It's one thing that has amazed me for awhile now (ever since I left that age group).

High school / college age kids discover an issue, read a few books or articles, or hear from friends / celebrities, and suddenly they are the ones who know everything about the issue and have to solution to it...even though people have been working on it for decades, or things have been handled that way forever.

Anything from economics to environment to gun control to war. They know how to solve it all, and everyone else is just stuck in their old ways or close minded etc.

But they know, and they care, man, which is why they have the answers.

What's up with that?

They haven't had enough experience with doing all the right things at the right time with the right people only to end-up being spoon-fed a steaming pile of shit for their efforts

It comes with experience and they're a little short on that at 19.

I was the same way when I was young, I imagine you were too.

Well IMO they are exposed to something new and a professor/teacher gives them some information from one perspective and they take it on faith that it is the whole picture and become a follower of that belief/cause.

Are the kids here getting to ya today?

I think college is the time that people start to realize what the fuck is going on in the world and students are often times surrounded by idiots who want to impress their views upon them. I'm still in college, but I don't think I know it all. However, I do know a lot more than I did before college. What pisses me off is how someone, generally a non-traditional student of age 40 or so will be in the union during lunch preaching to the choir about some issue, generally left wing bullshit. These kids just sit there and soak up every word. Most of those poeple I hear talking have nothing but shit between their ears.

So, I hope you guys don't think any less of me for still being in school. I have a pretty level head on my shoulders and have learned that just because you have a doctorate doesn't mean you know anything about anything or that any of your views should by followed by your students.

Great minds think for themselves.

ETA again, Sean Hannity has helped save me from the idiocy that is the liberal media.

Quoted: I was the same way when I was young, I imagine you were too.

Yes, which is why I asked the question.

Luckily I started listening to Rush Limbaugh shortly after leaving that demographic and learned to take a long view of things before I made a judgement on them.

Tell me about it!

Some prick on another board (the board being about the Service Academies) comes on and does all the following:

- Admits he's 17 years old.
- Accuses the South of giving grades in school based on race
- Claims to be accepted to Berkeley (but he hasn't posted on THAT forum)
- Plagiarizes some claptrap from Bill Mahar and posts it as his own work.
- Plagiarises Wikipedia and posts it as his own work.
- Calls for the abolition of the Senate
- Calls for all guns to be banned
- Goes on about how France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Cuba, etc., are all so much better than us because they're socialist.
- Replies to a question about sports with "I find sports to be to petty to waste my time on"

Etc., etc.....

The kid is a walking poster of the DUh mentality, and simply doesn't realize how STUPID he sounds.

When I was that age, I never thought I knew it all. I thought I'd live forever, but not that I knew more than the grownups around me.

I don't get it, either. Where they get off with these attitudes simply amazes me.

<-----------------

Quoted: Are the kids here getting to ya today?

It seems to be a natural condition of adolescents.

Most teenagers are sure they know more about everything than their parents or anyone in their parents' generation.

It goes along with the sense of invincibility that makes them such horrible drivers.

Quoted: <----------------- Quoted: Are the kids here getting to ya today?

You weren't the cause, but your world 19 year old wisdom contributed to the question.

Like I said in the other thread, try a little REAL learning and gaining historical context before making 13 posts per day and acting like you have all the answers.

You don't. You're 19. In ten years you'll realize how foolish your posts are. In 20 years you'll want to go back in time and kick your own ass.

(the above is only true if you actually bother to learn)

When I went back to grad school (MBA) in 2001 I had a great time with the "kids" in the class. I was 41 at the time and been in the IT/business field for 20+ years.

Fortunately, the profs were all seasoned business people instead of liberal PhDers and actually knew what the business world was like.

I would sit in the class and laugh at some of the moronic things they would say.  I wish I had written then down, they would make for a great read while on the crapper...  

bastiat, all i did was point out that with the current energy crisis, economic inbalances, and possible looming inflation, the situation the US is in today is rather similiar to the situation in the 1970's, and may in fact turn out to be a more difficult situation due to the fact that t his time, we have a huge illegal immigration problem and a much bigger national deficit and debt.  i dont' see why you're getting so worked up over this.  just because i'm 19 years old doesn't mean that everything I say is wrong.  many many posters here much older than myself would agree with what i have said.

I'm tempted to go back to school to brush up on a few things, chase some young tail, and laugh myself silly at the stupidity of youngsters.

Remember, I live in Durham, the Berkeley of the East Coast.

Quoted: bastiat, all i did was point out that with the current energy crisis, economic inbalances, and possible looming inflation, the situation the US is in today is quite similiar to the situation in the 1970's, and may in fact turn out to be a more difficult situation due to the fact that t his time, we have a huge illegal immigration problem and a much bigger national deficit and debt.  i dont' see why you're getting so worked up over this.  just because i'm 19 years old doesn't mean that everything I say is wrong.

It gives it a much higher likelyhood of being wrong though.

Like I said, try learning more and posting less.

I teach this age group.  They are protected, mostly by their mothers, from any consequences of their actions.  They lead relatively easy lives and have the world given to them.  It is human nature that you think you must be doing everything right when life is always easy.

I was in the business department of the HS today looking at the results of a survey of local businesses.  In it, the businesses were asked what habits they had to have in the people they hire.

The habits they demanded were integrity, loyalty, determination, and dependability.  I don't see that in many HS kids.

They said the greatest failings they saw in new hires of young people were laziness, poor work habits and absenteeism.  I do see quite a bit of this with today's young people.

But God help you if you try to hold these kids accountable for their actions.  I am tired of their mommas coming to school complaining that Mr. Rogers is "mean and out to get my baby."  Most of these women are single/divorced mothers who themselves dislike adult men.

I am too the point that I try my best to isolate the lazy and troublesome students and work with those that are still willing to learn.  If by the time a kid reaches high school and he doesn't give a shit about himself or anyone else, then they are pretty much a write-off.  It is sad, but it is true.

I can put up with the superkids who have attitudes because they will most likely grow up to be responsible adults.  But the ones that are bums now will much more often than not be bums forever.

Boortz had a thing about that a few years ago, specifically referring to the kids at Emory.  He said we should pull them out of school and let them run everything since they seem to know everything.

I notice a lot of rock musicians & actors behave the same way.

Quoted: It gives it a much higher likelyhood of being wrong though. Like I said, try learning more and posting less.

i would love to learn more!  please, address my points and tell me why they are wrong, and perhaps we could have an interesting discussion!  all you did was attack me based on my age, and then you created this thread.  as an older, more experienced adult, why don't you teach me a little bit, instead of insulting me?

Quoted: I notice a lot of rock musicians & actors behave the same way.

a lot of them are that way because they left high school / college and never entered the real world. Other than part time jobs, they lived their little rock and roll/ acting fantasy life.

I think it's because they still assume that all proclaimed talking head knowledge is true. They haven't been exposed long enough to the world to realize that Santa Claus isn't for real. One day most grow up and realize that the media disseminated information they have been digesting as true is suspect at best.

M4-AK

A lot of kids are know-it-alls-who-don't but I've met plenty of older people that are out to lunch too.

It's not the years, it's the miles.

Quoted: Quoted: It gives it a much higher likelyhood of being wrong though. Like I said, try learning more and posting less. i would love to learn more!  please, address my points and tell me why they are wrong, and perhaps we could have an interesting discussion!  all you did was attack me based on my age, and then you created this thread.  as an older, more experienced adult, why don't you teach me a little bit, instead of insulting me?

No, I really don 't give a shit about talking to you. You think you know more than other people here who have lived through the times you are talking about. You don't. Get over yourself. You're not going to learn, your just going to act like you know better becuase deep down inside, you really believe you do know better.

But thanks for illustrating my point on this thread!

You need to grow up and realize there are things you just don't know, and in some cases it's better do sit back and learn and defer to those with real world experience.

Of course, you don't know that yet. All that you know is you read a few things here and there and that means you have the answers.

Quoted: Quoted: I'm tempted to go back to school to brush up on a few things, chase some young tail, and laugh myself silly at the stupidity of youngsters. Remember, I live in Durham, the Berkeley of the East Coast. I'm in the process of trying to get accepted to college.  My first go-round netted me a 1.6 GPA, so I have to convince them I'm no longer that silly, stupid, irresponsible girl.

List your ar15.com site staff credentials on your application...it's sure to get you in!

Quoted: No, I really don 't give a shit about talking to you.

i'm sorry you feel that way.  i made a post you disagreed with.  i do not feel that i am "so much smater than everyone else", i'm sorry if my came off that way, that was most definitely not my intention.  I would like to learn more, if you would tell me what is incorrect with my thoughts on the matter that was being discussed in the other thread.  You say that today's youth are ignorant yet think that they know it all.  Maybe instead of complaining about it, you could do something about the problem by TEACHING the youth what's wrong with what they believe.  starting with myself.

The brain is like a sponge filling up with water. The sponge, of course, won`t hold any more water when it`s full.  When one thinks of their brain as being full of knowledge (knowing it all), then one cannot learn anymore unless that person has lots of humility (wringing out). Don`t confuse this with self confidence. Knowledge puffs up. Knowledge is incomplete without more knowledge, to confirm, or disprove previously learned  knowledge.  

Part sophomoric intellect, part ego and part lack of real life experience?

Coming from a 20 yr old college student, you are exactly right. College kids are the most clueless self indulgent, lazy people on the planet. They will soak up anything the proffesor tells them and spew it back out like a trained monkey. They think they are open minded when really they have no mind of their own. They truely believe they are somehow "enlighted" by being at college. Everywhere they came from they now view as backwards and of no worth, from their parents, to their church, to the small town they grew up in. You want to know why america is failing? It is because the American university is failing.

Our universities no longer produce hard working engineers and businessmen, they produce lazy immoral "enlighted" liberals who have no clue about how the world works. They think they are rebelious for growing out there hair and smoking pot or getting drunk as possible every friday. When in reality they all look and act exactly alike. They have no cares, they pay no taxes, they are free yet confined by their own lack of reality. They believe they are morally superior because they dont believe in war, yet all they are doing is aiding evil. Reality will come, and most likely it will hit hard when they start looking for a job, and daddy no longer pays for everything.

Because we do.

And oh yeah, part of it could be their lame-ass parents raising them, thinking they could do no wrong.

Quoted: Because we do. And oh yeah, part of it could be their lame-ass parents raising them, thinking they could do no wrong.

But the baby boom generation, with generally good parents, produced the worst college know it all hippies of all time.

Bastiat,

I hope you don't mind if I jump into the ring.

From FossilFuel:

"bastiat, all i did was point out that with the current energy crisis,"

I don't know what crisis you speak of.  It is expensive, but I don't know of anyone who is unable to find fuel.  It is more expensive, but that is a matter of global supply and demand brought on by a booming world economy and Republican tax relief."
"
" "economic inbalances,"

Again, this a matter of the rest of the world prospering just as we always said we wanted to happen.  Freedom is only a bitch when it hits you in the pocket book.


"and possible looming inflation,"

Try to speak of realities.   Until you lived through Jimmy Carter, you can't possibly know what real inflation is.

"the situation the US is in today is rather similiar to the situation in the 1970's, and may in fact turn out to be a more difficult situation due to the fact that t his time, we have a huge illegal immigration problem and a much bigger national deficit and debt."

Like it or not, the cheap illegal labor saves you money.  The painful part is that what is saved in one area gets spent in another.  The big advantage we have now over the '70's is improved technology and a Federal government dominated by Republicans and not RINO's like Gerald ford and complete idiots like Jimmy Carter.

At 19, I doubt if you recall much of the 1980's.  I find it unlikely that you have had the time to learn in great detail about the 1970's.  Really, at 19 you ought to be in the mouth-shut-ears-open stage of life.

"i dont' see why you're getting so worked up over this. just because i'm 19 years old doesn't mean that everything I say is wrong. many many posters here much older than myself would agree with what i have said."

We don't think you are wrong on everything, but we do believe you are ignorant on most things.  As for those who agree with you, there is not a single idea on the face of the earth that you can't find some support for.

Plus, it is very difficult to take you seriously in that your communication skills are none too impressive.  Before you lecture us on economics, try to get your grammar squared away.

Quoted: Our universities no longer produce hard working engineers and businessmen, they produce lazy immoral "enlighted" liberals who have no clue about how the world works.

i think you're overgeneralizing there.  while i would agree that the majority of liberal-arts programs produce brainwashed liberal idiots, there are still schools in America which produce damn fine engineers, scientists, and businesspeople.

Quoted: Quoted: Because we do. And oh yeah, part of it could be their lame-ass parents raising them, thinking they could do no wrong. But the baby boom generation, with generally good parents, produced the worst college know it all hippies of all time.

I've said it before, I'll say it again.  I'm embarassed of my generation.  They're useless, whiny little punks who hold their hands out, waiting for more stuff that they didn't earn to be given to them.

being sheltered. They haven't joined the real world yet, it's easy to think you know everything when everyone around you is of the same level of intelligence

Quoted: Quoted: Our universities no longer produce hard working engineers and businessmen, they produce lazy immoral "enlighted" liberals who have no clue about how the world works. i think you're overgeneralizing there.  while i would agree that the majority of liberal-arts programs produce brainwashed liberal idiots, there are still schools in America which produce damn fine engineers, scientists, and businesspeople.

That is true, unfortunately I had no idea what I was doing and went to a liberal arts school

I suck at math anyway and I actually find it fun to make the liberals get their panties in a bunch when I shoot holes in their arguments.

Quoted: Try to speak of realities.   Until you lived through Jimmy Carter, you can't possibly know what real inflation is.

That really is the key. As bad as GWB can be with domestic spending and other domestic issues, he is no where near carter.  You can make claims about inflation (not really a factor today) but it's nothing compared to stagflation in the 70's - and the inability of those in charge to take the necessary action to get out of it (cutting taxes, not just clamping down on the money supply)

EDUCATION

Is awesome. It's so friggin awesome, that young minds are quickly awed by things.

I'm a economics major, and after all my education and hours spent cranking out papers and running econometric regressions and reading journals the only thing i've learned is that i'm smart enough to know that I know nothing In introductory econ, you learn about supply and demand, cost function and such. In intermediate economics and game theory, now with a bit more calculus, the pretty diagrams and lines become more complicated. Finally, in advanced economics you learn all the THOUSANDS of papers, and mathematical formulas that have been researched and developed by brilliant minds for life times that have been filtered and dumbed down into stupid little lines.

It's kind of like computers... Windows and the internet seem very easy thanks to programs made for general idiots. However, behind these simple and pretty little graphics and interfaces there are MILLIONS of lines of code that 99.99% of people cannot even begin to comprehend.

The end goal of education I believe is for one to realize how truly ignorant one actually is... but along the way, kids like myself can't help but feel a little empowered. My bad

However, what the hell is up with people who GENUINELY are ignorant and prance around like they know something? I've read some of the most retarded "economic" arguments on this board by not so young arfcommers who've clearly never cracked open and read even a single paragraph of economics. "fuck communism reagonomics is the best": while this may be true, it's so overly simplified and and repeated that it's become almost dogmatic. Yay free markets, yay tax cuts, fuck paying for welfare, blah blah blah... "Free market" i think, becomes an excuse in some people's minds to contribute only to one's selfish satisfaction... without considering "The Tragedy of the Commons. Why should you pay taxes to build the American society and infrastructure when you can take that money and buy guns and ammo for yourself, right?

Kids may be igorant but at least they are trying to LEARN and eventually figure out the truth... and as it is with all historical debates, one must always first check the credibility and strength of someone's background and credibility before even assigning a level of respect towards someone's argument

Quoted: Quoted: In ten years you'll realize how foolish your posts are. In 20 years you'll want to go back in time and kick your own ass. (the above is only true if you actually bother to learn)

I'm 38 and make no claim of knowing all. Your age (whatever age that is... 473?) must be the age when one magically knows everything. I totally agree with your point that teenagers and 20-somethings have a LOT to learn. But a LOT of people have a lot to learn. And there's a bunch of "kids" over in the sandbox right now who could teach many of us 'geezers' [to them] a thing or two.

What makes high school / college age kids think they have all the answers?

Mommy and Daddy have saved them from every major hardship they've encountered, so the world hasnt had a chance to show how much of a cold, cruel place it really is.

Kharn

Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: In ten years you'll realize how foolish your posts are. In 20 years you'll want to go back in time and kick your own ass. (the above is only true if you actually bother to learn) I'm 38 and make no claim of knowing all. Your age (whatever age that is... 473?) must be the age when one magically knows everything. I totally agree with your point that teenagers and 20-somethings have a LOT to learn. But a LOT of people have a lot to learn. And there's a bunch of "kids" over in the sandbox right now who could teach many of us 'geezers' [to them] a thing or two.

I make no claim of knowing everything. Like was said earlier, the older you get, the more you realize you don't know everything.

freeman,

You deserve a good quality beer for some of your observations.  Outside of technical knowledge, the main function of education is to teach people how to think critically.  You know that and Bravo! to you.

Also, you understand that the message cannot be separated from the messenger.  

Am I safe to assume that you had some pretty smart parents and a good upbringing?

The BIGGEST problem with the so-called system of "Education" in America is the idiotic, know-NOTHING, freaks who are running that show right now. God help the poor kids that are being run through that meat grinder right now. If they had no decent parents to REALLY teach them to think, then the free-love rejects shoving the teachings of Karl Marx down their throats every day and holding their grades hostage are getting their jealous revenge on all of their former classmates by turning their kids stupid and against them.

Don't forget, teenagers are also experts on relationships and sex too.

Their dumbfuck instructors think they have all the answers, even though most have never been out of a classroom.

Quoted:

Thank you for addressing my points and not simply telling me to STFU because i'm an ignorant youth who knows nothing.

I don't know what crisis you speak of.  It is expensive, but I don't know of anyone who is unable to find fuel.  It is more expensive, but that is a matter of global supply and demand brought on by a booming world economy and Republican tax relief."

depends on what you consider an "energy crisis".  In the 1970's, there were shortages, but that was caused by price controls.  From wikipedia:

The crisis was further exacerbated by government price controls in the United States, which limited the price of "old oil" (that already discovered) while allowing newly discovered oil to be sold at a higher price, resulting in a withdrawal of old oil from the market and artificial scarcity. The rule had been intended to promote oil exploration. This scarcity was dealt with by rationing of gasoline (which occurred in many countries), with motorists facing long lines at gas stations. In the U.S., drivers of vehicles with license plates having an odd number as the last digit were allowed to purchase gasoline for their cars only on odd-numbered days of the month, while drivers of vehicles with even-numbered license plates were allowed to purchase fuel only on even-numbered days. The rule did not apply on the 31st day of those months containing 31 days, or on February 29 in leap years — the latter never came into play, as the restrictions had been abolished by 1976.

Presently, there is no real call for price controls on gasoline, so prices will be high but there will not be shortages or rationing.  

However, in the last 2-3 years, oil and gasoline prices have doubled, and the effects of this have hurt the economy.  I think that qualifies as a crisis, especially if current trends in price increases continue.

Again, this a matter of the rest of the world prospering just as we always said we wanted to happen.  Freedom is only a bitch when it hits you in the pocket book.

There's more to it than that.  We have huge trade deficits and an enormous federal deficit and debt,
much of which is being funded by China.  In addition, the yearly consumer savings rate is negative.  The only other time that the consumer savings rate has been negative with in the 1930's due to the great depression.  I don't know what you would call this, but I certainly do not think that these are signs of a healthy economy.

Try to speak of realities.   Until you lived through Jimmy Carter, you can't possibly know what real inflation is.

there is no doubt that the inflation situation in the 1970's was worse than the situation today.  However, look at what the prices of gold, silver, oil, gas, housing, land, and base metals have been doing over the past 3 years.  Most of these commodities have more than doubled in price.

Like it or not, the cheap illegal labor saves you money.  The painful part is that what is saved in one area gets spent in another.

it saves certain businesses money, but hurts the taxpayers who have to finance the illegal's heathcare, education, etc.

The big advantage we have now over the '70's is improved technology and a Federal government dominated by Republicans and not RINO's like Gerald ford and complete idiots like Jimmy Carter.

from the recent actions of our Republican leadership regarding the immigration issue, i'm beginning to think that most of them are RINOs as well.

We don't think you are wrong on everything, but we do believe you are ignorant on most things.

is this WRT the other thread, or is this WRT my posts in general?  i'd like you to give some more examples.

Plus, it is very difficult to take you seriously in that your communication skills are none too impressive.  Before you lecture us on economics, try to get your grammar squared away.

ouch!  as someone who got a perfect score on the verbal section of the SAT, i'm embarassed that the informal language I use on the internet has degraded to the point where people are having trouble understanding me.  I will make a point of speaking more clearly.

C'mon now...they watch the news...

Quoted: Their dumbfuck instructors think they have all the answers, even though most have never been out of a classroom.

"Those who can do...those who can't teach"

FF,

If you are suggesting price controls, then you are so hopelessly lost that we won't even bother to send out a search party.