What I'm about to discuss is difficult for me to discuss as an aspiring educator, but there is a deeper value to the subject matter. Alright, so here it is...Will Ferrell's character in the film, Talladega Nights, offers a few invaluable insights regarding the current state of the Millennial generation.
There! I've said it!
Here are the top moments from the film that stand out in my mind as excellent depictions of the flaws in my generation.
1.) We're beyond soft when it comes to dealing with adversity.
I fail to recall more than a limited number of times throughout my primary and secondary school experience where everyone didn't receive some sort of formal award in one way or another for simply showing up. This is flat out wrong. While it is important to recognize individuals for their effort, it is equally important to prepare young minds for the real world where not everyone "wins" all the time. There are winners and losers in the world outside of school and not everyone gets a pat on the back and a pizza party afterwards.
2.) We're far too dependent on our elders.
The terms, "Helicopter Parents" and "Lawnmower Parents" are far too common today. Sure, it's awesome for parents to see their kids do well early on with some help here and there, but there's a fine line between looking to one's parents for help or advice and flat-out asking/expecting them to do something for you.
What happens when said parents aren't available to help? Will the child/student be able to accomplish the task at hand or will they fumble it and end up looking like a fool? When all is said and done, I'd much rather fall on my face and fail early on, which then provides an excellent opportunity to learn from the experience and improve for the next one that presents itself.
While parents may have the best intentions when it comes to helping their kids, their involvement can turn into a crutch that ultimately becomes a handicap down the road.
3.) We're used to getting things right away
Sadly, patience is no longer a virtue. Most everything today is instantaneous. Whether it's paying a few more dollars for next day shipping, facetime-ing with someone on the other side of the globe, or receiving praise for a mediocre job...my generation wants everything as soon as yesterday, if not faster.We have lost the art of writing notes by hand, make up for poor preparation by spending a few extra dollars to speed things up, and we do all of this with the expectation that our educators and employers with bow to us as demigods the moment that we complete the job.
The Catch
While there are plenty of additional flaws that define my generation, Ricky Bobby's (Will Farrell's character in Talladega Nights) father offers a pearl of wisdom to his son that offers some solace and hope for the future...While this is rather twisted on numerous levels, it is still worth while to keep this in mind as a potential personal mantra. Regardless of the countless Certificates of Participation and other formal acknowledgements that we have become accustomed to over the years, there will always be winners and losers in the real world.
