Expectations in a changing culture

[bbbass]

Millennials are stuck in this silly protracted childhood because boomers are still limping along in the workforce, holding everything up, when they should be retired.

Thank you Bill and Steve!

Signed, Gen X

I might have missed the joke.

Reportedly there's lots of good jobs out there going unfilled. This is because of boomers?

Yeah, I see them flipping burgers and greeting at Walmart, sorry to be keeping Gen X from those wonderful living wage jobs!!

Or is it because some younguns want to live for free in Mom and Dad's basement and not get up in the morning? Or because they can't find jobs for their degree in HyperFeminism? Or because they want to live in a major city where they can be hipsters, with thousands of others looking for the same jobs, but they won't move to where the work is?

Signed, Retired Boomer

 

[nwslopoke]

Is there any study comparing rural kids/millennials to urban? By that I mean style of parenting. From my own observation I see rural upbringing more traditional Americana and parents in the city, especially in better off financially areas more into, what other people say.

People in the country will still give kids "a little help" making the best decisions. City kids lose TV privileges.

 

[Ura-Ki]

What ever happend to the 20 and 30 year carrier's?
What ever happend to being treated as a human and not just a number? What happend to being a value to an employer who actually cared that you were there contributing to success instead of being seen as a necessary liability, and easielly replaced?

 

[Wombat of Doom]

Speaking of M1 thumb and such: has anyone here ever had "SKS thumb"? You get it when you remove the trigger group from your SKS, and think "What does this do?" as you press down on that little disconnector lever in front of the hammer...

For anyone who's never done that, you end up with a painful blood blister under your thumbnail. It's not fun.

Or if you get the clip stuck and accidentally send the bolt forward on your thumb trying to get the clip out of the bolt.

I am an omnivore of shooting. I like my WWI pistols, Tupperware guns, wood and steel, etc. I have a preference for metal and wood and might own an ar or two containing nothing but metal. But I'll try the newest weird gun and the most classic vintage gun. I dare say my taste in guns mirrors my taste in guitars.

 

[2thdrglock]

I might have missed the joke.

Reportedly there's lots of good jobs out there going unfilled. This is because of boomers?

Yeah, I see them flipping burgers and greeting at Walmart, sorry to be keeping Gen X from those wonderful living wage jobs!!

Or is it because some younguns want to live for free in Mom and Dad's basement and not get up in the morning? Or because they can't find jobs for their degree in HyperFeminism? Or because they want to live in a major city where they can be hipsters, with thousands of others looking for the same jobs, but they won't move to where the work is?

Signed, Retired Boomer

THIS^^^^^^^^^!
From a 2thdr boomer that can't retire until maybe 68 yrs old due to some not so great life choices early on and even later, but I still suit up and show up every day, because if I don't I don't have a chance. So tired of the lame excuse that "there aren't any jobs". It's just not even remotely true. If I'm not the problem, there is no solution. Blaming anything or anyone is counterproductive and being a victim.

 

[v0lcom13sn0w]

What do you expect from a generation that can't fix common kitchen appliances, change a tire or make anything but an "I don't know" shrug with their hands...

i was born in the wrong generation. LOL.

 

[DB is Here]

i was born in the wrong generation. LOL.

LOL-I've said that more times than I can count.

 

[bbbass]

THIS^^^^^^^^^!
From a 2thdr boomer that can't retire until maybe 68 yrs old due to some not so great life choices early on and even later, but I still suit up and show up every day, because if I don't I don't have a chance. So tired of the lame excuse that "there aren't any jobs". It's just not even remotely true. If I'm not the problem, there is no solution. Blaming anything or anyone is counterproductive and being a victim.

I'm 67 and lost my job when I was 60. It was a super struggle to create an income until I turned 62 and got early SS retirement income. I did whatever I had to do to keep money coming in... most of it was not fun, rewarding, nor pleasant.

Now I live with my wife on a relatively low fixed income. Problem is, we were on track to retire with $500k in investments and real estate, then fell to the lure of the dotcom boom. Invested in high tech stocks at the peak and lost big time. Dreams gone. It started when Clinton's pitbull AG went after Microsoft... that just crashed all the tech stocks. They are up now, but it was too late for me. Wah wah wah... life goes on. I'm still here, and I'm not blocking anybody's chances of working in a good job.

 

[turbo_vanner]

What ever happend to the 20 and 30 year carrier's?
What ever happend to being treated as a human and not just a number? What happend to being a value to an employer who actually cared that you were there contributing to success instead of being seen as a necessary liability, and easielly replaced?

I'm actually doing some CAD drawings for engraving my first 1911, while at work, and the boss doesn't mind. In fact, if it turns out nice, I might have to do one of his. He's already asked for the CAD/CAM files I've done up for 80%s. Allowing me to work on my own side projects during slow parts of the day only makes me better at using all the software available to me. I would be happy to make a career out of cranking out jewelry for stretched out ears for another 30 years, if kids keep on buying it.

 

[CLT65]

Body art is not my thing, not at all, and not a part of the world I live in, but to each their own. We may not have much in common, but I'll share the range with anyone who can talk guns, respect differences, and shoot safely.

 

[CLT65]

There is some good advice in this thread, some nuggets among the gravel here and there.

I wish I had learned some of this stuff a little earlier in life. For reasons having mostly to do with my upbringing, I foolishly wasted a decade after high school, fumbling around in low paid jobs going nowhere.

I grew up on the farm and knew how to work, but lacked the confidence and foresight to actually do anything with my life. There were so many basic things I just didn't know. I couldn't afford college, but didn't know about grants, scholarships, financial aid, student loans, etc.. I didn't understand apprenticeships and how I could have gotten started in a good trade. I could have served in the military and gone to school later. I was shortsighted and ignorant. I did finally find a good job in my late 20s, that has turned into a solid career, but I wish I could get in a time machine to go back and slap my younger self in the face!

Working hard is good. Giving it all you've got is good. What gets you there in the long haul, though, is persistence. Keep going, never give up, work and save, invest if you can. You don't have to be a superstar; you just have to keep going.

 

[MannyGlocks]

DB, thank you sir!

Lest some of you think I dismiss those with tats, not so. I dismiss those with tats that scream 'look at me - look at me', I'm special. You're not. You had the money...like affording a steak at Ruth Chris. Coo-wuhl...

I have a custom tat on my chest, (yes, I could afford it at no expense to my education or other needs) designed by me and Kari Barba with approval drawings that were sent with tweaking back and forth for almost a year. I made a study of tattoos. Even went to outlaw m.c. get togethers cuz because they had a variety of tat artists there. Oh yeah, m.c. outlaws all dress & look alike, but think they look rebellious...snort. Clones in dress, decoration and everything else. Like hipsters, but actual bad asses...with no taste or originality.

My fine line tat took 6 hours at one sitting, (yeah, it's big) done by Kari about 20/25 years ago. I flew out from Houston to LA and then onto Anaheim, then rental car to her shop.

Since I had only the one day to get er done, no one hour sessions, but all six hours had to be done at one time...that said, it was for me, not the public. Unless my shirt is off, no one knows I have it. I don't want attention for this piece of body art.

Side note: My Dad's arms and chest were covered in tattoos. He was a WW2 Vet (combat engineer) and wherever he went he got one. He fought in Okinawa and later was in charge of Japanese soldiers who labored in engineering projects. He was in awe of their discipline.

To me body art is personal, not for the public.

As I mentioned previously, public skin tats, punctured jewelry installation for all to see, branding, scarification, etc. when presented for public viewing is attention seeking. And cries out for attention as some sort of accomplishment. It isn't...Got money? Get tats, punctured, etc...anyone can do it.

Exceptions: Real tribal stuff, like Pacific Islander culture, not suburban white bread youth sporting silly dreads, tats, punctured low cost jewelry installs and an overall air of look at me with many still living with Mom & Dad and using them....

Honestly, those that do that are a head shrinkers dream of neuroses, "like man, I'm so tired of being disenfranchised or my uncle abused me when no one was looking, or the only real people are poor, so I got all this stuff done to me to relieve my despair and depression" while I pretend I'm just so very hip, ...meaning shallow...

OK, I'll back away and chortle at this mountain of harmless fatuity...some get very butt hurt when hearing the truth when it comes to juvenile narcissism...man, it's painful for you to say this hurtful truth stuff...

Served in the military?

Of course, many get tats for fraternal reasons, not for attention seeking...cool.

 

[Hop Sing]

What ever happend to the 20 and 30 year carrier's?
What ever happend to being treated as a human and not just a number? What happend to being a value to an employer who actually cared that you were there contributing to success instead of being seen as a necessary liability, and easielly replaced?

There are a number of reasons, so pick your poison or choose all of them: changes in technology require training or bringing in new people (bringing in new people is easier and cheaper); outsourcing; jobs where the stockholder is valued more than the employee; technology bringing ongoing changes (versus relatively static manufacturing of the machine age); general lack of lack of appreciation for workers due to employers not having hands on experience on the factory floor; societal disconnect between skilled tradesmen and the "elite"; etc.

Just my off the top of the head opinion.

 

[E4mafia]

There are a number of reasons, so pick your poison or choose all of them: changes in technology require training or bringing in new people (bringing in new people is easier and cheaper); outsourcing; jobs where the stockholder is valued more than the employee; technology bringing ongoing changes (versus relatively static manufacturing of the machine age); general lack of lack of appreciation for workers due to employers not having hands on experience on the factory floor; societal disconnect between skilled tradesmen and the "elite"; etc.

Just my off the top of the head opinion.

I would like to add to that with employers not listening to their daily drivers on the floor with ideas and suggestion for improvements to fix things for the better.
Not to mention the hydra of upper management decision makers stalling on 50/50 or 90/10 decisions and never able to be reached since you have to go thru channels. Same for poor contract negotiators not keeping with the upkeep of the actual job.

Cannot count how many heads we've been through simply because its easier to just cycle thru people until something sticks vs taking 10mins as a group to sit down and hash out why things aren't working well. Higher up thinks they can just solve it by throwing some money in places and middle management is stuck trying to figure things out on the go. Employee usually takes the brunt of the lost value.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I find employers only want to pay the absolute minimum for your labor, skilled or not, and when you reach a certain level where they have to pay benefits, they shift you around, or find a reason to let you go, because you cost too much! Buddy was working at a fleet repair company, making OK wages ( About $18.50 per hour, $4.75 per hour Benefits), Machinists Union member in good standing, the works, company came in and told every one that they had two choices, 1) take a 20% reduction in wages and a freeze in benefits, or 2) find other means of employment! Obviously, the Union was powerless to stop that, and my Buddy had to find different work as the "New" wages were not enough to support him and his family's basic needs let alone cover their expenses! Last I heard, that service center is staffed by little more then flunkies, glorified Oil Changers at just above minimum wages! Any technical work needed is shipped off to one of the dealers at best, or worse, handled by the Fuel Island personal, also at little more then minimum wage! The fleet is YUGE and it's service needs are many, yet the company will not employ actual tech's anymore!

 

[Aero Denezol]

I might have missed the joke.

Reportedly there's lots of good jobs out there going unfilled. This is because of boomers?

My parents are boomers, my daughters are millennials, and I am a Gen-X. I have a job, and have always had a job. There are always good jobs available for people who have a useful skill like I do. But when the economy dips the first people to lose their jobs will be the last ones hired today.

There are way too many people in their Golden Years still out there taking a salary, because they can, thanks to automation, computers, and so forth. I am aware some of these cannot retire, for various reasons, but there are many who don't want to retire either way. My generation (Gen-X) has been stuck in Middle Management since the 1990's, waiting for our turn in the big chair. It's the kids behind us (the Millennials) who have nowhere to move up. While I agree some of them are imperious and ignorant, many of them are frustrated because they don't see a way forward.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Add in the rates of employee turn over, sustenance wages, and lack of benefits, then factor in that very few companies are willing to hire a 50+ year old person no matter how much skill, training, experience, ect that person has, it's a wonder how some can even make it!
I would be so screwed today if I were not already retired and drawing a pension ( Plus other means of income) and I have very few skills past/current to offer even if I did need to work, and no one would hire me simply because of my age!

 

[notazombie]

The thing about expectations is that I find that I'm frequently wrong about mine. Life for me today is nothing like I would have thought 25 years ago -- or even 10. In spite of a plan, plans change. People are pretty resilient if they decide to be, though. And we're usually our own worst enemies. Life can be pretty good if you just roll up your sleeves and just get out of your own way.

 

[E4mafia]

Add in the rates of employee turn over, sustenance wages, and lack of benefits, then factor in that very few companies are willing to hire a 50+ year old person no matter how much skill, training, experience, ect that person has, it's a wonder how some can even make it!
I would be so screwed today if I were not already retired and drawing a pension ( Plus other means of income) and I have very few skills past/current to offer even if I did need to work, and no one would hire me simply because of my age!

Thats the other problem. the wage stagnation with the increase of cost of living raising and employers thinking they've already handed the employee a god send by hiring but won't do much to retain over the years and wonder why theres so much turn over when its easier to climb pay charts by job hopping than staying loyal.

Its a mercenary market out there tbh.

 

[bbbass]

My parents are boomers, my daughters are millennials, and I am a Gen-X. I have a job, and have always had a job. There are always good jobs available for people who have a useful skill like I do. But when the economy dips the first people to lose their jobs will be the last ones hired today.

There are way too many people in their Golden Years still out there taking a salary, because they can, thanks to automation, computers, and so forth. I am aware some of these cannot retire, for various reasons, but there are many who don't want to retire either way. My generation (Gen-X) has been stuck in Middle Management since the 1990's, waiting for our turn in the big chair. It's the kids behind us (the Millennials) who have nowhere to move up. While I agree some of them are imperious and ignorant, many of them are frustrated because they don't see a way forward.

And yet we still have freedom in this country. Boomers should be, and are, free to work as they wish. You really don't think it sounds arrogant, belligerant (sp), childish, and selfish to say "Move out of the way. It's OUR turn now"? Maybe we need to create mandatory retirement eh? Or even better yet, how bout Soylent Green... you turn 55, you get the blue pill, some nice scenery and music, and off you go!! How/when/why did it become one generation's right to tell another to step aside??? Sounds like a bunch of spoiled brats to me!!!

If your gen, gen X has been stuck in Middle Management, maybe it is because they choose middling degrees, have middling credentials, have not asserted themselves to do better. Or maybe it's because until recently the economy has been frozen. Maybe it's because there are only so many big chair seats and a glut of middle mgrs that think they deserve to run things. Maybe instead of waiting for a turn in the big chair, they should step out, become an entrepreneur and make a big splash on their own. Maybe millenials and gen x need to realize the go to college and your set for life thing is not working for the last few decades. They need to step up and do what needs to be done... go to trade school, learn a marketable skill... do what needs to be done ot succeed instead of being resentful of those that came before because we ruined it all for them.

When I graduated H.S. nobody told me how to be set for life. Nobody said there was a guaranteed path to financial success. I thought I would work for the phone company but wound up enlisting in the Coast Guard. Then later I thought I had it made when I started my own biz. Then I fell ill. It went downhill from there... boo hoo.

If somebody lied to you, made you think you were destined for the big time, I'm really sorry. But we all have to do what needs to be done. Sitting and waiting for others to get out of the way is BS. Nobody is responsible for your life, and that of your kids, but you.