Are people from the 80's smarter then other generations?

[poser765]

You chose to focus on one part of my statement. I made 2 comments about style and 4 about common sense / intelligence. That is not "mainly about style". Not to mention, I definitely think there is a link between 'dressing for success' so to speak and dressing like a homeless person but I'll leave that alone.

I'd probably look at high schoolers with more respect if I didn't receive a "huh" every time I talk to them about anything (if they even bother paying attention to me in the first place; It's not like I'm someone they cant relate to. I'm almost 30, but I still get carded and most people think I'm around 22... Its not like they're talking to grandpa here.), if they could write a proper paragraph with something resembling standard grammar and actually took pride in having a legitimate hobby or skill that they worked toward honing (instead of spending all day texting on their phone or snooping on facebook).

Hell, most of the teenagers I run into have no idea what they're going to do for a career. They have no inkling of any talent or purpose they might have... they seem lost and skill-less with a bad education, no role models and no respect for anyone around them.

Lastly, I don't have rose colored glasses. I remember the groups of people that dressed 'special' and did poorly. They were nowhere near as large as they are now. I'd love to see the high honor roll and honor roll lists now a days... that's probably been lowered to a 'C' average so it looks fuller. >_>

You mentioned either how people look, dress or present themselves in every paragraph you posted. There is something to be said for dressing for success, but the truth it that changes. You can't really expect younger generations to maintain the status quo of the previous. It just doesn't happen.

Now for inteligence.

http://www.erikthered.com/tutor/hist...cores-plot.pdf

This graph shows that ACT score dropped sharply in the 70 then stayed relitively even for the last three decades with a slight increase.

http://www.erikthered.com/tutor/hist...cores-plot.pdf

Average SAT scores show about the same...sans a more pronounced improvement over the last 30 years.

So unless they are making those standard tests dumberer, then we really aren't much smarter.

Oh, and just because you are almost 30 and still get carded in no way makes you relatable to a 16 year old.

[Aristeia]

You chose to focus on one part of my statement. I made 2 comments about style and 4 about common sense / intelligence. That is not "mainly about style". Not to mention, I definitely think there is a link between 'dressing for success' so to speak and dressing like a homeless person but I'll leave that alone.

I'd probably look at high schoolers with more respect if I didn't receive a "huh" every time I talk to them about anything (if they even bother paying attention to me in the first place; It's not like I'm someone they cant relate to. I'm almost 30, but I still get carded and most people think I'm around 22... Its not like they're talking to grandpa here.), if they could write a proper paragraph with something resembling standard grammar and actually took pride in having a legitimate hobby or skill that they worked toward honing (instead of spending all day texting on their phone or snooping on facebook).

Hell, most of the teenagers I run into have no idea what they're going to do for a career. They have no inkling of any talent or purpose they might have... they seem lost and skill-less with a bad education, no role models and no respect for anyone around them.

Lastly, I don't have rose colored glasses. I remember the groups of people that dressed 'special' and did poorly. They were nowhere near as large as they are now. I'd love to see the high honor roll and honor roll lists now a days... that's probably been lowered to a 'C' average so it looks fuller. >_>

Honestly you seriously sound pessimistic as hell, it only seems that way to someone who wants to look down on another generation. You seem to think everything you see on TV about teenagers is what they must be like now. Teenagers are the same as they've ever been.

[DismalNether]

Hell, most of the teenagers I run into have no idea what they're going to do for a career. They have no inkling of any talent or purpose they might have... they seem lost and skill-less with a bad education, no role models and no respect for anyone around them.

I'd just like to distinguish between the idea that teenagers have a bad education(which they don't) and the idea that they just aren't interested in education(which they aren't). The problem with the current generation is that the majority have been raised to believe they are super special snowflakes that don't have to earn anything because they deserve whatever they want by virtue of being themselves. For example, the graduating class at my high school consists of 10-15 out of 60 that actually try in their courses to achieve a decent average to enter university. Another 20 out of 60 that think they can get into whatever school they want with some 60% despite entrance averages in their programs of choice being between 75% and 80% and the other 25-30 out of 60 thinking that they can all become famous hockey stars or movie stars. Anyways my point is that at least where I live we have an excellent education system with very few teenagers who are willing to exploit it for their futures.

[Khime]

How are you meeting 40 year old people from the 80s? Assuming they're born in 1980, then add 40 and you get 2020. Are we in 2020? I thought it was 2013.

People who are 'from' the 80's were generally born in the 70's, and spent their formative years (i.e. tweens, teens, and early 20's) living in the 80's.

[Banzhe]

How are you meeting 40 year old people from the 80s? Assuming they're born in 1980, then add 40 and you get 2020. Are we in 2020? I thought it was 2013.

Was thinking the exact same thing

OT; No, 80s generation is not smarter, the 70s generation though must be among the Einsteins.., but I might be bias

[Deleted]

Because google.

[-aiko-]

How are you meeting 40 year old people from the 80s? Assuming they're born in 1980, then add 40 and you get 2020. Are we in 2020? I thought it was 2013.

Except 1-10 years is not really old enough to be "part" of that generation, so you need to subtract ~10. When I say I'm from the 90s, it doesn't mean I was born in 1990. :P It means I grew up in the 90s.

[WarlockJack]

Honestly you seriously sound pessimistic as hell, it only seems that way to someone who wants to look down on another generation. You seem to think everything you see on TV about teenagers is what they must be like now. Teenagers are the same as they've ever been.

I'll agree that I'm a bit negative, but its for a reason. I don't watch TV shows about teenagers; I live with them and around them and interact with them and what I've said is exactly how they act and talk and treat me. It's not like I'm old and yelling, "DAMN KIDS" from my porch. I try to relate with them and give them a chance for all sorts of things. I try doing things with them, teaching them and being their friend. I am in fact very tired of hearing "I'm bored", "that's lame", "I don't get it", etc. etc. etc. All I know is that my friends, my family and I did not act like that at all. We had respect, interest, pride in what we did and what we earned and we never walked around saying "I'm bored" when there was always a thousand things to do. Its just bizarre.

I'd just like to distinguish between the idea that teenagers have a bad education(which they don't) and the idea that they just aren't interested in education(which they aren't). The problem with the current generation is that the majority have been raised to believe they are super special snowflakes that don't have to earn anything because they deserve whatever they want by virtue of being themselves. For example, the graduating class at my high school consists of 10-15 out of 60 that actually try in their courses to achieve a decent average to enter university. Another 20 out of 60 that think they can get into whatever school they want with some 60% despite entrance averages in their programs of choice being between 75% and 80% and the other 25-30 out of 60 thinking that they can all become famous hockey stars or movie stars. Anyways my point is that at least where I live we have an excellent education system with very few teenagers who are willing to exploit it for their futures.

The "bad education" in my comment was poorly written as I didn't mean our entire educational system is bad. I did mean it was mostly their choice to not participate in being educated. I do agree with you and see where you're coming from!

[artemishunter1]

Its not that people are now dumber, but they are good in other specialities. Older are more patient, more physical oriented than younger generation, because older generation's environment demanded that. This generation lives in fast paced thus, thus being patient is not virtue but multitasking is. Not to mention, older generation have experience on their side, considering they are still alive, they are genre savvy (common sense is not actually common, the stupid ones died already, the people surviving are one that are wise). Young people do not have the experience yet (but check on them in their 40s or 60s, you will find much better intelligence wise).

[Fahrenheit]

I think the OP more meant, people who grew up during the 80s. So people who wore born in say 1976 would be "someone from the 80s", because let's face it, if you were born in 1986 what do you really remember from the 80s? You were more of a 90s kid.

I think to qualify as a child of the 80s you'd have to be born in 1975-1984 and I suppose 84 would even be pushing it.

[Reg]

I was born in 1985 and I am the smartest man alive!!!

[Slummish]

The generation to which you're referring was the first generation to have the Internet commercially-available. As teens, they had access to far more information than adolescents of previous generations. That generation was also the first to be raised by parents that had grown up during the sexual and female revolutions. As such, parenting was more permissive and kids experienced more of the secular world. That generation is also the first to be spared the horrors and atrocities of ground warfare. Finally, people between the ages of about 35-45 grew up with free time that didn't focus solely on stupid, boring shit. Drugs, concerts, video games, movies with CGI, etc. provided a confluence of hobbies that weren't about cotillion, sports and school dances.

[Ihnasir]

Nah, because I wasn't born in the 80s. Your logic is flawed.

[Realsykes]

I'll agree that I'm a bit negative, but its for a reason. I don't watch TV shows about teenagers; I live with them and around them and interact with them and what I've said is exactly how they act and talk and treat me. It's not like I'm old and yelling, "DAMN KIDS" from my porch. I try to relate with them and give them a chance for all sorts of things. I try doing things with them, teaching them and being their friend. I am in fact very tired of hearing "I'm bored", "that's lame", "I don't get it", etc. etc. etc. All I know is that my friends, my family and I did not act like that at all. We had respect, interest, pride in what we did and what we earned and we never walked around saying "I'm bored" when there was always a thousand things to do. Its just bizarre.



The "bad education" in my comment was poorly written as I didn't mean our entire educational system is bad. I did mean it was mostly their choice to not participate in being educated. I do agree with you and see where you're coming from!

Maybe you really are *gasp* boring???

The possibility that you aren't an interesting human being, and your personality is really dull to a newer generation really rustles your jimmies doesn't it?

[Hexian]

Of course not, it all comes down to the individual.

I was born in 1983, I have 2 masters and a doctorate, and I know well that there will be many after me that are more intelligent. In fact, I welcome it. I hope the next generation is much more intelligent than I because it favors progression. My only concern is the dependency on the internet as a knowledge base rather than learning it as your own.

[Thrive]

the music and attitude.

You heard it here folks. Wearing weird ass clothes and playing rebellious music makes you smart

[Deleted]

People from the 90's and later were (are) raised with much less discipline and many more distractions (cell phones, text messaging, the internet). Therefore, they're dumber because they put in less work on their education when they're young.

aham sure sure i was born in the 90s and i can tell u one thing discipline was not lacking in my house u did something wrong, it was belt off. what it comes to cell phones and computers in the 90s even early 2000 yeh only if u were from a rich family

[This name sucks]

I'm sure I'd be incredibly stupid in comparison to my current self if the internet did not exist.

[Twotonsteak]

I don't think they are any sharper than any previous or current generation. What, to you, makes them so stellar?

I don't know about this. I look at my father and what he has accomplished. Then I look at today's high school graduates. And I pray for an early death. I mean there is a total difference in drive, desire, and moral justifications. My father grew up knowing that he had to work for what he wanted. Now you have a generation that figures Obama will just give everything to them. Hell, when my father was eighteen he had to work so he could by himself food and pay his utility bills. The eighteen-year-old's I graduated high school with were PO'd if mommy and daddy made them work to buy that new cell-phone or sneakers they wanted.

[Jackmoves]

aham sure sure i was born in the 90s and i can tell u one thing discipline was not lacking in my house u did something wrong, it was belt off. what it comes to cell phones and computers in the 90s even early 2000 yeh only if u were from a rich family

I think most people had cell phones and computers in the late 90s at least. I think I got my first phone when I was around 13, basically when I started being out later at night. So around 97, I wasn't the only one as I remember it. Keep in mind that cell phones have been around for quite a while. I remember back in 97 the Ericsson 788 was the coolest shit, think they had around 25-30% of the market share... then came the crash. ;P

They are still absolutely huge when it comes to mobile equipment/wireless network infrastructure though, not sure if they are market leaders but they are among the very top.