Generation Me

I read a book a while back entitled "Generation Me" by Jean Twenge. I loved it so much, I read it through twice. The truth of it, however, is becoming more evident to me in recent days.  I have seen this in action: the current generation lives in an entitled state of mind. Not everyone in this generation, certainly....but statistically a large amount.  It's not only the "young" people of this generation, but the generation that we are all becoming.

For instance, look around you the next time you are driving. People of all ages are driving as if they are headed to disarm a bomb and time is of the essence. When in actuality, they are simply headed to a friend's house to hang out and play the Wii.  People are putting their lives in danger, and other's lives around them in danger, all because they want it NOW. They want to get there Now, they want their possessions Now, they want to loose the weight Now.

Progess has made it so easy for us to get used to having things immediately. I can make my oatmeal in a minute-thirty seconds. I can make instant mac n' cheese for my daughter in four minutes. I can apply for and receive instant credit.  If I get on-line and have to wait an extended few seconds longer than I think I should for a website to come up, I start the heavy sighing as if my entire day is ruined.

It makes me sad that we as a generation are going into extreme debt to buy things that we don't need, to impress people that we don't even know. It makes me sad that we are so busy getting what is ours, that we leave out people who need our help. Our patience, compassion, and understanding for others have been affected by our own desires.

The generation coming up now knows only about instant gratification. My youngest one doesn't know what it's like to not be able to send a text message to a friend to ask if she can play. Instant things are nice, but I hope we take time to reflect on time and the beauty of it. Taking the time to spend with people we love and taking the time to care about others who need us.