Thoughts on Generations

Warning: I’m going to sound like my granddad many years ago. I may sound horribly old, but I can’t help myself. I don’t understand this new generation!
Hubby and I went to the mall to pick up a few things and in one store, the background music was so loud, it was distracting. The young college-age clerks and other customers didn’t seem to mind it. Granted, it wasn’t so loud that we had to shout to be heard, but it was definitely many decibels above what used to be considered as background music. And the choice of music was not soft, but some hip-hop song which to my ears is always louder anyway. When it became okay to play it so loud in stores? Even when we go to shows at fairs or in theaters, the sound is turned up so loud that it booms. Apparently the sound people don’t realize that lots of us can hear just fine without the roar of sound. Hearing protection has become standard equipment.
Maybe it has something to do with all those earplugs people wear constantly. This generation grew up with loud music in their ears almost 24/7 so maybe they expect to have the same level of noise everywhere they go. The older folks like me didn’t grow up with loud music in our ears, or noise booming in the backseats of our cars, or attending deafening concerts. If I ever find a company on the New York Stock Exchange that sells hearing aids, I think I’ll invest.
We went into a new store at the mall. Hubby said that the company was one of the rising stars on the stock exchange so he wanted to go in to check it out. They had a two rods with a few clothes on them—none of them my size or for older women. They had cases of watches and fancy purses scattered here and there. Shoes lined one wall. Nothing had a price tag on it and I didn’t ask. I’ve learned that if I have to ask the price, then I can’t afford it. What surprised me most was the customers in there were young women. How can they afford it? I’ve seen other stores like this and I don’t get it. I didn’t need much time to look around because there was nothing in there that interested me. I don’t need expensive purses with a certain design on the outside to feel worthwhile. I can come home and design and make my own. Not everyone can do that, but still, a $400 purse on your arm seems excessive. The food bank could do a lot with that money.
Part of the reason I was ready to retire early was working with the younger people was no fun. We seemed to have no work ethic in common. I came from a generation that worked hard, but still had time to form bonds with their co-workers. They had potluck lunches, had coffee breaks discussions, and worked together for charity causes. This new generation of workers doesn’t have time for that nor do they value work relationships. They’re there to get a paycheck and anything more is unnecessary. Our office charity drive brought in less and less as the older generation retired. The what’s-in-it-for-me attitude became prevalent and changed the whole culture of what was once a happy-work-family office. I found it increasingly hard to work in an atmosphere with no cohesion or loyalty between co-workers. So I’ve reached the part of the circle of life where I’m like my granddad in attitude. He didn’t understand the attitudes of all those hippies in the 1960s. I don’t understand the attitude of these Millennials. These young whippersnappers just don’t understand anything.
Every generation has likely had that same attitude concerning their successors. Us Boomers are no different. America is still standing, thanks to those people with good sense and high work ethics. I hope they will always be around, no matter how few in number.