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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Clint_L" data-source="post: 9068811" data-attributes="member: 7035894">You have posted similar sentiments many times, so I don't think I am going to be able to argue you out of your "kids these days..." perspective. I will point out that your growing up experience was very unusual for most people of my generation, and I'm 55. I grew up in a working class town (Nanaimo, BC) and my dad was  a truck driver, so we're not talking silver spoon.But one thing that I think is a problem is that your stance is extremely judgmental. Rather than acknowledging that your experience was different than most modern kids (or, let's face it, adults) and that's okay, you continually posit that your perspective, values, etc. are objectively better. If you don't think "kids these days" are learning "a ton of stuff," as well, then you have another think coming. And just because it is different stuff than your highly unusual (in 2023) experiences doesn't make it inferior.I've been a teacher for decades. My perspective on "kids these days" is that they work far harder at school than me and my friends did. They are very likely to have part-time job while in school, and most young folks these days don't just work one job, they have a side hustle or three on the go as well. They're growing up into a world where they have to be extremely flexible, so they are constantly trying new things. In terms of values, I see pros and cons. They tend to be more moralistic than my generation was, and I find them more prone to self-righteousness (though that's probably always how older people see the whippersnappers). They are also much more stressed out, but then they are confronting a world that is a lot worse off in many ways than the one I grew up into (the environment, housing costs, etc.).Here are some objective facts about "kids these days" compared to kids in the 70s and 80s:1. They are much less likely to drink, smoke, or do drugs.2. They are much less likely to get/get someone pregnant.3. They are much less likely to commit a violent crime.4. They are more likely to attend college.5. They are employed in similar numbers, and their real wages have scarcely budged.There are downsides, too - they are more likely to suffer from a stress-related disorder, live at home (c.f. housing crisis), be obese. But by most measures, they are working harder and behaving better than we were at their age. I think they're pretty great, overall.And what were definitive films of the Boomers and Generation X? Easy Rider? Slackers? Older folks despaired of us, too, back in the day, lest we forget. Now it's our turn to complain about the young 'uns. But the kids are alright - give them a chance.Oh, and as far as D&D goes: in my day playing D&D was fraught with peril and you were likely to be bullied about it. Today's kids have embraced the game, and even the ones who are completely disinterested don't judge others for playing it.</blockquote>

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