[Boondock Saint]

On the Company is the on the last of loyalties:

Naturally, the Y generation was brought up by the most capitalistic, self-righteous and pompous people to ever live ... Baby Boomers.

With that in mind, the Y generation has watched the US gov't abandon people because "It's not our job." They have watched US companies abandon people because "The bottom line is what matters." And have watched as the US pulls itself apart in order to serve the few ruling elite and their corporate sponsers.

What will this have shown the Y generation? That society is an afterthought, that loyalty belongs to those who are loyal to you, that companies and the gov't can not be trusted and that the company is only a means to an end, not an end itself.

There is not reason to be loyal to US companies, afterall, US companies are not loyal to the worker or the USA.

[Gnote]

It's only a stereotype for those daft enough not to interpret it for what it is - a generalization. When you do a survey and 70% of people in group A answer 'yes' to question #1, while only 25% of people in group B answer 'yes' to the same question, you can probably conclude that members of group A are more likely to feel 'yes' about the question than members of group B. This doesn't mean that everyone in A feels 'yes' and it deosn't mean that everyone in B doesn't feel 'yes'.

Right?

[Gnote]

With that in mind, the Y generation has watched the US gov't abandon people because "It's not our job." They have watched US companies abandon people because "The bottom line is what matters." And have watched as the US pulls itself apart in order to serve the few ruling elite and their corporate sponsers.

What will this have shown the Y generation? That society is an afterthought, that loyalty belongs to those who are loyal to you, that companies and the gov't can not be trusted and that the company is only a means to an end, not an end itself.

I think you're off-base here.

For one thing, Gen Yers are the most socially responsible of all the generations.

For another, the article explicitly outlines how the Boomers rejected the practices of their parents, so there is not necessarily a precedent that suggests each generation must follow directly down the path of its predecessor.

[Boondock Saint]

I'm on base, I rounded third and I'm on my way home. Your g/f says hi.

[Kylie]

It's only a stereotype for those daft enough not to interpret it for what it is - a generalization.

I thought a generalization was a stereotype, I guess I'm just daft.

[Eauz]

American office workers actually have personalities and different sub-cultures which can have a negative or positive effect on the workplace. Best to address these differences and bring about an environment of cooperation and understanding.

It really means nothing if you have a personality or not, with regard to the workplace in our modern society. Your job is to come to work, interact with the others in the most professional way, and get on your way to the end of the shift.

I've worked with all sorts of generations in my life, if they were in the boomer years, the X or Y generation, and I know they all have personalities, however in the end, the goal for everyone is not to know if John likes 60's music or not, but to get the task done, and onto the next. Personally, I was hired to a position, that I applied for. It would be rediculous to think that when I applied, I would ONLY be working with people my own age. I applied for a job, because I need a way to sustain my lifestyle. I did not apply, because I thought I would meet all sorts of fun and interesting friends. And this relates back to the basic question you are asked in the interview. "Are you a team player?" Obviously you will say yes, however if you say Yes just to get the job, and then you go there, and you can't interact with one person, you obviously need a personality check of your own.

A while back, during my university years, I worked at a fast-food style restaurant, where you get all sorts of attitude and personalities. In the end, after a few days of butting heads with other attitudes, you realise that none of what you say really matters to the business. If you can't work as a team, then go home. Two things usually can be learnt from being at such a position. Either that you can't get along with anyone (which means you need to find a job where you don't interact with others), or that in reality, most jobs will be similar to this, and you just have to accept these attitudes, and get on with performing your job. In the end, the company will survive without you, so you might as well just ignore or accept the ridiculous personalities in the office.

[Gnote]

YOU'RE not daft, but anyone who thinks, after significant consideration, that researchers are trying to pigeonhole everyone, is missing the point.

A generalization in the context that I used it - perhaps I could have thought of a better term - was different from a stereotype.

In statistical analysis, you aim to design your study such that you can generalize your results to entire populations. In other words, you ask enough people of diverse enough backgrounds a set of questions. Then you use statistical analysis to determine what different subgroups of that sample think about different issues.

In studies like these, the independent variable is age. So they compare the opinions of people within one age bracket to opinions of people in other age brackets.

A good researcher doesn't conclude that everyone falls into line with his or her particular subgroup, only that the group as a whole is more likely to display one type of behaviour than another.


I didn't mean to imply that you were daft.

[Boondock Saint]

I thought a generalization was a stereotype, I guess I'm just daft.

Details.

There is a gang culture within the inner city black youth population. It is a negative and self-destructive culture which prevents those who do not embrace the culture to be left behind as educators spend most of their time trying to deal with the gang culture as opposed to educating those who want to be educated. - Generalization.

Well, you know those blacks, hootin and hollarin. They don't care about learning all they want to do is shoot each other, call one another N***** this and N***** that and beat up women. - Stereotype.

[Kylie]

KKKylie wrote:

Grr.

A generalization in the context that I used it - perhaps I could have thought of a better term - was different from a stereotype.

I guess Mik's point is that this article is one of a series of things that puts the generation into stereotypes, which are a series of generalizations leading to believe if you are in generation Y professional, you behave this way, blah blah blah. A generalization which leads to a particular stereotype.

[Gnote]

You just have to understand the research - and it's not that difficult, really.

Anyone who says 'cool, I'm in generation Y, I guess I have to act like this now' is probably 'from Mississippi.'

[Blake]

is probably 'from Mississippi.'

Well sheeit. I reckon anybawdy frum Mississippi gots ta think theys generayshun Y now, huh?

[QatzelOk]

A letter from Santa Claus:

Dear demographic,

Please list the products and services that interest you. Elves Research counts on your participation in preparing the polar production schedules at our Holiday factories for next season.

Best wishes,

S. Claus S.A.

[Vivisekt]

pullamössösukupolvi

[Gnote]

We always let the interesting Gorkiy discussions die.

[Kylie]

Anyone who says 'cool, I'm in generation Y, I guess I have to act like this now' is probably 'from Mississippi.'

No, it's more like the dude from Mississippi sees stuff on TV, sees stuff in the newspaper and says to himself, so that's how them thar young city folk with their fancy jobs and their buzness stuffz act. Well, aren't they uppity little bastards.

[Vivisekt]

This topic always reeks of gossip. It's so vague as to be analogous more to the aesthetic analysis of fashion trends than to solid sociological mechanisms.

[Gnote]

No, it's more like the dude from Mississippi sees stuff on TV, sees stuff in the newspaper and says to himself, so that's how them thar young city folk with their fancy jobs and their buzness stuffz act. Well, aren't they uppity little bastards.

That's where education comes in, and I believe is why organizations like mine are attempting to help each generation understand the next.

This topic always reeks of gossip. It's so vague as to be analogous more to the aesthetic analysis of fashion trends than to solid sociological mechanisms.

Well, presumably these 'attitude trends' have been researched empirically. Otherwise I agree to an extent.


It's basically like making decisions based on the best available information - your information isn't always good, but while you're working to improve it, you need to do something.

So you look at the issues with your workforce. You see that your organization is getting older in a hell of a hurry, and you realize that there's another generation ready to take its place. The problem is that the vacancies in your organization outnumber the bodies that could potentially fill them. You need to figure out what this generation wants. With the understanding that no two individuals are exactly the same, you need to start somewhere, so you make decisions based on the best available evidence.

[The Immortal Goon]

Really I was too late to be part of X and I'm too old to really be a part of Y.

I assume that's most of us. However, on any of the generalizations I read, like the one Gnote just posted, I'm always agreeing with the "X" and turning my nose up at the "Y".

Since I'm on the cusp anyway, I'll identify more with the people I identify more with.

I'm over educated; want my boss to leave me the fuck alone; and just want to be told what to do and when to do it by so I can do it; forget about my bullshit job at 5:00 so that I can pursue my own fucking interests.

I don't trust anybody who has any input in to the stupid job, or anyone who is interested in bothering to come up with a new proposal to make the boss richer. Fuck those people.

-TIG

[Kylie]

That's where education comes in, and I believe is why organizations like mine are attempting to help each generation understand the next.

Well, I'll point you back to Boon's point where most people a. won't care to get the education needed and b. won't have the opportunties available to them to receive such education. This isn't to say that I'm not bothered by this, I am; however, it's also important to realize that currently, this is the way things are. This is how generalizations become stereotypes. Person A reads fluff article, then comes to conclusion that Persons B, C, D, E, etc that are in the professional Gen Y category will behave like this. Hence, generalizations made about a certain group of people turn into stereotypes. I do agree; however, the article is fluff and really should be taken with a grain of salt. It does accurately describe a certain subset of our culture; however, a lot of people will read that and think this is how all people behave. Sucks, but it's true. To change the current situation to a better, higher standard of sorts, you must fully realize how things are in order to find ways to change it.

I'm over educated; want my boss to leave me the fuck alone; and just want to be told what to do and when to do it by so I can do it; forget about my bullshit job at 5:00 so that I can pursue my own fucking interests.

I don't trust anybody who has any input in to the stupid job, or anyone who is interested in bothering to come up with a new proposal to make the boss richer. Fuck those people.

This pretty much describes me.

[SpiderMonkey]

Bullshit. I hate all this patronising "lets take all the qualities of todays youth culture and turn them towards profit-making" editorials.

It also pisses me off when I'm told graduates can sail into jobs. I graduated in 2002 and have not been able to hold down a job since. The market for graduate programmers in Birmingham is shite - I make the same money with less stress doing clerical stuff.