September 3, 2012 - Coddling Today's Youth

Hope everyone had a great National Empty Chair Day!  I know I did.

That said, school starts tomorrow...at least in my next of the woods.  I was reading this morning about schools using celebrity wake-up calls and gift incentives to reduce absenteeism.  Really?!?!  It hasn't been all that long since I was in school, and I know they never did that when I was there!

What are schools really teaching by coddling students like this.  I wonder what my boss would say if I told him I would only come to work if he gave me prizes or had a celebrity call to wake me up.  Oh, wait!  I know exactly what he would say...and I don't really want to go looking for a new job in this economy!

Once upon a time schools were there to prepare students for the future.  Now, they no longer happens, which is why we end up with individuals like the Occupy Protesters.  I'm not saying this is strictly the schools fault, because it isn't.  Parents are just as much to blame.  Back in my day (dang that makes me sounds old!) our incentive to go to school was that if we didn't go school would call our parents and we would get it when they got home!

Society as a whole seems way to intent on making sure the youth is happy these days.  Prizes for participation or for going to school, schools calling to wake up students to get them to go to class, and so forth.  We need to make these students realize that the incentive for going to school is that they will learn.  By learning they expand their options in this world and will not end up yet another leach on society.

These absentee students then end up being the adults that bitch that the government isn't doing enough for them or that minimum wage is not a livable wage.  Guess what?  Minimum wage was not meant to be a livable wage.  However, by not going to school, by not getting marketable skills, by not taking advantage of the opportunity the government provided to get an education, you can't expect more then minimum wage.  If you want more out of life, you need to be willing to work for it.  To put forth a modicum of effort, be it in your job or in you education or in your life in general.

Quit coddling today's youth or we will just continue to generate scores of societal leaches.  Quit rewarding kids for just showing up, instead reward exceptionalism and effort.  America was not founded by those looking for a handout, it was founded by those that were willing to take the hard path, to push forward without a safety net, to break from imperialism to found a country built upon exceptionalism.  Without continuing generations looking for exceptionalism America will not last, as there will be no one left that is willing to fight for their freedom or their God given rights.