Gen. Y: a rant 23

[HgTX]

I'm pretty sure this is not where engineering is going, but what do I know? Apparently it's where some workplaces are going.

I just heard another news program about the Gen Y'ers (those under 30, in the context of this particular story) and how spoiled they are--sorry, I mean how they need constant praise and reassurance.

Who the hell are these people? Where the hell are these people? Okay, one of them is my teenaged baby sister, who feels such a sense of entitlement that she thinks life is not worth living if she has to do anything she doesn't particularly enjoy. But for the most part, the group described is not deranged high-schoolers, in fact is not that much younger than I am, and none of the people in that age group who work in my office are like that, and neither of my siblings in that age group is like that.

And how do they get away with dictating terms when the economy, for most people, is still in the toilet and jobs are (as in an article cited in another thread in this very forum) disappearing left and right?

Makes me want to quit my job and go around the country smacking their little bottoms.

Hg

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[PSE]

Listening, learning and questioning are some of the things all engineers should be doing regardless of age or generation. I still get enthusiastic and eager when working on some projects especially if they allow me to stretch my talents a bit. Common ground perhaps for engineers of all generations.

 

[mendinho]

It depends a lot on the country you are speaking about. In Spain, my parents have never shared their flat. I lived in the same apartment with people from the UK, Portugal, Greece, Argentina, Uruguai, Venezuela, India, Pakistan and China. Now I live with two fantastic Palestinians (If I had a flatmate from Israel this would be much interesting than the United Nations).

What is more, my parents never had foreign friends. I proudly have good friends in three different continents.

My generation is not better or worse than the previous one but I am afraid we are more open minded due to the globalisation. And engineering is also about global problems, isn't it?

http://NotOnlyBridges.blogspot.com

 

[MadMango]

Related:

http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22065321-5007146,00.html

"Art without engineering is dreaming; Engineering without art is calculating."

Have you read faq731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[casseopeia]

good article. All they need to add is sanctimonious and judgmental.

"If you are going to walk on thin ice, you might as well dance!"

 

[ludikris]

"I always find it amusing that people quote Darwinism is in favour of selfishness (not you SG) - the most succesful animals are very communal. Bees, bacteria, and termites and ants will be here long after we are. "

This works when all members of the community contribute to the success of said community. There are a fair number of non-contributing members of this (human) society that make this idea challenging. I recall reading about animal behavior in that non-contributors were allowed to stave and ultimately die unless they were producers.



--
Erik
MO P.E.