Clearly. It is job specific. I thought that would go without saying, but anyway. I'll rephrase: The more degrees are out there for a particular field inversely proportionate to the employment opportunities, the less value it holds.
Honestly, I think discussions like this should be held in high school sessions--that is, regarding education and jobs. Most of the preparatory guidence I've seen has been geared toward getting into college. While I realize that is a huge first step that not many people are able or convinced to take. I personally feel that there should be more influence (not comparatively btw) on how to use college in prep for actual job experience. At the least, counselors should be able or willing to hold presentations to get students thinking a bit more long term. In my experience, no one mentioned how you can and likely will change your mind at least once in college. Everyone said choose a major, get that degree, and get that high paying job. Nobody talked about how the degree you pursue may affect your marketability after college. Heck, no one even mentioned that one should consider the job outlook for various careers. While it is generally good advice to say choose a career and focus on getting to it, the counselors could probably do a better job of presenting how internships, research, university jobs and such are actually very useful in understanding your field and what types of jobs are really out there. Heck, I would love to arrange meetings or presentations from college counselors to discuss how one might "work" his or her degree(s) to become more marketable. For instance B.A. in English Lit will not set me apart as a potential teacher or a business writer or anything. But with English being so versatile, I could (and am considering doing so) double major in Literature and Creative Writing or Composition or Journalism or something like that. Or double major in Lit. and Creative Writing and get into a journalism, publishing, or editing internship or find a professor engaged in research and get involved with that. I should be looking for programs with these opportunities in undergrad, so as a grad student I can not only have a stronger sense of direction, but experience to back it up. and even without a grad degree, I'd be that much more marketable as an English or Writing teacher, in publishing, in editing, and/or in business writing. I could even put that down as qualifications to teach as a Grad TA or even overseas like a couple of my instructors have done. If we could get more college bound students thinking about how to work their college experience, it would make the realities of college and job searches less of a shock. Granted, I understand why so much effort is put simply in getting into college, but I think programs like AVID and Compact Club (both designed to promote college and professional success) should be more prevalent or even mandatory. Just my thoughts though.
Of course, none of that helps the economic situation that is affecting the job market, but I think it's worth noting because a lot of teens go into college with the basic idea that they go in, they pass their classes, they get a degree, and suddenly jobs open up. There is heavy competition for jobs right now, and it's becoming apparent that a degree is not enough sometimes, especially in heavily impacted fields. Also sorry because none of that has anything to do with teens today. Well not directly anyway.
Looking at things from a retired person's perspective, I'd say the best thing for young people to be 'these days' is to be flexible. Flexible in their skills, experience AND expectations. Hardly anybody can count on a job for life any more, so preparing for one to the exclusion of everything else ...unless you plan to become a medical doctor or something like that ...is probably not a great idea. I embarked on a career as a teacher, way back in the early 1970's - complete with an honours degree, good prep teaching experience, etc - and discovered a short way into it that I really didn't like teaching in schools at all. I started working in the restaurant trade (where I'd had part-time jobs during my college years) as a stop-gap measure while I thought of what else to do. And you know? I found I really enjoyed working with food and dealing with people as customers. I worked really hard and built up a good job record, and had no trouble getting hired wherever I went. I found I could move locations quite easily. I didn't get paid a lot, but I got by. And the job certainly kept me fit. What was even better, my free time was entirely my own. No lessons to plan, no papers to correct, no meetings to prepare for. Once I got home, that was it. Kick off the shoes and kick back. I could pursue my hobbies and interests outside of my work, and I had a great time doing whatever I wanted to do. I even managed to save up enough money for an extended 2-month trip to Scotland in 1985 ...and thereby hangs the tale. Since getting married and moving to Scotland in 1986—before I retired—I worked as a Medical Receptionist. Even that was a 'job' and not a career. Looking back on my life, I really can't say I wish things had been different. I know I was taking a risk, because if I'd been injured or become ill, I would have had no safety net. I had health insurance, but only the most basic kind. But I certainly enjoyed having the freedom that NOT having a 'career' gave me. We can't do everything, can we? I'd say make sure you can pay your bills and don't live above your means, but beyond that, don't let work dominate your life. Unless, of course, you're really doing something you love. I wish young people all the best. I don't think they're coming into quite as 'easy' a world as I did.
You know what? That is truly poignant bit of wisdom. I was somewhat hinting at it in my post, but you've nailed it. I'll have to quote you on that sometime. In all seriousness though, you're absolutely right. I think the working plane has changed enough that looking for long-term careers isn't really the path for everyone. There is a sense of security in a career, but people, on average, tend change careers or at least jobs anywhere between three and seven times in a life time, according to talk (which if you google, you'll probably see people mention how there's no real way to keep track). Shoot, according to this interesting little article, job hopping is even becoming a trend. One of the reasons I chose to study English Literature instead of English Education is because I wanted to stay flexible, I've recently discovered a new interest in editing and publishing, and with the right study and experience, I could do that for a while before going into teaching. Flexibility is essential, and I like that you emphasized in expectations as well. So many things just don't live up to the expectations we're given. If counselors spent half as much time explaining some of the things I talked about above as they did repeating "College is nothing like high school...deadlines are deadlines...there are no make ups...everyone treats you like an adult...you have to be responsible for yourself...etc" then I think students coul go into college with a better mindset about what it really is and how it is/can be different from simply furthering general education. Thank you! The world is certainly not an easy one. Sure we've grown up with the advantage of all the modern technology, but the world is a changing place. There is more uncertainty, more possibility (for both success and failure). It is also very easy to get left behind in the fast-paced world; one must jump on the train quick, despite there no really being a clear track. It doesn't help that we youngsters are naturally unruly, angsty, rebellious, and adventurous. There are so many more dangers today (from what I hear), it's that much easier for us to hurt ourselves and, quite unfortunately, each other.
The drug taking teens and the teens who get each other pregnant have always been in the minority. I don't think judging a whole generation on such factors is fair. From what I can the tell the most common problem with teens today and back around 1990 when I was a teen is that far to many of them try to make their peers feel bad for not being cool, for not conforming to being the average teen. It came as a massive relief when I reached the end of my teams and found that I didn't need to worry about being ostracised as nerd. I could be myself without fear. To start off with I thought it was just a change in myself, that I'd found the self confidence to be myself. But I look at modern teenagers being cruel to each other. Those pressures to be cool are very real. I don't think it's got any better or worse. A lot of the "teen misbehaviour" seems to be triggered by those pressures, though what form it takes slowly evolves over the years.
That's very observant, and I buy it. I don't think the type of interaction between teenagers has changed much, just the mediums. I'd almost put money on teens today being more cruel and/or apathetic than before because of the advent of social media. Clique culture is not so prevalent as it may have been back in the day, but that does not mean people do not form groups and intentionally ostracize each other. In fact, I have a friend, a light-skinned black girl with a great features and figure, who was also popular with the boys. That is, a lot of boys liked her. This did not sit well with many of the other girls, particularly the other black girls, who received markedly less attention. So these other girls made it their mission to defame my friend and bully her at every turn. Just a couple weeks ago, someone posted all of her personal information (e.g. name, pictures, phone number) on craigslist talking about "for sale, call me for a good time." That was a disaster for her. My sister and I are pretty sure it was one of those other girls... even now that they've graduated... Then again, there is such a stronger push against bullying of all kinds, particularly cyber bullying now... And many teens, especially those involved in sports, seem to acknowledge some semblance of camaraderie. Maybe that was just in the "small town" (not really that small, but more-so close-knit), financially stable community where I went to school, in Redlands. In San Bernardino--where I actually lived--there was notably more youth-driven gang violence, making it almost necessary to fit in somewhere to keep from becoming a target. But those are product of the environment more than anything. The pressure to fit in is one that all teenagers will struggle with, and yet still feel the need to exploit in others... It's rather ironic.
I think you're right to mention social media as a venue for bullying. Cyber-bullying certainly didn't exist 20 years ago, never mind 50, when I was a teenager. Furthermore, the internet provides enough anonymity that it probably encourages people who would otherwise be too cowardly to stick their neck out. There is a lot of difference between confronting a person in the street—in a place where everybody knows you—and hiding behind a Facebook persona and sniping away at them. However, if people think singling folks out for abuse is new, it's not. It's just that back in the day our worlds were a lot smaller, so fewer people had access to us. This meant fewer bullies per capita, but could also mean fewer friends. Everything has its dark side, I reckon. Each generation has unique things to cope with.
“Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.” -Socrates Teens of all ages are a menace to society. But why bash on them? They will grow up eventually and face the gray reality and succumb to the burden of responsibility whether they like it or not. Have none of you been young and unruly? Sure... some of us was a bit... different.
It's nothing personal. When you talk to teens, it's plain and simply not like talking to an adult. Light bulbs aren't clicking. Nobody's home. And the worst part about teens is they look nothing like those portrayed in the Sarah Michelle Gellar movies. They're actually quite stunted looking and LOTS of acne.
As far as teen pregnancy -- I am not sure how the stats are compiled but 18 and 19 year olds are still considered teens, and there are FAR fewer 18 and 19 year old women who get married and have kids. Not all teen pregnancies have been unplanned or to unwed mothers. As far as the whole education issue -- that's immensely complicated. It is true that there are now jobs that require a bachelor's degree, that did not require one previously, and don't really need one. But because there are so many people out there with bachelor's degrees, and they apply even for jobs that didn't require one, people will hire those folks with the degrees, and then it becomes a requirement to have the degree. And yeah, every single generation has complained about kids/teens 'these days.' Back in my day, we only had 5 channels, and you had to get up from the couch to change the channel, and if you missed a show, you missed it -- there was no recording or rebroadcast. There were no DVDs. I can only imagine what my kids will be saying to their kids.
From what I hear, most students get jobs that have little or nothing to do with their degree. Even some of my friends with degrees in math, science, and engineering have jobs that have nothing to do with those fields. What employers are looking for is a particular skill set that matches the required skill set of the position they're hiring for, which is why people with math degrees tend to be hired by insurance companies, banks, etc. But there's no substitute for networking. That's the easiest way to get a job. Internships and career fairs are also very important.
Right, that is a good point. Basically, we learn about degrees as the ticket into the job we want when really, as you said, employers are looking for certain skill sets. Certain degrees just show some more than others. It's good to have experience and connections if you are going for a specific job, I'd think.
I guess teens these days should thank their preceding generations for setting them up so well. They haven't done anything to change the system yet.
They haven't because they can't. The education system is so messed up that I'm starting to think it can't be fixed at all.
We also can't change the system yet because we're still teens. But those who are finishing college (or not) are already making a splash.
Still, instead of knocking the old fogies, maybe there should be a "thank you" for inheriting such a nice life and a promise to keep the ball rolling.
Many of us won't be getting jobs out of college (even though we'd be told that we would, and now we've got debt). The economy is in shambles (all over the world). Political corruption is rampant. Corporations are starting to get an even stronger grasp on people (net neutrality, for example). Our country's infrastructure is cracking around us. From the eyes of a 16 year old graduating high school next year hoping to be an airline pilot after college (and 70k in debt, mind you), I don't foresee a nice life.
Oops, you forgot to link to the cracked article where you got this! http://www.cracked.com/blog/5-complaints-about-modern-teens-that-are-statistically-bs/ There, I fixed it for you.
The whole "corrupt current generation" misconception isn't new at all. At my high school, we translated a poem from Horace in Latin class that essentially made the same claim that the "newer" generation was religiously impious and he recounted the good old days in Rome. So, the whole idea of trashing the youth of today is the same type of falsehood that good ol' Horace argued over two thousand years ago. I suspect the reason most adults badmouth teenagers is based on their personal experiences. To be fair, there are some idiot teenagers just as there are idiot adults. Adults just have a tendency to focus solely on the negative aspects of a general set.
