[Vincent B.]

I’ve been asking the same question since I was 18, and that was almost 9 years ago. I can’t offer you an answer, just an opinion. I believe too many senior citizens think my generation (and that of my 18-year-old cousin) owes them blind respect because of what some of them did or went through more than half a century ago. Killing other people in a war doesn’t garner respect in my world, but that’s another issue for another time. Secondly, the Great Depression – and World War II, for that matter – happened WAY before my generation came into being. I can only show respect for deeds done in my lifetime. Those seniors I do respect are those who make an effort to communicate with teens and young adults, not lecture them condescendingly about how their problems are of little significance compared to ‘my day.’ I’m of the philosophy that respect is earned on BOTH sides of the generational divide. That is, just as my generation has to do what we need to in order to earn respect, so do the older generations (e.g. not pressuring Congress to sacrifice financial aid funding, with the sole motive being the protection of their own programs, as I believe happened to me in 1995 when my application for a scholarship was rejected due to budget cuts; or not believing every young person to be the enemy of ‘decent’ society because they don’t dress according to your criteria or listen to your type of music)

User Detail :  

Name : Vincent B., Gender : M, Race : Black/African American, Age : 27, City : Chicago, State : IL, Country : United States, Education level : 4 Years of College, Social class : Lower class,