Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Young people's views are different from their parents' views

The views of young people today on politics, social attitudes and even life goals are far different from those of their baby boomer parents, suggests a new national survey of 18- to 25-year-olds.

Another survey from the no-shit-Sherlock department. Since when has any generation not differed from their parents? I'm in the so-called Boomer Generation, and my views differed from my parents, and their opinions were different from their parents. Since when is this news?

What is of interest is some of the views expressed by the group they were polling:

The poll also finds that this generation's top life goals are to be rich (81%) and famous. (51%)

By contrast, a study of college freshmen in 1967 found that 85.8% thought it was essential to "develop a meaningful philosophy of life" while just 41.9% thought it essential to "be very well off financially.
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Guess we'll have to see what they make of things when the reins are handed over to them.

Of course, they'll be older then...

4 comments:

Karen said...

Why do they waste time and money on the duh factor?!

I am worried what our country will be like when the younger generation takes over; I hope they have learned from their mistakes and ours by then.

Nate said...

I love to point out the Juveniles in their orange vests picking up trash on the highways. I tell the spouse that they are America's Future Leaders.

Abejarron Caotico said...

I'm not sure what they were looking at in this study... general attitudes, or specific goals? I mean, people in my family tend to share religious beliefs. Mine have changed, yes, but not because I wanted to be different from my parents, or as an act of rebellion. I think I had different specific goals, but I've always shared general goals with my parents, which are much more family-oriented than money- and- fame oriented.

I guess what I'm saying is that I agree that kids usually take a different approach and want different things than their parents, but I don't think each generation has a radical focus shift from their parents. And I'm not sure which angle the folks doing the study took with this.

Mad Monk said...

The Monk is watching you.

And I agree; that report belongs in the "duh" file.