By Raymond Madrid
The biggest difference between today’s generation from the elder people is the way young adults carry themselves, their use of inappropriate language and their acts of disrespect in general. The “Love Generation” consists of people born in the 60s. Today’s generation of young adults is called “Generation Z.” This generation includes people born in the 90s.
People between the ages of 18 to 20 are very different from the young adults growing up during the 70s. They carry themselves differently and have morals that are altered from my generation’s morals.
Young adults today are very selfish and self-centered compared to my generation at their age. In my time, people felt a sense of pride in being selfless and a responsibility to do so for the good of society as a whole. Opening doors for others, giving people the right of way while driving or even saying hello while walking are examples that this generation lacks.
People born in the 60’s were taught to leave a note with your contact information if you accidently hit a parked car. However, today’s generation does not seem to care, have a sense of responsibility or even common courtesy to do so. I understand that the world has changed, but that should not stop people from caring or cause everyone else’s morals go out the window and carry themselves in a rude manner.
As I walk through the East Los Angeles College campus or listen to the students in class, I cannot help but notice that they use a great deal of profanity. Young adults today have incorporated the use of curse words into their everyday language.
They use phrases such as, “Hey what’s up F***er” or “Hey mother F***er are you buying me lunch?” The “F” slang word is used in almost everything they say and is considered a normal way to speak. They do not think twice about it at all and that is just one slang word they often use out of hundreds I hear throughout the day.
The worst part is that they do not seem to think that there is anything wrong with how they are speaking to each other and they have no desire to change. Back in the day if I ever used that language, I would get a good scolding or worse from my parents or any adult present. My generation would use phrases such as, “What’s up dude?” or “Hey man I got the munchies, can you cover me for lunch?”
People in those times did not use vulgar language as part of their normal vocabulary and it was a sign of poor upbringing and lack of education to do so in public.
I feel that this use of bad language is very offensive to me and everybody around me. I wish that young adults today could take a step back and realize how ludicrous they sound when they speak in this manner.
It seems to me that my generation had more respect for things than today’s generation. Today’s young adults seem to think that they should automatically be given respect without having to earn it or return it.
I rarely see young adults helping their elders out of the goodness of their heart. Instead of doing things for others out of respect, they do things as “favors” and say things such as, “Now you owe me.”
I think it’s partly due to a lack of social skills and having things handed to them on a silver platter. Many of them also live with or off of their parents and financial aid well into their mid to late twenties. People from the Love Generation got jobs and tried to move out on our own, instead of living at home until age 25 because it was the respectable thing to do.
It seems today’s young adults have lost sight of core values due to their use of inappropriate language and their disrespectful actions towards others in all areas of life from the way they look to how they act.
They have a self-centered attitude and carry themselves with the mentality of “What’s in it for me.” I’m not sure how this generation adopted these negative attributes, but they still have the potential to change and hopefully the Love Generation can help them better themselves and prepare for an improved future.
