Jay Weber Show transcript 1-11-24 7:10 am
This segment-I’d like to play a video for you that has gone viral on ‘X’ and I assume some other social media sites.
It’s a young woman-clearly about 20 to 25- who is sitting in her car- explaining to the rest of us- more ‘seasoned’ and ‘experienced’ Americans-why she and her generation of young Americans have it so much worse than we did.
This is her insisting-we just don’t understand what today’s young people are really facing or dealing with.
And i know you’re rolling your eyes, but I want to try to make this segment free of ‘generational insults’ or ‘general snootiness’. Don’t just call up and slam her.
But please listen to her rant here-which goes about a minute and a half- and then call up and tell me: what would tell this woman about- how or why she’s wrong.
This is clearly a case of: she has no idea what other generations have gone thru-but- in all seriousness. It’s a good window into the generational disconnect that today’s young people have with the rest of us.
She’s clearly not considered what any of us did, or experienced, or sacrificed, to get to these more comfortable positions that we older Americans find ourselves in.
What ‘disconnect’ do you see here-and what would you tell her in response to the rant you just heard?
She says she works five days a week, 40 hours a week. She doesn’t know that when-many of us- most of us- in the generations that are still alive, Gen X, Boomers, the world war two generation-dating back into human history.
She doesn’t know that-nearly all of us who came before her, and today’s gen z members worked far harder than that.
Honestly. I worked six or seven days a week-13-to-15-hour days thru most of my twenties and 30s.
Point two: she says she’s working 40 hours, five days a week and can’t afford to live on her own but we could. Wrong.
Ah, honey, when we were your age- we all worked-second and third jobs for that very reason!
You really think you are the only one, or the only generation, who hasn’t been able to make ends meet as you are just starting out?
Wow. Is she misinformed.
Many of us didn’t make enough money at our first jobs to live on our own. I was spitting rent with at least two friends thru my early 20s, and still putting groceries on my gas card occasionally, because it was the only credit card I could get approved for-and I’d run out of money some weeks.
Millennials listening sincerely hard work for low pay- is not an experience unique to you. It is, instead, the history of America and the globe- thru out human history.
Point three: she admits we have 20 years of experience and a head start on her-but accuses us of somehow creating an economy that benefits ‘us’ over her?
No, sweetness. This, too, is how it’s always been.
Here’s the final thing I’ll say-after watching the video a few times: she’s flushed and red faced and genuinely disgusted and angry-and I feel for her.
I really do.
I do feel sympathy for this gal because she’s clearly so distressed and frustrated about her situation.
But she is- because -somewhere along the line- she was never told what to expect by the adults in her life-once she got out into the real world.
She clearly never had a parent, or a teacher, or a mentor, who ever told her: life isn’t fair. You aren’t special. Everyone must work hard. We all start from nothing-with rare exceptions.
And it’s for that reason that I feel bad for her-and so many of her contemporaries that i come into contact with: this generation of parents has-by large percentages-failed their kids by being way too easy on them. For deciding never to correct or challenge them. And for not teaching them even the little-but important lessons in life-like-
You aren’t special. The world doesn’t open itself up for you. You shouldn’t expect an easy path or special favors.
Your parents and grandparents worked hard for the things they have-and you will have to, too. They didn’t get anything handed to them, and you weren’t either.
Folks-just the simple corrections like, if you overhear them-at ten-saying: come over, Tina, I have a pool...
Being there to say...slight correction, honey. I have a pool. You just live in my house.
Even small lessons like that matter. Because they get to the lessons about: I worked for all of this. You will have to, too. Nothing is handed to you.
Your mother and I worked 50-hour weeks, too.
Your 20s can be tough, but they’re also rewarding in their own way and are building character. Teaching you about life, work, valuing free time. Etc.
I feel sorry that this millennial-and way too many of them-lost out on those lessons.
Some of us Gen-X’rs have been terrible parents. And I’ll say it flat-out.
photo credit: Getty Images
Here's a sample of the texts
20 years ago? Why is that young lady blaming GenX for anything? Nobody listens to us. Has there been a GenX president yet? Aaron, West Allis
Jay, she makes some good points. It is hard now. It's just that the problems in her life have been created by Democrats, but she doesn't see that.
Jay, I am a millennial who has been working since he was 16 now 32 and I have been busting my ass working more than 40 hours a week. Never a 9 to 5 just to make sure that my wife and my kids and myself have a roof over our head and food on our table so if she says that she doesn't want to work at 9 to 5, I work at 5 to 5 figure it out.
In 1987 I made 550 an hour was told to shut up do my job and if I did a good job I'd be promoted literally said to me
Love it. As a young man was working a sales job and the night stocking manager at a Wise Market in Harrisburg, PA, living in the hood and paying my student loans and all my bills. And, new trend they all think their first home has to be their forever home. 40hrs a week. Hell, if I am still working less than 80/week I'd be lucky...which is why I am listening at 5:09 MTN because I am up by 0400. Tom
I'm 40, salaried, and work 45-50 hours a week, including weekends and holidays sometimes. I would LOVE to go back to a 40 hour week!
What worries me is this is the young voter base that doesn’t show up in the polls. They’re not paying attention to the democrat policies that crush wage growth, increase taxes and inflation. Then they get the tax the rich narrative from social media and vote democrat.
I recall looking at my parents' life and be scared poopless about how I was going to make it! So at late teens I at least learned to know myself and my capabilities, did without, but rapidly worked my way up in jobs then trade and eventually profession, and bought a rental property to aid that. Then I was able to rest and enjoy the fruits in my 30s and in. Not rocket science. Some if this Gen just can't seem to visualize and plan success. -Gary in MI