Old School vs Generation Y

[PlukaDuck]

Here is an email i recieved recently which pretty much sums it up.
Gen -Y"s think they know it all, but the old school know better.

Good for a laugh , but also true.
All comments welcome.
The Green Thing
For older/or slightly more mature folks (like me) to read & enjoy
Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own shopping bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.

The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days."

The cashier responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations."

She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day. Back then, we returned milk bottles, pop bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull.

But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every shop and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks.We didnt need electric cars made of plastic and have to build nuclear power stations full of radioactive material to run them. Our cars where steel and leather which are bio-degradable , not plastic, and glue, and nasty chemicals and batteries that destroy the planet. Our cars produced carbon that made the trees grow.

But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's nappies because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing.

But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green thing back in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the post, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn petrol just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity.

But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank water from a fountain or a tap when we were thirsty instead of demanding a plastic bottle flown in from another country. We accepted that a lot of food was seasonal and didn’t expect that to be bucked by flying it thousands of air miles around the world. We actually cooked food that didn’t come out of a packet, tin or plastic wrap and we could even wash our own vegetables and chop our own salad.

But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the tram or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their mothers into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart-*** young person.

Remember: Don't make old people mad. We don't like being old in the first place, so it doesn't take much to **** us off.

[Kryton]

The funny thing about these sorts of emails, and the people that get all "feel good" about it and try and take the moral high ground of "back in my day we used to....", is exactly that - you USED to.
If your old enough to remember "back in the day" when you "used to", and think "oh how dumb the next generation are", unless you still do everything that you did in the "old days" your no better than the dumb check out chick.
Infact, your probably worse - youve had a life time to see what impact you have on the world, yet here you are, doing everything the "next generation" does.
Multiple TV's, disposable razors, escalators, "300hp" cars to drive 2 blocks, eating unseasoned food etc etc etc.
If you really wanted the moral high ground, youd still do things how you did in the "old days" and you wouldnt even be on a computer now - since it uses disposable parts and a heap of plastic to make it work.
Technology: complain about it, yet you cant live without it.
From some smart **** young person to you old selfish bastrds.

[Peuty]

I feel sorry for the cashier who had to put up with that rant!

Escalators were invented in the 1800's, plastic was Invented not long after in the form of Bakelite etc etc. So don't blame GenY, we haven't invented squat! But that's an issue for another day....

[babyf6]

i wonder what that situation would be like in 50 years......

[greencapri408]

Lol that sounded like my grandmother when she was alive

[Geez Louise]

A good read BUT who do you think created generation Y? All us old timers...that's who

[Iggypoppin']

You old timers invented easy credit too. How's that working out for the world?
Tongue in cheek

[Franco Cozzo]

I see this thread getting locked, but I'll bite the bait

Yeah, except cars back then made half the power and used twice as much fuel, they still had lead acid batteries to start the thing, generators up until the 1960s on cars were very inefficient, fuel had lead in it, carbon monoxide emissions where through the roof out of the exhaust, that one CRT TV probably used as much power as the 5 LED TVs in a modern household, they burned brown coal back then like they still do today to generate power in Victoria, most cars are still made out of steel, except they have plastic bumpers and interior trim, I still have a clothes line which gets used.

[K93George]

Wow, if you're going to make a point at least know what you are talking about (refering to author of the email).

Cars today are plastic are they? I wonder why I have to touch up that stone chip or it'll rust... Maybe my plastic front quater panel is defective or something.

How do you "burn up 220 volts"? Are you refering to power V x A = P (watts)?

I won't bother going through each point because I have already lost interest as my generation does, we lose interest in things quickly and that.

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

A good read BUT who do you think created generation Y? All us old timers...that's who

I wish my old man understood that.

I'm 21 and work two jobs 45-50 hours a week (6 days...and 12 hours minimum, 6 days a week at my previous job - 72 hours minimum a week) yet he still thinks I don't know anything about working because 'kids these days have it too easy with their mobile phones and internets'.

I work at ARB on a mandrel bending machine worth around $600,000. I don't think he'd be happy unless I was bending the 76mm pipes myself with my bare hands, because that's what he would have had to do in his day.

[babyf6]

Originally Posted by PlukaDuck

And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

Thats so we don't drive around and waste time. Some of us are efficient like that.

[K93George]

Actually is it too late to jump on the old school band wagon? Just read a post on this thing called Facebook, a friend of mine uploaded a pic of his car tipped over and writes "Yeahhhhhhh boiiiii". I just don't understand...

[Mickxr8]

Originally Posted by babyf6

Thats so we don't drive around and waste time. Some of us are efficient like that.

In 500 meters turn left and watch/listen to your silly satnav telling you what to instead of having a bit of a plan before you even set off , yep that makes sense ( paying attention to the road is optional if you use one of these )

[mik]

well i liked your post plucka, maybe i`m one of those non green oldies, i can remember having to chop wood to fire up the kitchen stove in the mornings(which was also our hot water), riding to work 8 k`s as a young buk on a bike that i saved for by picking up beer and soft drink bottles for the refund, and walking 2 miles to school at one stage, selling newspapers for pocket money....dam no credit cards back then .
MWTB a 72 hour week is a good weeks work, good onya mate, not out of the ordinary for some jobs though, and pretty common in the old days.

[IDT]

Yeah Great Post Plucka, I saw the humour and the irony. Pity some seem to have missed the point. Don't be a hypocrite!

but what do you expect from these young guys

[el_wagon]

Back in my day I could go shopping without any green bags and come home with tonnes of stuff without using plastic bags either, can't do that these days, too many security cameras lol

[MWTB]

Originally Posted by mik

MWTB a 72 hour week is a good weeks work, good onya mate, not out of the ordinary for some jobs though, and pretty common in the old days.

Thanks mate. I couldn't deal with it, it was way too much. Waking up at 4am (not an issue, I still wake up early where I am now, but early wake ups, late nights 6 nights a week left no time for anything else) and getting home at 8pm or later 6 nights a week destroyed me. I had no time to see my girlfriend, my mates, couldn't go to pub night on Wednesday with the boys anymore, it sucked. And for $1000 a week after tax, it wasn't worth it. I don't make much less than that now working where I do, and I don't have to pay for eastlink, and I use 1/4 of the petrol I did, so the loss of income is made up for.

Something that ****** me off about a lot of people my age is they seem to think it's okay to not work and to just sponge off of mum and dad. I've got so many friends that have never worked in their life and claim they can't get a job because 'no one is hiring'. I made a point to make a facebook photo album and fill it with help wanted signs from shops I find. Its just laziness.

I don't think its fair to have a go at folks back in the day for not being as enviro-conscious as we are these days. Its not an issue that they knew about in such detail as we do now. You can't blame them for that.

[gtxb67]

reminds me of a song that old timers know - we didn't start the fire, it has always been burning

the big problem is every generation thinks they are the smart ones, when how they act pretty much depends on one thing only - when they were born




nothing in this world is new - it was all invented long before my parent's generation came along. everything we use is 19th century ideas with a bit of later technology applied to make it cheaper for the average person

[cs123]

Originally Posted by Geez Louise

A good read BUT who do you think created generation Y? All us old timers...that's who

Exactly right. Back in my day when we recycled bottles it was our parents generation that did it. My generation is responsible for what happens today. My kids will be responsible for tomorrow.

[grandpa_spec_F6]

I only have one power point in the room... but it's running 7 appliances....

Is that green?

[burnz]

how where did i put that walkaround trolly, my grocerys in brown paper bag's need to go in it.

todays gen are just jealous because we got milk in glass bottles at school..lol

[cobramania]

Seem's to have hit a nerve with the young'ns.

I'm 40 & was right at the end of doing things "the old ways", would probably go back to most of them if we could, but not for environmental "green" reasons.

Most of that stuff we can't do if we wanted too, how hard is it to get replacement razor blades, can you even buy a razor that needs them, what would happen if you took your bottles back to the shop?
Some people do still use cloth nappies, though they are very hard to buy in a shop, many still use a clothes line to dry clothes, but many places don't have the space or sunshine areas to put a clothes line.
We can't get paper bags or cardboard boxes to bring our groceries home in any more, oh, & those "green" shopping bags are made from plastic too, don't be fooled you're saving the environment.
We didn't need to find a pizza shop, we made our own.
I'm an Electrician, & yes one power point per room was all that was needed, now at least one per wall is installed in every room, with lounge rooms indeed having a bank of usually 8 outlets minimum, just to run the TV equipment.
Now we have to pay a carbon tax because we use too much electricity, & will have to use & produce even more, when we all start recharging our electric cars.

The moderns ways may be easier, cheaper (arguably), & seem more efficient, but are way more wasteful. I never believed in "global warming" & needing to save the environment, but looking at it this way, maybe we do need to rethink the way we live? Not saying we need to go back to the dark ages, but going "Old Skool" mightn't be a bad thing?

[302 XC]

Comin from the generation who wernt scared to ride to school, wernt scared to walk to school,didnt have mobile fones to ring anyone who had a worthless life ,and wanted to know every foot step i made in life,went out clubbing walking the streets at 2,3 am without a care in the world
We survived and done well without going into debt we couldnt afford every 2nd day,we made do with what we had, we didnt complain the world owes me,we didnt expect handouts because we were too lazy to get a job, we were outta mum and dads pursue strings as quick as we could,standing up on our own two feet and making our mark on the world
It annoys me that people mid 20s , even 30s some even in their 40s are still at home complaing about everything possible

We do have to embrace technology,for the good it is

[Jim Goose]

I think a few people have lost the message in that "email" ......

Life was a lot simpler and things were made to last a lot longer then the rubbish you buy today.

And yes cars arent made of plastic, but there is a LOT of plastic in them now when compared to 30yrs ago.

We are constantly buying new stuff and throwing out heaps of crap which can never be recycled properly. Go back 30yrs and a TV was made to last a long time as an example.

Mums NEC TV last 28yrs! The new one last 2 months before it needed a new sound card.
The GE chest freezer lasted 38yrs.
My laptop lasted 2 months... needed a new screen... 2months later, needed new battery and cooling fan.

We are forced to "upgrade" because someone decided it was better...
Ie: analogue mobile phones... then came digital, next gen etc etc etc.. each time we needed to upgrade.

Analoge Tv.... all thrown out because we needed to upgrade to digital (or buy yet another power sucking set top box).

Its all very well to say, your a hypocrite if you adjusted with the times and then complain things were better all those years ago, but really what choice do you have?

How many shops are there where you can grab a cardboard box to put your groceries in? No instead you BUY a GREEN bag which has a half life of 500000yrs as the stupid things ARENT BIODEGRADABLE!

If you needed to find a business.. omg you looked in the phone book!
Then if you were unsure of the location... you grabed a map!!!
OH THE HUMANITY!!!

[302 XC]

Originally Posted by Big Damo

I see this thread getting locked, but I'll bite the bait

Yeah, except cars back then made half the power and used twice as much fuel, they still had lead acid batteries to start the thing

They were made for the purpose of the time
Dont ever remember the prehistoric GTHO being to shabby on power, slow by todays standards, but it didnt have multi cam, injection, turbos, a computer running it
I dont think the new breed of V8s with all this,injection, computers, maybe turbos are to shabby on their emmissions, economy,power either

Considering the old school cars were as simple to make , as simple to maintain(you didnt need a science degree to do an oil change) they seem to have been goin for along time , many been round the clock many times

The new breed dont have as many non servicable parts in them , the part works or it doesnt , non greasable moving parts, thats a step forward ......

[MITCHAY]

That is what we Gen Y call 'owned' :

[jpd80]

look at the cars at +2 or +3 years into each decade and they appear light years ahead of predecessors
ten years before but the gap starts to narrow as we progress through the decades...
XA to XL,
XE to XA,
EB to XE,
BA to EB
FGII to BA

And yes I deliberately skewed the models and rules to prove a point..

[AndyXR6T]

Great thread Plucka. I respect all the things "old timers" have done for us, but gen y was brought up in a world of technological advances. I'm sure the equivalent old timers of your time (when you were a young pup) were looking at you shaking their heads saying how easy you have. Mate I do it now, I'm only 25 and do it to my 2 youngens lol
I can only imagine what it will be like in another 25 years, I'll be sitting here debating the same issues you are about in my time.... That's as long as robots havnt consumed the world and killed every tree so we won't need a green bag

[Dezza]

Originally Posted by MWTB

I wish my old man understood that.

I'm 21 and work two jobs 45-50 hours a week (6 days...and 12 hours minimum, 6 days a week at my previous job - 72 hours minimum a week) yet he still thinks I don't know anything about working because 'kids these days have it too easy with their mobile phones and internets'.

I work at ARB on a mandrel bending machine worth around $600,000. I don't think he'd be happy unless I was bending the 76mm pipes myself with my bare hands, because that's what he would have had to do in his day.

I know this is off topic but I also work at ARB, at the smaller Bayfield Rd site though, in the Polyurethane section. You in the pipe section? I haven't noticed your car there.

[Chopped]

And yet it is being sent via email........

It's easy to reminisce about the "good ol' days" BUT most of the changes to society have been made by "old schoolers", either in business or government.


We all know Gen X rocks
Boo-Yah