

Answer 8

Prejudice, much?

It isnt' the current young generation. It's a small percentage. A lot of us help in nursing homes, take care of the elderly, or live with the elderly. I know you're one of the general 'young generation', but looks like you can be prejudice of the entire generation, too.

Answer 9

The me generation created these by giving their children everything they wanted. If you look at these children you see a child who knows sex but not love, mine not sharing. When a child is given its own telephone computer and a new car, just to keep them from bothering adults. What is that showing the children? Parents will give you anything just don't get in their way. It comes from my generation, my child had to have more than me even if I have to buy it. I could go on but you get the idea.

Answer 10

i think its just if that person has any morals really.
personally when i see an an elder i always try to be polite to make a good example for the younger kids so they'll respect their elders too