Are Gen Y too lazy too work?

[The_vagabond7]

TheRealMafoo said:

But your country does have 20% unemployment in young people, and 25% for Maori young people.

I don't think young people however are lazy, they are just smart (like all people). They work as hard as they need to in order to sustain a standard of living they are accustomed to.

I would be considered very lazy compared to someone who was in my working class 100 years ago. If I lived 100 years ago however, I would work a lot harder. 

I agree with this assessment for the most part. I think the Y generation is less focused on money, and more self absorbed (for better or worse). Adults in the 80s wanted money money money money money money and in excess. That was status, that was success. Today's youth/adults are more focused on "self discovery" and "nurturing their passions" and other ways of saying "being incredibly self absorbed". I will openly admit I only work a 4 day week, not because I'm lazy (I work damn hard when I'm at work, and I'm not afraid to put in a 12 or 13 hour day to get the work done) but work and money are not the things that are most important to me. My wife and my hobbies are, and they take top billing. My job just funds that.

 

Also, luxuries are RIDICULOUSLY cheap now a days. With few exceptions, housing has gotten alot more expensive for instance (which may be trying to correct itself now, we'll see), but things like electronics, wine, fine cheese, TVs, sporting equipment are dirt cheap, and there are plenty of stores to cater to today's young self absorbed hippie snobs. I don't say that with derision, I have multiple flat screen TV's, obviously a few videogame systems, a wine rack and I love a good cheese, and as I said before I only work as much as I need to in order to support my life style. And for the record, I am in the labor market, no desk jobs for me. And I don't mind this, I find the idea of being stuck in a cubicle terrifying, though often far more lucrative. And their are certainly days when sitting behind a desk sounds pretty damn good, but I don't think I could take that kind of job.

 

So I don't necessarily think they are lazier, but they definitely have different priorities than their parents did. And they are definitely very self absorbed.