# Special snowflake.



## exodus (Aug 8, 2015)

With nearly all kids and youths being told they can do anything and that they are special, are we allowing idiots (to put it kindly) into the profession? It seems we have had an influx of them lately...


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## Mufasa556 (Aug 8, 2015)

I really hope it's not indicative of the candidates that are starting to filter in. I've considered EMS as one of the last bastions of intelligence that the mouth breathers haven't touched yet. 

In the same vein, I highly reccomend Mike Judge's film Idocracy.  It's a brilliant movie about the dumbing down of society.


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## DesertMedic66 (Aug 8, 2015)

We are having some not so good of quality providers coming through our area. Narcotic infractions are being handed out like candy to one of our medics


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## squirrel15 (Aug 8, 2015)

I was hired so I know they will hire anybody! In all seriousness though what I've seen is emt schools just passing people and signing off skills. When I get a trainee I expect them to be able to do their skills in a static environment, but so many are unable to obtain a BP in someone's house let alone a moving vehicle.


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## STXmedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Mufasa556 said:


> I really hope it's not indicative of the candidates that are starting to filter in. I've considered EMS as one of the last bastions of intelligence that the mouth breathers haven't touched yet.


Where are you from and are y'all hiring?!


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Mufasa556 said:


> I really hope it's not indicative of the candidates that are starting to filter in. I've considered EMS as one of the last bastions of intelligence that the mouth breathers haven't touched yet.



You're kidding, right? EMS, with its low educational standards and high "I'm a hero" factor, draws in mouth breathers like a moth to a flame.


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## CALEMT (Aug 8, 2015)

I've noticed this in some of the new EMT classes that I help teach skills in. It seems people have a sense of entitlement as in "you're the skills instructor therefore you're supposed to sign everything off" when they didn't bother to learn and apply the material. I don't know if its just where I'm at or other places as well, but I have defiantly noticed a influx of idiots lately. 

Epic title by the way exodus.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

exodus said:


> With nearly all kids and youths being told they can do anything and that they are special, are we allowing idiots (to put it kindly) into the profession? It seems we have had an influx of them lately...


Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes ,yes!!!!! MMMMMMM YES!

Finally.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Man, this is going to be a good one; so many new folks are full potato...
I'm going to get some pop corn... If I start talking they're gonna shut this puppy down.

EMS should never be somebody's first job either, but that's another thread.


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## triemal04 (Aug 8, 2015)

Mufasa556 said:


> I really hope it's not indicative of the candidates that are starting to filter in. I've considered EMS as one of the last bastions of intelligence that the mouth breathers haven't touched yet.
> 
> In the same vein, I highly reccomend Mike Judge's film Idocracy.  It's a brilliant movie about the dumbing down of society.


Best satirical comment I've read in a very long time!  Wait...you weren't serious were you?  You either need to get out more, or don't understand what what you just said.  And in a few years Idocracy will be seen as a documentary in this country. 



squirrel15 said:


> I was hired so I know they will hire anybody! In all seriousness though what I've seen is emt schools just passing people and signing off skills. When I get a trainee I expect them to be able to do their skills in a static environment, but so many are unable to obtain a BP in someone's house let alone a moving vehicle.


If you think not being able to accurately check someone's BP is the issue...well...that in and of itself is part of the problem.


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## Carlos Danger (Aug 8, 2015)

I don't know. I find myself feeling the same way sometimes, but maybe I'm just forgetting how incompetent I was when I was new. 

It's common for each generation to crow about how much softer/dumber/less-motivated/more lazy/more entitled the younger generations are. I think in some cases there is some objective truth to that  - for instance, as older children, my great-grandparents went hungry if they didn't help kill or grow their own food, and they didn't have a TV or telephone - contrast that to a teenager today, but quite often I think a lot of it is just those of us who've been doing it a while being frustrated with dealing with younger people who don't have the same experience and maturity as us.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Nevermind.


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## squirrel15 (Aug 8, 2015)

triemal04 said:


> If you think not being able to accurately check someone's BP is the issue...well...that in and of itself is part of the problem.


 I was using that as an example... My phrasing was poor in my post though.


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## Carlos Danger (Aug 8, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> Nevermind.


Why not speak your mind?


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## Mufasa556 (Aug 8, 2015)

DEmedic said:


> You're kidding, right? EMS, with its low educational standards and high "I'm a hero" factor, draws in mouth breathers like a moth to a flame.



You know, I really wanted to vehemently defend my point, but just can't. I'll admit that I'm fairly disconnected from the "field" now and spend most of my shifts surrounded by RNs and PAs. I need to pick up a few BLS shifts and familiarize myself with the outside world again. 

I was wracking my brain trying to find a couple scenarios that made my point, but kept coming up with memories of screwball EMT after screwball EMT. From the guy who pulled a blanket out of the warmer, crawled onto the gurney, and went to sleep in front of the nurses station while waiting for staff to figure out transport decisions for the patient. To the nut who was dancing around the ER bay repeatedly screaming "We got a save, bro." After bringing in a PT in full arrest. The list of weird unprofessional moments went on and on. They played like little film strips in my mind eroding my point and making me sad.

I have always sought out intelligent, compassionate patient advocates and by doing so sometimes insulated myself from, and blurred the lines between, what SoCal EMS is and what I'd like it to be.


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## ViolynEMT (Aug 8, 2015)

I've been an EMT for only a year, but this is a second "career" for me. (I'm just a tad bit older than most EMT students. Just a tad!)  It's a very interesting perspective. I don't think it's so much that someone is new, though there are cowboys out there, I think it's more that someone is young. The hero, and rock star mentality perhaps. I'm just ruminating, mind you.

I took my education very seriously. I was "that geek". I didn't want to just pass. I actually wanted to learn something and do well. I saw many people in my class that just wanted to get by. There are always going to be "the ones" that want to just get through, get the cert, and get the glory.


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## CALEMT (Aug 8, 2015)

ViolynEMT said:


> I took my education very seriously. I was "that geek". I didn't want to just pass. I actually wanted to learn something and do well. I saw many people in my class that just wanted to get by. There are always going to be "the ones" that want to just get through, get the cert, and get the glory.



Im seeing more and more of this in the EMT classes, it seems people just want to get the cert and call it a day without gaining knowledge. To me it seems a lack of maturity in some of these new students.


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Remi said:


> ... dealing with younger people who don't have the same experience and _*maturity*_ as us.



I was just gonna say you're throwing that word around awfully generously...


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## SandpitMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Although, I agree with you, Remi. 100%.


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## Meursault (Aug 8, 2015)

Remi said:


> It's common for each generation to crow about how much softer/dumber/less-motivated/more lazy/more entitled the younger generations are.


This. FFS, between this and DEmedic's "handouts" thread, it's like the forum went full Fox News Grandpa.


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## triemal04 (Aug 8, 2015)

Meursault said:


> This. FFS, between this and DEmedic's "handouts" thread, it's like the forum went full Fox News Grandpa.


Yeah...not so much.  While there is always an element of "them dern punk kids these days ain't got no grit to 'em!" in topics like this...you really need to open your eyes and look around at what's happening in this country.


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## triemal04 (Aug 8, 2015)

Mufasa556 said:


> the guy who pulled a blanket out of the warmer, crawled onto the gurney, and went to sleep in front of the nurses station while waiting for staff to figure out transport decisions for the patient.


That...is...AWESOME!  Highly unprofessional, but still...you gotta love it.  Like the flight attendant a few years ago who grabbed a beer and hopped out the emergency exit of a plane...


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## NomadicMedic (Aug 8, 2015)

Get off my lawn.


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## ViolynEMT (Aug 13, 2015)

Remi said:


> I don't know. I find myself feeling the same way sometimes, but maybe I'm just forgetting how incompetent I was when I was new.
> 
> It's common for each generation to crow about how much softer/dumber/less-motivated/more lazy/more entitled the younger generations are. I think in some cases there is some objective truth to that  - for instance, as older children, my great-grandparents went hungry if they didn't help kill or grow their own food, and they didn't have a TV or telephone - contrast that to a teenager today, but quite often I think a lot of it is just those of us who've been doing it a while being frustrated with dealing with younger people who don't have the same experience and maturity as us.




I have the interesting perspective of being somewhat new as an EMT, but older than most new EMTs. I'm caught somewhere in the middle.


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## joshrunkle35 (Aug 14, 2015)

Once again: there are more than enough people in EMS, let's just make this training a degree and weed out the idiots.


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## Flying (Aug 14, 2015)

joshrunkle35 said:


> Once again: there are more than enough people in EMS, let's just make this training a degree and weed out the idiots.


Won't stop them, they'll just crowdfund it.


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## SandpitMedic (Sep 30, 2015)

Revive.
This is not entirely related to our field, but it is to our snowflake society youth. Not really new thread material, so I'll just leave this here...

All these snowflakes are really causing the wussification of America.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blo...g-student-resilience-serious-problem-colleges


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## Tigger (Sep 30, 2015)

Do we think that we are actually hiring more idiots now then the industry was 30 years ago?

Or is it just fun as an older generation to beat on the younger generations, because that's just what societies do?


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## squirrel15 (Sep 30, 2015)

Tigger said:


> Do we think that we are actually hiring more idiots now then the industry was 30 years ago?
> 
> Or is it just fun as an older generation to beat on the younger generations, because that's just what societies do?


Are more idiots being hired now than before? Most likely not. But, a lot of the younger generation aren't willing to problem solve on their own and they expect everything to be done for them. And in the field I think that's where you see a large difference, because in most blue collar jobs, your job is to make things work without having everything you need when you need it in a way that is safe, legal, and sufficient.


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## CALEMT (Sep 30, 2015)

squirrel15 said:


> But, a lot of the younger generation aren't willing to problem solve on their own and they expect everything to be done for them.



This. Plus I believe a lot of the younger generations want that instant gratification and aren't willing to work towards that.


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## Tigger (Sep 30, 2015)

squirrel15 said:


> Are more idiots being hired now than before? Most likely not. But, a lot of the younger generation aren't willing to problem solve on their own and they expect everything to be done for them. And in the field I think that's where you see a large difference, because in most blue collar jobs, your job is to make things work without having everything you need when you need it in a way that is safe, legal, and sufficient.


Disclaimer: I am firmly in the generation you speak of. But I really don't think that we are any different than other generations. Everyone loves to talk about how hard it was to walk both ways uphill in the snow to school everyday. The younger generation meanwhile quietly solves many more tech related issues, yet no credit is ever given for that. We're just lazy and spoiled, which is exactly how I am sure my grandfather viewed my father's generation.


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## StCEMT (Sep 30, 2015)

I love seeing stuff like this since I am currently in the generation mentioned by the article, it just makes me laugh. Yes, my family has helped with a lot, but no they do not hand me everything. With the exception of a huge maintenance issue that came up I just couldn't afford, I take care of my vehicle and pay the gas/insurance/maintenance. I have to pay part of this years tuition myself (outside of the loan) since I don't do the work and learn program anymore and need to cover the difference. I've spent countless nights working late just to turn around and get 2-5 hours of sleep and push through another 20 hour day and done it day after day. I've had plenty of bad experiences in life that I really wish I didn't have that I had no choice but to suck it the **** up and keep going. I know exactly what I want in life and while I may ask for help/advice to get there, I haven't ever asked to have it to be handed to me. I know there are lazy, useless kids growing up today, but its easy to forget how many of us out there bust our *** to get what we want. We don't necessarily do this life thing wrong, we just do it different. 

But most of all, I laugh because the generation that complains about us is the one that raised us. But what do I know, I am just one of those youngins with little life experience and a bad attitude.


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## DesertMedic66 (Sep 30, 2015)

As a 23 year old I am able to say that I hate the majority of my generation.


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## squirrel15 (Sep 30, 2015)

Tigger said:


> Disclaimer: I am firmly in the generation you speak of. But I really don't think that we are any different than other generations. Everyone loves to talk about how hard it was to walk both ways uphill in the snow to school everyday. The younger generation meanwhile quietly solves many more tech related issues, yet no credit is ever given for that. We're just lazy and spoiled, which is exactly how I am sure my grandfather viewed my father's generation.


As am I at 24 years old. Here is how I look at it though, we are on forums like this because we are willing to go out of our way to learn on our own and help others, we arent the majority of people unfortunately. 

You're correct tech jobs and such our generation is great at that, but that's way I specifically mentioned blue collar jobs.


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## Carlos Danger (Oct 1, 2015)

Tigger said:


> Do we think that we are actually hiring more idiots now then the industry was 30 years ago?
> 
> Or is it just fun as an older generation to beat on the younger generations, because that's just what societies do?



Yeah, a large part of it is that every generation has probably always liked to complain about their successors. And as I said in an earlier post, I think a lot of it comes from experienced people not remembering (or maybe not realizing) how clueless and annoying they were to the experienced folks when they were new themselves.

But at the same time, there _has_ been a pretty dramatic shift in our culture in the past 20 years or so - especially in the way that people raise their kids and in the way kids are schooled - and that's bound to have some significant effects, good or bad. It does seem that people entering college and the workforce over the past handful of years have a quite different set of skills and a quite different outlook and set of expectations than ever before.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

I'm 28; and I can't stand the majority of my generation. Folks my age are the first ones to start this trend and continue it to the way we are. So many people who seek instant gratification and think because they pay their own bills that they are hot **** and entitled to something. 

 Guess what... Good for you. It's called life. You're being responsible for yourself, that doesn't earn you special consideration just because we live in a world where most people are not carry the trait for personal responsibility. Keep on doing well, and excel in your life - I'm happy to see some responsible folks, but don't think it entitles you to anything. That's part of the mindset with "this generation."

There is so much more to it than just thinking kids are "lazy" these days. I didn't walk up any hills in 5 feet of snow, but I don't need that experience to see the culture of victims and entitled snobs every where I go. The easily offended cupcakes and the free loaders that we have incentivized to be unproductive in society. 

We got problems, if you fail to see that, regardless of your age, then you are probable part of the problem.

Our culture is morally bankrupted any ways at this point, so in the words of the next president (unfortunately) "what difference does it make?"... It's too late for a course correction.


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## TransportJockey (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> I'm 28; and I can't stand the majority of my generation. Folks my age are the first ones to start this trend and continue it to the way we are. So many people who seek instant gratification and think because they pay their own bills that they are hot **** and entitled to something.
> 
> Guess what... Good for you. It's called life. You're being responsible for yourself, that doesn't earn you special consideration just because we live in a world where most people are not carry the trait for personal responsibility. Keep on doing well, and excel in your life - I'm happy to see some responsible folks, but don't think it entitles you to anything. That's part of the mindset with "this generation."
> 
> ...


I knew I liked you. For the most part I fully agree with you, and I'm just a tiny bit younger than you.


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## ViolynEMT (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> I'm 28; and I can't stand the majority of my generation. Folks my age are the first ones to start this trend and continue it to the way we are. So many people who seek instant gratification and think because they pay their own bills that they are hot **** and entitled to something.
> 
> Guess what... Good for you. It's called life. You're being responsible for yourself, that doesn't earn you special consideration just because we live in a world where most people are not carry the trait for personal responsibility. Keep on doing well, and excel in your life - I'm happy to see some responsible folks, but don't think it entitles you to anything. That's part of the mindset with "this generation."
> 
> ...




I agree. And I think I said this earlier in this thread (too lazy to look, ironically): what some people are missing out on, when they feel entitled and take advantage of entitlements, is the satisfaction of doing things and earning things on their own. Achievement, accomplishment.........all character builders. Deprivation at times is also a good thing. It can be a motivator.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

Here's an anecdotal story from my life, present time. My 10 year HS reunion is coming up. I libe in a different state than I did then, about 5 hours away, and am willing to make the drive and take my girl along and buy her a ticket. 

So, there's a BookFace group for the class of '05... Yay... It's $40 a ticket and it included a meal and one free drink at a trendy little venue in a nice part of town. This was voted on in the group (the cost per ticket part). 

These ****ers are now all  posting in the group talking about how they can't afford $40 to go to their reunion and one snowflake was like "I don't drink, so can I get a discount?" ... Another has some chick he is marrying from the Philippines or some **** and said he can't afford it because his trips to Asia have him financially strapped and that there should be a donation site set up for others to purchase tickets for him and others who can't afford it....what.the.****?!

Like a whole bunch of lowlifes are clamoring for free tickets and complaining about the price. SERIOUSLY?! It's a once in a lifetime thing, plus a dinner, plus a drink, plus a DJ and all that other stuff... And you're complaining about $40 because you have 4 kids or make poor life choices or are just a loser. If you are almost 30, and can't spend $40 on something like that- you're a loser. And if you then want donations when you make poor choices - you're an idiot. What kind of self entitled *******s would do that AFTER voting on the price to begin with?!  And those are just a few examples of numerous people saying that stuff. 

I was like- you can't even go to the movies and eat popcorn for less than $40 these days... Let alone something like this.

 I'm telling you... My generation- is a bunch of clowns. 

Needless to say, I am opting out- and damn sure am not donating a ticket to anyone.


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## TransportJockey (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> Here's an anecdotal story from my life, present time. My 10 year HS reunion is coming up. I libe in a different state than I did then, about 5 hours away, and am willing to make the drive and take my girl along and buy her a ticket.
> 
> So, there's a BookFace group for the class of '05... Yay... It's $40 a ticket and it included a meal and one free drink at a trendy little venue in a nice part of town. This was voted on in the group (the cost per ticket part).
> 
> ...


There's a reason I refuse to go to my 10 year reuinion next year. It's not worth it.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

ViolynEMT said:


> I agree. And I think I said this earlier in this thread (too lazy to look, ironically): what some people are missing out on, when they feel entitled and take advantage of entitlements, is the satisfaction of doing things and earning things on their own. Achievement, accomplishment.........all character builders. Deprivation at times is also a good thing. It can be a motivator.




You don't need to do anything to feel accomplished or like you've achieved something, because now everyone gets an award just for showing up.

Kids can't even "WIN" anymore. It's all about fairness and being delicate to the feelings of all involved... Everyone gets a trophy.

It's ridiculous. It's mind boggling.

It sets them up for failure... And to cower to adversity that they will eventually encounter throughout their lives.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

TransportJockey said:


> There's a reason I refuse to go to my 10 year reuinion next year. It's not worth it.


Right... Being not worth it is one thing... But feeling like others should pay your way due to your own poor life choices is entirely different..

Besides.. With social media we already know what people from high school did... And mostly don't frankly care about ones that we aren't in contact with already. It isn't like you'll finally see that one person again after 10 years.


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## CALEMT (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> Here's an anecdotal story from my life, present time. My 10 year HS reunion is coming up. I libe in a different state than I did then, about 5 hours away, and am willing to make the drive and take my girl along and buy her a ticket.
> 
> So, there's a BookFace group for the class of '05... Yay... It's $40 a ticket and it included a meal and one free drink at a trendy little venue in a nice part of town. This was voted on in the group (the cost per ticket part).
> 
> ...



I'm going to go out on a limb and say these are the people who can't "afford" a $40 dollar ticket and yet they drive BMW's and Mercedes.


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## TransportJockey (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> Right... Being not worth it is one thing... But feeling like others should pay your way due to your own poor life choices is entirely different..
> 
> Besides.. With social media we already know what people from high school did... And mostly don't frankly care about ones that we aren't in contact with already. It isn't like you'll finally see that one person again after 10 years.


By not worth it I meant I won't pay my money to listen to people ***** about poor life choices. The other side of this is I went to HS in a small town, the people who are losers and clamoring that they can't afford anything never left the town or did anything with their lives. I think I keep in contact with about a quarter of my HS class (25 or so people) but that's it. And we are all so scattered we never see each other, and busy enough with work and careers it won't happen easily.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

Both kinds of people... The ones who have mountains of debt and live a fake life, and the ones who think Michael Brown was going to be a doctor.


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## CALEMT (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> I'm 28; and I can't stand the majority of my generation. Folks my age are the first ones to start this trend and continue it to the way we are. So many people who seek instant gratification and think because they pay their own bills that they are hot **** and entitled to something.
> 
> Guess what... Good for you. It's called life. You're being responsible for yourself, that doesn't earn you special consideration just because we live in a world where most people are not carry the trait for personal responsibility. Keep on doing well, and excel in your life - I'm happy to see some responsible folks, but don't think it entitles you to anything. That's part of the mindset with "this generation."
> 
> ...





TransportJockey said:


> I knew I liked you. For the most part I fully agree with you, and I'm just a tiny bit younger than you.



I'm 21 and I'm agreeing with him.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

TransportJockey said:


> By not worth it I meant I won't pay my money to listen to people ***** about poor life choices. The other side of this is I went to HS in a small town, the people who are losers and clamoring that they can't afford anything never left the town or did anything with their lives. I think I keep in contact with about a quarter of my HS class (25 or so people) but that's it. And we are all so scattered we never see each other, and busy enough with work and careers it won't happen easily.



Yeah exactly... If I want to see/hear you complain about your life I can just look at your FB... I've got better things to do. 

Haha.


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## ViolynEMT (Oct 1, 2015)

SandpitMedic said:


> You don't need to do anything to feel accomplished or like you've achieved something, because now everyone gets an award just for showing up.
> 
> Kids can't even "WIN" anymore. It's all about fairness and being delicate to the feelings of all involved... Everyone gets a trophy.
> 
> ...




Yeah. Getting awards for just showing up burns me. I worked hard for the awards I got growing up. It was motivational to have to earn them. Giving them away freely takes away the feeling of accomplishment from those that worked for it.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 1, 2015)

TransportJockey said:


> I knew I liked you. For the most part I fully agree with you, and I'm just a tiny bit younger than you.


I like you too, bud.
We think a lot alike, the two of us.


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## SandpitMedic (Oct 17, 2015)

Follow up:
The reunion is tonight. I'm not going. Just to add, I kept following the group. There was an issue that was posted regarding attire. The class voted, as we did previously with the cost, on business casual... Ya know, not too fancy, but leave your favorite jersey at home.

So some snowflakes were real upset I guess, and so, against the vote, the reunion leadership said everyone could just wear whatever you want, "you be you."

Ugh!

Special snowflakes! Can't stand them. Pay your $40, wear a polo, and go with the flow. You lost the vote. **** me!

Just....
Glad I didn't go.


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