O'connor, E. (2009). The dumbest generation: How the digital age stupefies young Americans and jeopardizes our future (or, don't trust anyone under 30), by Mark Bauerlein. New York: Jeremy P. Tarcher/Penguin, 2008, $24.95 hardbound. Academic Questions, 22(2), 234-239. doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s12129-009-9102-1 In the article “No Child Left Offline” Erin O’Conner starts with a rhetorical beginning about a story of a Miss South Carolina model that was asked a question about how United States students couldn’t locate the United States on a map. Soon after, a survey was done that showed that a large amount of students could actually identify where the United States was on a map. O’Conner expresses his thought about the incident by stating, “What better forum for staging our cultural institutions’ role in propagating that cluelessness than the beauty pageant, with its seductive equation of gorgeousness with more substantial qualities such as intelligence and character?” By him saying this, he reveals his thought …show more content…
The millennial generation are people born from 1980 to 2000. The millennial generation is claimed to be lazy, narcissistic, and stunted in growth. A study showed that 58% more college students scored higher on a narcissism scale in 2009 than in 1982. It also talks about how the millennial generation have been patted on the back too much, because the millennials got so many participation awards growing up, they believe they should be promoted every two years. Not only that, most emerging adults 18 to 29 still live with their parents rather than a spouse. Stein also talks about how the millennial generation has a high likelihood of having unmet expectations with their careers. Also, early in the article it talks about how there isn’t enough people that want to be senators and CEO’s as there should
In the 2013 Time article "The New Greatest Generation," Joel Stein claims that "millennials' perceived entitlement isn't a result of overprotection but an adaptation to a world of abundance"(31). Stein's organizational style appeals to readers because he arranges the article in a way that lures the reader's attention in the beginning, so he can later propose a new outlook. Stein begins describing characteristics of millennials unfavorably in order to overcome those negative characteristics and offer a new, positive perspective. The author initially establishes a negative attitude towards millennials to appeal to the feelings of the older, adult generations. Stein’s structure successfully acknowledges the negative views, for the purpose of
An excerpt from “CQ Researcher” wrote a summary that focuses on how Millennials is one of the most diverse generations of America 's, leading them to possibly reshape our country in their image. The first time I read this, I thought that young adults may not have what it takes to change America’s society. That they didn’t know how, but then you have Millennials vote for President Obama which in fact were most hispanic people, we may have a shot. According to the “CQ Researcher” “ Millennials launch into successful adulthood, causing many to delay getting married, starting families and purchasing a home. This is good because setting back with marriage and families, gives enough time for an individual to understand our country and what is the
By realizing that the main audience of this article would be adults, especially those who have children, she intelligently plays into this through her consistent reference to the past and how great it was to be a child in the 1970s and 80s, even with the high crime rates. She then continues on by praising the invention of the ever so popular app, referring to the “Good old Days” and how the addition of Pokémon Go has kids out exploring like older generations used to do when they were young (Davies, 2016, para 3). She compares the app to activities that older generations used to do such as hunting for salamanders at the park. By creating this linkage between the two generations she is effectively creating this emotional tie to the app; thus able to grab the reader’s attention as she presents her argument through the rest of the
According to Professor Jeffrey Bosworth, in his editorial “Hunting for Hope in Modern America,” he discusses the “screwed” millennial generation and the potential they have to be successful, despite current existing United States problems. Bosworth explains this from three different perspectives: the current issues in America, the positive attributes of the millennial generation, and what the millennial generation should do to succeed. In Bosworth’s opening proposition he elucidates the “[millennial] generation is screwed”. He expounds the millennial generation is predicted to “do worse than the previous generation”.
A Rhetorical Analysis of Kyle Reyes’ Millennials Are Destroying the Next Generation and It’s Ruining America From not dining as often at fast casual restaurants, and playing golf less often, to almost completely killing the napkin industry (Forbes), younger generations, especially millennials, are responsible for the end of eras. Not only is this group responsible for the extinction of these industries, they’re also responsible for moral corruption. Apparently, Millennials are Destroying the Next Generation and it’s Ruining America. Kyle Reyes, self-proclaimed “liberal troll”, published this article on the NewBostonPost, a conservative news outlet and blog.
Selina Raymond English 102 Mrs. Hildebrand 2 February 2018 Rhetorical Analysis of “The New Greatest Generation” Words that most resonate with Millennials are narcissistic, lazy, and entitled which many people feel to be true. Author Joel Stein, Wrote “The New Greatest Generation,” published in 2013, and he argues that while the data he provides proves Milliennials may be narcissistic, lazy, and entitled, they are not defined by it; they are defined by how they respond to real life situations. Stein begins to strengthen his purpose by using a sarcastic tone while providing the facts and statistics, successfully making the readers question whether the evidence is valid; another way stein successfully furthers his purpose by using an order of
A Rhetorical analysis of “Generation Velcro” In “Generation Velcro,” Dorothy Woodend discusses the lack of basic skills and knowledge that is being passed down from generation to generation, and how this could be a fundamental problem for both generation Y and the future of planet earth. Woodend, setting the tone for her article, asks the question, “[i]s this generation heading into a coming dark age with little more than the ability to update their Facebook statuses and watch YouTube, all with laces untied?” (par. 7). She contends that “[t]he inability to concentrate in a world of competing bits of information and constant multitasking have led to brains that can no longer keep up,” implying that this problem of concentration is inhibiting this newest generation’s ability to learn the skills necessary to sustain our world properly (par. 12).
Companies will also need to anticipate and assess which new skills and training older employees will require, particularly in the realm of technology where they may feel less comfortable than many of their younger colleagues. The federal workforce is building toward a potential retirement wave in coming years, with more than a third of career federal employees projected to be eligible for collecting their end-of-career benefits by September 2017, compared to just 14 percent at the same time in 2012. The dynamic of this workforce is the wealth of knowledge, skills, abilities, and experience that will be walking out the door never to return. Millennials will make up 50 percent of the U.S. workforce by 2020 and 75 percent of the global workforce by 2030. At issue is how to attract and retain
Steinbeck makes very eye-opening realistic points about the human race and their ability to reach goals. With this being said, Steinbeck is not necessarily incorrect. Not everyone can live out their dreams and aspirations. Specifically, living situations, financial status, physical abilities, and intellectual abilities are all things that may affect the capability of one to achieve their goals. Some people, mainly those that don’t have the work ethic, mental capacity, or material needs, may set their goals too high.
Today generations have more access to technology than previous generations. The technology is a way to expand and distribute knowledge. Technology has not made this generation dumber, but it actually helped this generation to think of innovative ways that furthered our society. It made our life much easier, but it surely does not mean that the current generation is the dumbest. It actually helped the generation to grow smarter and made our brain smarter.
Older generations tend to believe that young adults, who are thirty years old or younger, are the “dumbest generation” ever. However, these young adults are not actually dumb, they are able to think more critically and deeper which helps them gain more knowledge and become more intelligent. It is invalid to compare the past with the present because in the present, technology and other developments are far more superior. Many people have shown themselves to be smarter than the older generation due to technological developments, and the increased use of technology. Sharon Begley stated that IQ scores “ have been rising since the 1930s” and these “tests measure not knowledge but pure thinking capacity” (Begley, Source 2).
The omnipresence of the smartphone affects adolescents in every section of the United States, regardless of social class and ethnic background. Jean Twenge established ethos when he stated,“he had been studying generational differences for 25 years and that he started when was a 22 year old doctoral student in psychology”(2). Since he has been studying different generations for many years he knows
The reason Lunsford includes this account of events is because it proves that while mass media might seem like its dumbing down the younger generation it is actually teaching them different kinds of writing and when to use different contexts. Although Lunsford provides great research, mass medias effects are not simply grounded in
Mark Bauerlein, author of ‘The Dumbest Generation’, argues that today’s youth has had a decline in academics due to new technology in today’s economy. In retrospect, we’re growing up in a different time than the generation before us; the world and it’s products are different as to be expected, and with them we must learn new materials than they did. Today’s generation isn’t ‘dumb’, instead we’re adjusting to the times and retaining different knowledge than the generations before us. Many older generations always thinks that the generation after theirs is ‘dumber’, and think themselves to be the superior one.
The article “The Me Me Me Generation” by Joel Stein mentions how Millennials are a self-centred generation who have been raised with many participation awards and parents who mistakenly believed that strengthening their self-esteem was they key to success rather than focusing more on strengthening up their character and skills. Stein mentions that the younger generation lives mostly through screens, whether those on phones, iPad’s, or computers, and believes someway that it is entitled to success without experiencing the rough situations in lifetime. Stein also presented studies showing that the incidence of narcissistic personality disorder among Millennials is massive. Stein concludes the article by mentioning that this has not taken him by surprise, because this began with their parents’ generation, the Baby Boomers, or known as the “Me Generation.” Millennials seek to make their own mark on the world.