Demosophia

An Intra-Generational Clash

This article, from the Chicago Sun Times explains why so many of these folks seem like such brats:

Harris, 19, is in her second year at Loyola University. But she has no desire to distance herself from her parents now that she no longer lives at home. Nor does she plan to rely less as a college student on her parents for help or advice.

"Something happens, your first thought is call Mom,'' she says. "Mom will fix it.''

The record number of students now at colleges and universities are bringing with them something not seen as much on campus in generations past: their parents. The current generation of students, experts say, increasingly chooses to maintain strong bonds with their parents. With cell phones and e-mail, they're able to stay in touch to a degree not seen among previous generations. The strings are so tight some experts have come up with a name for these college students -- the "coddled generation.''

I'm sure there are some good things about remaining close to your parents, but the contrast with the folks in this LA Times article by Robert Kaplan (who are from the same generation, ironically) could not be starker:

Regardless of whether you support or oppose the U.S. engagement in Iraq, you should be aware that that country has had a startling effect on a new generation of soldiers often from troubled backgrounds, whose infantry training has provided no framework for building democracy from scratch.

At a Thanksgiving evangelical service, one NCO told the young crowd to cheers: "The Pilgrims during the first winter in the New World suffered a 54% casualty rate from disease and cold. That's a casualty rate that would render any of our units combat ineffective. But did the Pilgrims sail back to England? Did they give up? No. This country isn't a quitter. It doesn't withdraw."

I see trouble brewin' when Group I clashes with Group II. More at The Belmont Club.

Posted by Demosophist at December 27, 2005 05:33 PM | TrackBack