Discussions

I cite below an interesting article from Nova Scotia in which a community college teacher claims students coming out of high school feel the are entitled to the best regardless of the effort.  
 
Have HS students always felt entitled coming out of HS? Is this a situation where the older generation is always critical of a younger generation?  
 
Does making everyone a winner lead to a sense of entitlement?  
 
Do schools prepare students for life after HS? If not, what can be done differently?  
 
Are we simply living in a time of political correctness in which we can never say what we really feel for fear of offending someone?  
 
Are there too many parents who think their kids are perfect, which causes behavioural problems?  
 
Like I said, the article and the accompanying comments are interesting with various viewpoints.  
 
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/nova-scotia-high-school-students-deadlines-1.3445447?cmp=rss&utm_content=bufferdd7e2&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer  
 

have always been that you don't need to let a child win at everything, life isn't like that, you encourage them to do better. If you don't do the work at school you fail, if you don't do the work at your job you're fired, that's life. Problem is, a lot of places don't fire people so they continue to sluff off at work. So, yes, I think they do have a sense of entitlement  
I do have to say tho that I know a few young people (under 30)who did not put a whole lot of effort into school but they are very hard workers....my guess is making money and survival, and they get really frustrated with people who do not do their job and are always on their phones.  
It would be interesting to hear from employers.  
 
Edited by gopherit, 2016-02-12 23:50:30

Maybe it's not just kids, maybe it's not just education, maybe it just a situation that very few people are held accountable. Governments screw up, executives of large and small companies screw up, unions screw up, employees screw up, and yet very few heads actually roll.  
The article said that the transition would be studied, but we seem to be studying things to death, and the results of studies seem to only create more problems. In far to many ways we live in a bubble wrapped world.

don brown said "Maybe it's not just kids, maybe it's not just education, maybe it just a situation that very few people are held accountable. Governments screw up, executives of large and small companies screw up, unions screw up, employees screw up, and yet very few heads actually roll.   The article said that the transition would be studied, but we seem to be studying things to death, and the results of studies seem to only create more problems. In far to many ways we live in a bubble wrapped world. "

There are too many studies, and follow ups on these studies, and consultations on the follow ups.....and so on....and nothing ever gets done.

Sorbet said "    don brown said "Maybe it's not just kids, maybe it's not just education, maybe it just a situation that very few people are held accountable. Governments screw up, executives of large and small companies screw up, unions screw up, employees screw up, and yet very few heads actually roll.   The article said that the transition would be studied, but we seem to be studying things to death, and the results of studies seem to only create more problems. In far to many ways we live in a bubble wrapped world. " There are too many studies, and follow ups on these studies, and consultations on the follow ups.....and so on....and nothing ever gets done. "

With both of you! My ex-boss would say to me not to be afraid of making a mistake when doing something new, but learn from the mistake. If it happened again, I would need to explain why, plain and simple. In this world of "political correctness" it seems difficult to point fingers and say that is the problem for fear of upsetting someone/some group. Sometimes consultation with groups is better though, as a decision recently was made on a project and the public is in an uproar, therefore why not hold a public meeting and discuss and majority wins and decision based on that, within reason of course.  
 
Edited by thecdnmole, 2016-02-13 08:41:36

These are the problems with our society. People dole out participation medals to kids! It should be that you win a medal for excelling at something, not just for coming out.....people then feel entitled to gratitude and reward for nothing, then these are the same people who grow up to go to work and expect a raise because they simply show up.... They don't feel the need to excel because they have been taught that they will be rewarded no matter what...

Sense of entitlement seems to be a society issue not just young Canadians IMO.

Manitoba has an education document called Academic Honesty, Responsibility, Promotion and Retention. Note the word 'retention' = YES a student can be held back, they can not expect to pass each grade level for just being there and breathing.  
 
Officially, we expect students to be honest and responsible. Officially, teachers are supposed to set timelines and communicate their expectations clearly then support students in meeting the expectations and deadlines. Teachers are not required to move deadlines or give credit for doing nothing. Students should know that there are consequences for not meeting the expectations or submitting work late. So, the policy is there, but after so many years of coddling and slacking it is hard to unring the bell.  
 
http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/docs/policy_k12/  
 
You can read the document here, it is only 16 pages long. I think it is a good policy. There is nothing in it that promotes no-fail, no zeroes or no consequences as you may have seen in news stories where teachers are reprimanded for giving zeroes or students are passed from grade to grade no matter what. According to our policy, the goal is for the students to become responsible adults, not entitled whiners. If we stick to the policy, there's a chance that the kids coming out of our education system will be better prepared to be contributing adult members of society.

The Provincial Assessment Policy is very interesting but try to have a student retained.  
 
Its the Division and their people who end up having the final say. It really isn't until Grade 9 that a student may not pass a course but in today's education, that student could redo a small section OR do another assignment that will give them the credit they need.  
 
Try to hold a student back in Grade k-8. Most Divisions say that it is important to keep children with their peer groups so as to not harm their self-esteem. Look in your own work area in the career you are in - Are you with your peer Group? IT is rationale like that as to why children who cannot do the grade level work are in that grade.  
 
I really wish the Education system would get rid of the Grade system. Put the children into groups of Ability. Why is a child who is capable of doing work in a higher grade having to wait till they are at that grade? Again, Keeping them with their peer group.

Could the baby boomers also be a generation that feels they are the most entitled? Just another viewpoint, and perhaps not as unique to the milennials as we may think.  
 
http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2015/01/08/the_most_entitled_generation_isnt_millennials_its_baby_boomers_125184.html  
 
Just a different viewpoint  
 
The trend seems to be that the next generation is worse off/is more entitled/ not as deserving as the previous generation. I'm sure this has gone on for generations! There are many good things to come from the present generation, that must be taken with the bad (and this goes with previous generations as well!)

All we have to do is look at the couples under 30.  
They seem to think that they need it all, right now.  
Nice house, 2 vehicles, quad, boat, snowmachine , and camper.  
Chances are their parents had a nice starter house, maybe small square footage, 2 bedroom, one vehicle and no micro wave, one tv, that wasn't a big screen.  
And no cell phones.  
Now we see these people coming out of college or university wanting it all and complaining that it will take for ever to pay off that student loan. Not realizing that those toys are not necessities.  
We now see it in the ones who worked in the oil patch.  
Expensive trucks, toys and everything that I bet a very few paid cash for because they couldn't wait to accumulate the cash.  
They made very good money but financing is too easy.  
Now , are they feeling loss of entitlement because they might lose these toys.  
Buying diesel trucks for image?  
Schools push entitlement policy.  
All we have to do is look at the university professors, they feel entitled and they promote it in their teaching.

Lol. So buying stuff is entitlement? If the bank is giving out loans for all of that then they must be making pretty decent money.  
 
Every generation has more luxuries than the one before it, this does not mean that they are more entitled. You could say the same things about electricity and running water that you said about kids getting microwaves and big TVs.

Starhc said "Manitoba has an education document called Academic Honesty, Responsibility, Promotion and Retention. Note the word 'retention' = YES a student can be held back, they can not expect to pass each grade level for just being there and breathing.     Officially, we expect students to be honest and responsible. Officially, teachers are supposed to set timelines and communicate their expectations clearly then support students in meeting the expectations and deadlines. Teachers are not required to move deadlines or give credit for doing nothing. Students should know that there are consequences for not meeting the expectations or submitting work late. So, the policy is there, but after so many years of coddling and slacking it is hard to unring the bell.     http://www.edu.gov.mb.ca/k12/assess/docs/policy_k12/     You can read the document here, it is only 16 pages long. I think it is a good policy. There is nothing in it that promotes no-fail, no zeroes or no consequences as you may have seen in news stories where teachers are reprimanded for giving zeroes or students are passed from grade to grade no matter what. According to our policy, the goal is for the students to become responsible adults, not entitled whiners. If we stick to the policy, there's a chance that the kids coming out of our education system will be better prepared to be contributing adult members of society. "

is a nice document and all, but the reality is that many teachers are frustrated by the fact that kids come into their specific grades not prepared for that grade. They know one has to jump through hoops to retain a student, and the older a student gets, the harder it is to retain that student.  
 
Most teachers are extremely frustrated by these toothless policy documents.  
 
Also, there are no real standards in a mathematics. Teachers can make assessments as easy as they want That is a fact. And that is why you have such a well-oiled lobby that is against standardized tests in schools.

For those students that do not have the desire or academic ability to continue to University, why do we insist that they learn unrealistic math, discuss literature classics they are not interested in, and dissect helpless creatures they will rarely encounter?  
 
If someone wants to be a tradesperson, then let they start the training in grade nine rather than doing another four years of useless education?  
 
In Germany, the grade eight student has to pass tests to be allowed to continue. They then get the options based on those test results as to what they want to study. Serving food is an honourable profession and not something you do until a better job comes around. They start in grade nine with folding serviettes and place settings for various meals and progress as far as they want to through various paid work positions. The landscaper learns only the math needed to calculate soil required for an area rather than trying to find "y". Only those that want to continue to University (and have the academic aptitude to do so) learn a second language, study classic literature, and find "y". The government offers good paying summer jobs for those students in various departments so they can find the best fit for a university major.  
 
When will Canadians put their egos aside and look at other successful countries rather than trying to be like the US?  

I somewhat agree with katwalk, but the last two companies I worked for would only hire people with minimum grade 12, but there are probably many that do not require this. It seems parents try to provide their children with better lives than what they grew up with. Maybe that is what has caused some of this thinking??

Just my opinion, but I believe that there's nothing wrong with a grade twelve education. Very few kids know for certain what path their life will take. and many even change their minds of a career after completing university or a trade program. A good education program from K-12 should provide the basics for not only functioning in life but allowing one to move ahead with higher eduction if they wish to do so. When it comes to math, computer programs or even digital calculators are a complete waste of time if people don't understand the fundimentals of what they are doing, and I have a feeling that many of those fundimentals aren't being taught. If nothing else, twelve years in school might teach people to think, education is good, thinking is better.

while the younger generation does look like they seem entitled i think actually they are smart, they see the Hippocracy that the older generation dools out and they are asking why, why should they live up to a standard that the others dont?  
 
why should they hand their assignments in when the teachers and professors dont mark them correctly or fairly or on time  
 
why show up on time when the professor doesnt and the collage doesnt care  
 
why put in an effort to do a test when the results dont mean squat, you can always retake so that the school can look like it has a great graduation and GPA rate  
 
why do all these things when governments and government programs dont live to their own standards? look at flint, they pushed that through even tho workers were saying not yet, wheres the professionalism there? and there are many other examples  
 
the banks and their policies have something to do with money management too but lets not forget that many of the baby boomers are complaining they dont have enough to retire yet they are driving new cars and building new houses because they think they deserve them yet what will they say when they are 90 and cant buy groceries, will it be opps we shouldnt have dome that or will it be blaming someone else? and then the socialist policies they put in will mean the younger generation will have to sacrifice their future to support the elderly and they are the ones who will be blamed when they say its not right  
 
As much as i like to say that we did it so can the younger generation them standing up and saying no we dont want to live like this in this crazy Hippocratic world isnt entitled its smart and also something many generations have done, i just hope that most of the changes are good  
 

I put so many 'officiallys' and 'ifs' into my post for a reason. I think that the document is a great guide and it is good that we are in a position where policy actually backs up what we see as fair and accountable. If it gets to the point that there is a dispute over following through on consequences for late, incomplete, or dishonest work, the actual policy is clearly on the side of making students responsible.  
 
Everything in education takes time, and if educators and divisions have been doing things a certain way for decades, it takes time to change things back. I don't know of any teachers who like no-fail policies or stretching deadlines and criteria to accommodate lazy students. I grew up always thinking failure was a possibility in school, you have to do your work and learn the material because you if you don't pass the class or the grade, you will have to repeat it. Students today think failure is a lot like the 'strap' in the principal's office was in my day - a threat that may have existed long ago but they don't worry about it today.  
 
Not every parent wants their child to be with their peer group, either. There are parents want to see their child succeed in school and master concepts before moving on to the next grade instead of always being at the back of the pack. Those parents can use this document to approach the school to consider retention. Social promotion isn't always what parents want, and as you point out most teachers would really like to have students enter their grade prepared for the material they are going to teach, rather than having to catch a struggling student up on a few years of material they weren't able to understand.

Add money management, debt calculating, etc. to what is required learning for students taking math. Not just a low-level life skills math course that the kids who aren't good at math will take - but it should be necessary for everyone. Especially the super bright ones who are taking calculus now but will be surprised several years from now after they managed to rack up $100,000+ in student loans along with their 4.0 GPA and Master's Degree.  
 
Off topic, but what is wrong with us as a society now that Ford is putting out commercials advertising how simple their vehicle prices are now. You just find out how much you pay, how often and that is it! What could be easier?!  
 
Long gone are the days when a person would even care that they don't include WHAT THE ITEM ACTUALLY COSTS?  
 
I do think it breeds the entitlement - people think I can afford $90 a week or $500 every two weeks, so they don't worry about anything else. That is why everyone has all the things brand new instead of buying what they can actually afford. They haven't calculated the actual price - they just know everyone else is doing it, the bank and the car dealer gave them the green light, so they go ahead.  
 

Starhc said "Add money management, debt calculating, etc. to what is required learning for students taking math. Not just a low-level life skills math course that the kids who aren't good at math will take - but it should be necessary for everyone. Especially the super bright ones who are taking calculus now but will be surprised several years from now after they managed to rack up $100,000+ in student loans along with their 4.0 GPA and Master's Degree.     Off topic, but what is wrong with us as a society now that Ford is putting out commercials advertising how simple their vehicle prices are now. You just find out how much you pay, how often and that is it! What could be easier?!     Long gone are the days when a person would even care that they don't include WHAT THE ITEM ACTUALLY COSTS?     I do think it breeds the entitlement - people think I can afford $90 a week or $500 every two weeks, so they don't worry about anything else. That is why everyone has all the things brand new instead of buying what they can actually afford. They haven't calculated the actual price - they just know everyone else is doing it, the bank and the car dealer gave them the green light, so they go ahead.     "

Would suggest the perceived entitlement is partially do to the changes of our economy and Technology. Our economy is driven by consumerism. If we do not convince people to buy our products our economy would screech to a halt!  
 
When you are bombarded by ads everywhere around you that you should buy , need or will make you look a certain way to society what do you begin to believe? Millions upon millions are spend every day to convince all of us we need things that are really wants. Were in our society does someone teach anything different? Would suggest the reason why is that the reason a lot of this is not taught at any level of education is that it is not in their best interests either financially or other !  
 
When a banker, advertisers , friends , family and educational convince you that you deserve a loan, a product , a expensive item or a expensive education ( that guarantees nothing) who is to say they are wrong? No one that has a interest that pays their wages will tell you the whole truth at it is not in their or their businesses best interest.  
 

sprinter said "All we have to do is look at the couples under 30.   They seem to think that they need it all, right now.   Nice house, 2 vehicles, quad, boat, snowmachine , and camper.   Chances are their parents had a nice starter house, maybe small square footage, 2 bedroom, one vehicle and no micro wave, one tv, that wasn't a big screen.   And no cell phones.   Now we see these people coming out of college or university wanting it all and complaining that it will take for ever to pay off that student loan. Not realizing that those toys are not necessities.   We now see it in the ones who worked in the oil patch.   Expensive trucks, toys and everything that I bet a very few paid cash for because they couldn't wait to accumulate the cash.   They made very good money but financing is too easy.   Now , are they feeling loss of entitlement because they might lose these toys.   Buying diesel trucks for image?   Schools push entitlement policy.   All we have to do is look at the university professors, they feel entitled and they promote it in their teaching. "

You seem to not understand what acting entitled means.  
 
I am just over 30. I have two atv's and a newer diesel pickup. All well within my means. I don't consider myself entitled.  
 
What's with the backhand comment on the oilfield guys? Many of those people made very good money and worked very hard long days for it.  
 
Sure, some of them might not have made the best financial choices for the long term in hindsight now, but that is not the same as being entitled.  
 
They HAD income to cover the costs of whatever they wanted, it's not like they worked at Mcdonalds and still expected all the trappings of a six figure income.  
 
Entitlement means wanting all the stuff without being deserving of it.  
 
There is nothing entitled about having invested in your education in a particular field and then having a reasonable expectation of a job and salary that will help you pay off your loans and still have money to have things that are beyond necessities.  
 
According to you, everyone not driving a 96 camry handed down from their parents is entitled.  
 
I think it's a bit presumptuous to see a young person behind the wheel of a nice vehicle and label them entitled.

I would agree it is not fair to assume every young person with a nice vehicle and label them entitled.  
I am going to use Torque post as a example of why some perceive some young people as entitled.(I am not trying to single out Torgue as he or she is not unique in their beliefs)  
 
"I am just over 30. I have two atv's and a newer diesel pickup. All well within my means. I don't consider myself entitled." What does it mean to live within your means? Does that means making monthly payments on the items ? Because a banker gives a person a loan does that mean they are within their means?  
 
"Sure, some of them might not have made the best financial choices for the long term in hindsight now, but that is not the same as being entitled. They HAD income to cover the costs of whatever they wanted, it's not like they worked at Mcdonalds and still expected all the trappings of a six figure income." Some would see entitled as thinking that if you are making good money that that means you deserve everything you pay cash for or get a loan for now as an entitled person.  
 
 
"There is nothing entitled about having invested in your education in a particular field and then having a reasonable expectation of a job and salary that will help you pay off your loans and still have money to have things that are beyond necessities. "  
 
Education is not a guarantee of a job. Many spend thousands of dollars on education but can pass tests but can't do the actual job for a number of reasons. Getting a job right out of school that will give you enough to live, pay off student loans and have thing beyond your needs is nice but would not be the norm.  
 
Would suggest that some of the words in Torques post may reflect the marketing and advertising many people , especially the younger generation are exposed to and end up believing is the norm.  
 
Here is a link to a video on "how debt has become a way of life" . Is it a wonder why people now think the way they do??  

Oh Canada said "I would agree it is not fair to assume every young person with a nice vehicle and label them entitled.   I am going to use Torque post as a example of why some perceive some young people as entitled.(I am not trying to single out Torgue as he or she is not unique in their beliefs)     "I am just over 30. I have two atv's and a newer diesel pickup. All well within my means. I don't consider myself entitled." What does it mean to live within your means? Does that means making monthly payments on the items ? Because a banker gives a person a loan does that mean they are within their means?     "Sure, some of them might not have made the best financial choices for the long term in hindsight now, but that is not the same as being entitled. They HAD income to cover the costs of whatever they wanted, it's not like they worked at Mcdonalds and still expected all the trappings of a six figure income." Some would see entitled as thinking that if you are making good money that that means you deserve everything you pay cash for or get a loan for now as an entitled person.       "There is nothing entitled about having invested in your education in a particular field and then having a reasonable expectation of a job and salary that will help you pay off your loans and still have money to have things that are beyond necessities. "     Education is not a guarantee of a job. Many spend thousands of dollars on education but can pass tests but can't do the actual job for a number of reasons. Getting a job right out of school that will give you enough to live, pay off student loans and have thing beyond your needs is nice but would not be the norm.     Would suggest that some of the words in Torques post may reflect the marketing and advertising many people , especially the younger generation are exposed to and end up believing is the norm.     Here is a link to a video on "how debt has become a way of life" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88bCYyLAx3A . Is it a wonder why people now think the way they do??   "

Oh Canada said "I would agree it is not fair to assume every young person with a nice vehicle and label them entitled.  
I am going to use Torque post as a example of why some perceive some young people as entitled.(I am not trying to single out Torgue as he or she is not unique in their beliefs)  
 
"I am just over 30. I have two atv's and a newer diesel pickup. All well within my means. I don't consider myself entitled." What does it mean to live within your means? Does that means making monthly payments on the items ? Because a banker gives a person a loan does that mean they are within their means?  
 
It means exactly what I said. I didn't bring up banks, you did. Obviously a loan that you're going to have problems paying off is not "within your means".  
 
"Sure, some of them might not have made the best financial choices for the long term in hindsight now, but that is not the same as being entitled. They HAD income to cover the costs of whatever they wanted, it's not like they worked at Mcdonalds and still expected all the trappings of a six figure income." Some would see entitled as thinking that if you are making good money that that means you deserve everything you pay cash for or get a loan for now as an entitled person.  
 
Those people would be wrong and stop putting words in my mouth. When I said "well within my means" I meant just that, able to afford it comfortably. In no way does that equate to getting loans that you can't pay or paying cash that leaves you with nothing left for necessities. I find it hard to believe my point escaped you. I mean, are you honestly suggesting people arent entitled to the money they earn?  
 
"There is nothing entitled about having invested in your education in a particular field and then having a reasonable expectation of a job and salary that will help you pay off your loans and still have money to have things that are beyond necessities. "  
 
Education is not a guarantee of a job. Many spend thousands of dollars on education but can pass tests but can't do the actual job for a number of reasons. Getting a job right out of school that will give you enough to live, pay off student loans and have thing beyond your needs is nice but would not be the norm.  
 
Wow, you're not getting it. Upon graduating, and even before, every student has a reasonable expectation of getting a job and making enough to do the aforementioned, wether they actually do or not, otherwise nobody would go to university or get any kind of education. Notice I said "reasonable".  
Yes, I know not everyone is guaranteed to excel at a job just because they went to school for it, but there's no reason a prospectively qualified individual can't at least reasonably EXPECT to find the job and be paid the money for it even if they are let down because market won't allow it for whatever reason. This expectation does not make someone entitled. Disillusioned maybe, naive even, but not entitled. Which is the entire point of my post, and this thread.  
 
Would suggest that some of the words in Torques post may reflect the marketing and advertising many people , especially the younger generation are exposed to and end up believing is the norm.  
 
Yeah, thanks for the condescension. Some of us can actually make good financial decisions and buy the things we want comfortably and do so understanding the forces at play. Almost everyone I know has now, or had at some point had a mortgate or car payment. According to you that's entitlement. Good thing the meaning of common english words isn't up to you.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Edited by Torque, 2016-02-15 21:20:08

Just do a random search of trip advisor comments and see all of the "Unacceptable" and "I'll never come back because" reasons. Better yet, talk to a cab driver on your next trip to Mexico...tell him about all the ways YOU paid your dues compared to these entitled young Canadians and take a picture of their faces as they try to differentiate between which of you is entitled and which is the sacrificing hard worker logging those grueling 40 hour work weeks...

This thread is so long so honestly I have not read all of it but a lot of the topics tend to talk about poor financial decisions and how the school system doesn't do justice. Just curious does anyone out there put any responsibility on the parents? If parents have an outlook like world owes them everything, would that not be passed down to children by "monkey see, monkey do?" I have come across parents of young children who have the attitude of screwing anyone over to get my way. Or why work hard if you can get a hand out? What does this teach kids? Work as little as you can because somehow there will be a way to get free money or free education or whatever else is out ther!. Do children understand the concept of accountability? Responsibility? Are parents to quick to say "oh this is hard for you to do? Oh....i'll just do it and we will get it done quick...." Are parents allowing coaches and teachers to be tough on kids, or are they putting up a hissy fit when they find out their perfect child isn't so perfect? And also.....is there too much emphasis on finding what makes you happy in life? Not to be a downer but it seems like some kids give up too easy. If something is too hard it's ok to throw in the towel, and instead go travel, work easy minimum wage jobs, and the concept of contributing to society....well just isn't really for them......but yet complain about not having money to do certain things or saying "must be nice to have......." All this being said, I do know a lot of great kids being raised and I feel that some entitlement is deserved. For example if someone works hard for a university degree and jobs are open that they are qualified for then yes....I feel they are entitled to that position over someone who is not qualified. If someone is making a decent salary and would like to and can afford a new car, or better yet a new house ....exactly why should they not go for it? Not everyone who has nice things have a sense of entitlement, or poor financial reasoning. Anyways here is a good read: http://www.yummymummyclub.ca/blogs/andrea-nair-connect-four-parenting/20150812/parenting-four-steps-to-reducing-entitlement-in-kids

But there are entitled people in most generations too, this Gen x and beyond group are pretty well represented though.  
 
The following story just illustrates my point perfectly.  
 
http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/couple-hospitalized-after-road-rage-beating-in-vancouver-1.2779315  
 
Not saying these people deserved what they got, but he says it himself, instead of walking away or calling the police and doing the right thing, he kicked the car and yelled. You never know what kind of pyscho you might come across, why start a fight when not necessary.  
 
And to top this story off - you'll notice they go heavily into a sob story about being unemployed, having kids and worrying about how to pay for it all....before the inevitable "Go Fund Me" page is mentioned.  
 
I have a HUGE issue with Go Fund Me pages (ESPECIALLY if a family sets one up for themselves) Yes, there are certain times when they are a good idea, but more often than not people are choosing to do stupid things and to hell with the consequences - like going to Hawaii while seven months pregnant then crying about the bills when something goes wrong - or booking vacations when six months pregnant then crying to the media when they lose the money due because they did not buy travel cancellation insurance. (Yes, even if you book with Airmiles you can buy cancellation insurance - you will not get them all back, but you are not totally screwed.) People want what they want and don't care to think of the future. They want the expensive house, or fancy cars or latest cell phone - who cares if one day you could lose your job and cannot pay for it, just default and try again. Our society makes it too easy to give up and let it be someone else' issue.  
 
People, especially my own generation - are certainly entitled and I worry our kids are going to be worse. Heck, my daughter is still angry with me for making her wait until she had a part time job to get a cell phone at 15 years old -I am so sick of hearing how everyone much younger have all the gadgets and I am mean for making my kids earn it. We thought we were doing right to teach our kids to work harder and earn things, but maybe we are doing it wrong when so many more people just don't care...I just don't know anymore.

I do feel like people feel they are entitled to have things if they can afford to make the payments on it - that is how society goes now and most of us have mortgages and car payments.  
 
It is how you go about deciding to purchase those things and how you feel about ownership (do you want a new one already long before the old one is paid for?) - you haven't earned a thing until it is paid for and it does seem like most of the things we have actually earned have lost their value to us by the time we actually own them.  
 
That's not a comment on anyone particular - just that my parents didn't go through life that way at all, their parents certainly did not. Yet we do, and no wonder our kids think they deserve everything right away when they're not actually aware of the years, the interest, the actual cost of the things their parents have. Many of them really do expect to have exactly the same things as soon as they are old enough. I don't know what to do about it, but that is just an observation. If kids do make their own money they expect to be able to spend it all on their wants and forget that there are people doing those same jobs who are working to support themselves, pay rent, feed their kids, etc. Many kids come home to everything they need already paid for, so they feel entitled to their wants as soon as they make some money. And those are the kids who do work, the ones who don't have an even harder time understanding the value of a dollar and the value of working for the things you need.