The Arrogance of Youth

parts of this article make sense to me, but some of the conclusions these folks are reaching are idiotic.

First, I’d be curious to see the questions in their survey. If this question

“If I ruled the world, it would be a better place,”

is an indicator, they may just be getting bad data. I’d have more faith in any millenial taken off the street (in any part of the world) to do a better job than idiots like W to rule. And “I think I am a special person”? So is there something wrong with self-esteem and encouraging people to assert individuality? So just to start off with, two out of the three examples of questions the article sites from the survey the academics are basing their conclusions off of strike me as worthless in terms of diagnosing narcissism as I understand it. (not that I’m an expert, but I diiiid stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night)

Next up…

Those youngsters are now adolescents obsessed with websites, such as MySpace and YouTube, that “permit self-promotion far beyond that allowed by traditional media,” the report says. Other trends in American culture, including permissive parenting, increased materialism and the fascination with celebrities and reality TV shows, may also heighten self-regard, said study coauthor W. Keith Campbell, psychology professor at the University of Georgia. “It’s part of a whole cultural system,” he said.

This sounds suspiciously like old people out of touch with young people. Not that I was there, but I’ve been told that this has been going on since we were living in caves. But to make matters worse, the technology gap makes the generation gap even worse… old people could at least listen to rock and roll during the ’50s, but they haven’t a clue what goes on behind the iron curtain that is Facebook. They’re literally locked out of large aspects of our culture. (fwiw, facebook opening up hasn’t changed this much… the only old people I’m seeing on there are mostly politicians trying to exploit cheap labor and voters). Also, YouTube and MySpace aren’t “self-promotion”…it’s called “communication,” you idiots. Are we to be faulted for using amazing tools to stay in touch with our friends even after we move away from each other? This is a GOOD thing that I’ll bet will make us a more harmonious generation on an intrapersonal level than any before us, because not only do we all know each other, but we play the poker game of life with our cards face up.

Next part of the article on the chopping block:

Students and teachers said they often see examples of inflated egos on campus: students who converse in the computer center while others are trying to concentrate, preen in front of the reflecting windows of the economics building or expect good grades simply for showing up at class.

No, that’s not anecdotal evidence at alllllllllll.

Nexxxxxt.

Laura Rantala, 26, a sociology major, said the phenomenon got in the way of a survey she conducted last semester on the attitudes of men and women about jury duty. “It took about three minutes to complete the survey,” she recalled. “But many students were so self-absorbed they didn’t want to participate. “I think it’s because we all have our own cellphone and iPod with which we’re doing our own thing in our own little world,” she mused.

Sorry your survey didn’t go well, but your conclusion that the reason it failed was because OTHER people are self-absorbed is backed up by approximately 0 ounces of evidence. But I’ll chock this up to the fact that your whole experience has been summed up into a soundbyte to support the LA Times writer’s attempt to support an academic’s poor conclusions.

Next…

Flacks summed up the attitudes he often encounters in students, who expect a tangible payoff from their education: “The old model was a collegial one in which students and professors alike sought knowledge for knowledge’s sake. The new model is ‘I paid my money, give me my grade and degree.’ It makes me want to ask [students], ‘Want fries with that order?’ ”

I agree and I wish it wasn’t like this. But I’d point out that the bus-econ majors from 1975 set up the meat grinder we’re being fed into, so that’s not necessarily all our fault. But then again, I must be narcissistic for even remotely suggesting that “If I ruled the world, it would be a better place”.

And now back to the point that pissed me off enough to write a way-too-long comment about this whole thing:

The researchers seek to counter theories that current college students are more civic-minded and involved in volunteer activities than their predecessors. Because many high schools require community work, increases in volunteering “may not indicate a return to civic orientation but may instead be the means toward the more self-focused goal of educational attainment,” the report says.

Wow. How Scrooge of you…….

…

These professors trying to group all millenials into one giant blob so they can make a nice survey (and sell some paperbacks) has led them to the conclusion that we’re all the same, that the motives of the young resume whores are the reason the young idealists are working so hard. Idiotic, obviously (and I don’t think I just made a straw man, either…please correct me if I’m out of line with my diagnosis). It’s a conclusion rooted in oversimplifications, poor research and fundamental misunderstandings of millenial culture and politics. I won’t call these old professors stupid, but I will call them ignorant.

One more thing: for all the time and effort these people spent into trying to tear down an entire generation, I wonder how much good they could have done in the world. Maybe they should have been in New Orleans helping rebuild alongside my friends Ellen or Jen or helping out at NAPF like my friends Andrew, Diddy or Nicole or organizing antiwar protests like my friends Cricket, Kelly and Darwin.

This is why I hate academia and the letters “PhD” have no effect on me, except that I roll my eyes sometimes.

Anyway, Professor Twenge, now that we’ve talked about your conclusions, let’s go back to your “worries”.

“That makes me very, very worried,” said Jean Twenge, a San Diego State associate professor and lead author of the report. “I’m concerned we are heading to a society where people are going to treat each other badly, either on the street or in relationships.”

Last I checked, YOUR generation has MY generation getting killed EVERY DAY in Iraq. How’s THAT for a society where people are treating each other badly!

(sorry this is such a long comment… I’m going to crosspost it as a blog on LtL. thanks for posting this article, MC)

“If Adolf Hitler flew in today, they’d send a limousine anyway.” -the Clash