Author	[Modern View]
oldtanker 09-24-2012 08:03:35 66.228.255.239 Report to Moderator	I know some of you younger guys out there are getting upset with some of the older members and the comments about younger people today. One of the reasons you are seeing these comments is because most of us who are making things work for ourselves had a good work ethic and had goals we were willing to work toward. Back when we were young most people understood that to get things you had to work for them, not put them on plastic. Sure we looked at guys in new trcuks or on new tractors and wanted them but we worked to get those things we wanted. Sure we made mistakes but we learned from them and because we were not so deep in the hole could recover and move on. Fast forward to today. Lot of young folks think that they have a right to have and have it all right now. When they mess up it's a bigger problem and more people are aware of it. Sure some you the younger people of today are willing to work for things and don't have to have everyting right now. AS far as older people messing up. Sure they do. The most often think too much of themselves and bite off more than they can chew....and every one knows about it or because of bad decisions made when you don't have much so no one sees there new mistakes. Rick [Reply]   [No Email]
showcrop 09-25-2012 19:20:48 75.67.231.80 Report to Moderator	Re: For the "youngsters" out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   Two major statistics in two days: 1, unprecedented obesity so many young people are obese that for the first time in history there are not enough fit to join our armed services and defend our country, we will have to source from overseas. 2, The percentage of seniors that just graduated from HS and tested high enough to get into college is the lowest since 1972. We will have to source from overseas. Do these say something? [Reply]  [No Email]
Wesley Stephens 09-25-2012 18:05:04 166.248.77.127 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   My humble opinion from my 31 year old mind- There are good and bad in every generation and you don't have to look far to see plenty of examples from great to worthless in any age group. The sorry ones stick out more while the decent folks are doing their thing without attracting attention. My brother and I are trying to get ourselves established in farming while working full time jobs without sticking our necks out too far and while we are plugging along and advancing, it is a slow process. A 20 year old cousin works for us and several other farmers while starting his own small operation and I cannot speak highly enough of him. It's all about perspective, and there will always be the good, the bad, and the ugly in any grouping of people you look at. [Reply]  [No Email]
jose bagge 09-25-2012 13:02:26 69.174.87.20 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   Spook got it right...when I bought my place, the old timer who owned it before me told me he used to send the kids walking along the side of RT 17 picking up Coke bottles to pay the mortgage on the place. There is flat out no way kids my children's age will be able to afford dirt unless I give it to 'em. That being said, the old timers also told me plenty of stories about "wuthless" neighbors from the old days too. The ones the point out as ne'er-do-wells are the meanest old snakes in Virginia now. [Reply]  [No Email]
John_PA 09-25-2012 01:01:42 72.95.149.175 Report to Moderator	Re: For the "youngsters" out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   Is this in reply to my post about young farmers leaving a bad taste in my mouth? I'm sorry. I really should not have posted that. sin got the better of me. I really don't mean any of it. I get so frustrated... I'm really sorry. I just hope that they come begging to us for guidance some day. I'm not that old. I am 33 years old. but, I lived that life as the last one to see commercials for farm equipment on primetime tv in my area... saturday morning cartoons with commercials for ertl tractors... I was the last. The whole notion of a national farming public died int eh 1980's. I just wish it would come back... but, right now, I just wish that the gov would step out of the ACRE program and let me plow the ground. It's so upsetting to me to see all that land going to waste. I promise my children will not have that attitude. my children will be teased in school like I was for being a "farm boy" and they will be ridiculed. My children will know what it means to wake up at 6am on a saturday and work until 11pm. My children will know that what I give and what they give is life to all who needs to eat. My children won't be that way. They might use bigger tractors and better equipment and have better hybrids and better fertilizer, but, they won't stop being stewards of teh land. I'm sick and disgusted right now. I guess because the movement that hit my area finally got national media attention. I just hope it doesn't change for the worse for me. I've been very sick for day sjust thinking of how things will be. [Reply]  [No Email]
DaveWW 09-24-2012 13:14:58 65.24.60.42 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   The generation that survived the great depression, then went on to WWII was a mighty fine generation. Then you had the baby boomers, many of the babies turned into hippies in the 60s and 70s. Many others tried to educate themselves and support their families. Then you had generation X, which I what I am. I was taught to respect my elders. To put in hard days work. To read and try and learn something new every day. Sure there were a few bad apples, and I made some mistakes – but I think I’ve turned out to be an honest caring person. The most recent generation, pretty much anyone under 30, is the spineless generation. They grew up everything is sugar coated and padded for their safety and convenience. Their parents bend over backwards for them, even if they want to sit in the basement and play xbox all day. They don't have any idea what hard work is,, and respect, they have respect for nobody, including themselves. These youngsters think they know everything, but in reality if they were left to tend after themselves, they would turn in savages. There are a few exceptions, but not many. [Reply]  [No Email]
Randyinpenna 09-24-2012 13:22:37 166.137.88.46 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to DaveWW, 09-24-2012 13:14:58   Sad sad little man. To get respect, you give respect. I'm 25 and I work for what I want. Most of the time I settle for something less than what I want. My father lost his job when I was 15, I took over the farm at 18, and now am buying my own, the neighbor farm so I can still do my original farm. We all weren't pampered [Reply]  [No Email]
Bendee 09-24-2012 22:12:13 60.230.35.81 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to Randyinpenna, 09-24-2012 13:22:37   Which is what the man said "There are a few exceptions" [Reply]  [No Email]
Ultradog MN 09-24-2012 11:11:13 174.20.253.54 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   The Greek philosopher Plato (429–347 B.C.) Also complained about how the younger generation was lacking in respect for their elders, had little motivation in life, seemed to want everything for free, had no interest in the gods and were generally not much good for anything, in his opinion. So it seems like this complaint has been going on for a long, long time. And yet, every generation has had the fortitude to rise to their challenges and keep the world mostly rolling along. So you young folks on the board don't take us old guys too seriously when we complain about you. Keep a shoulder to the wheel, try to keep on the narrow path, love your wives and families. Us fogies do have one defensive weapon against you. We'll die off before you muck things up too badly. [Reply]  [No Email]
BSpauld 09-24-2012 13:17:06 64.12.116.74 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to Ultradog MN, 09-24-2012 11:11:13   Good point !!! [Reply]  [No Email]
aFORDable 09-24-2012 11:03:37 199.255.68.153 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   The philosopher Hesiod wrote in 800 bc (almost 3000 years ago) that he didn't see much good in the younger generation. They were disrespectful and wouldn't work. Every generation of older folks has always thought the younger generation didn't measure up to their generation. It has to do with age more than quality. There are lots of good young people in our nation. Who do you think is serving our country now in some of the he11 holes of the world? [Reply]  [No Email]
Ultradog MN 09-24-2012 11:12:40 174.20.253.54 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to aFORDable, 09-24-2012 11:03:37   You beat me to it. I should learn to type a little faster. [Reply]  [No Email]
MF Poor 09-24-2012 09:28:45 72.4.0.230 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   I'm not so sure a lot of folks aren't overlooking the obvious....which is; Young AND old BOTH have lost touch with work ethics, ambition, morals, and what it takes to succeed in TODAYS world. Many of us "old timers" knew that if we worked hard and did our best, we'd make it "back in the day". Like it or not, times have changed. NOTHING is like it was 25 years ago, or 50 years ago, or further back than that. Making it today requires more education. It requires more luck. It requires just as much hard work, maybe even more. Who's to say even the most successful among us would be able to thrive in todays world. Farming as a for instance. We have far fewer farmers, who work far more acres, with far more science and technology, with a MUCH higher operating budget, which involves much higher risk than what our fathers taught us to work with. Not to degrade those who farmed in the past, but those who'll farm in the future will face a much greater challenge. It's ol' Darwins theory...Survival of the fittest. The best succeed, the least fail, and the middle struggles. The next generation of farmers will look back on NOW and reminisce about how many farmers there used to be, just like we do now. Fewer and fewer will do more and more. Like it or not, that's just the way it is. Sure I support family farms and the whole idea of families carrying on the tradition. I grew up in that tradition, and still carry on, and help my kids to hopefully follow in my footsteps. But, you only need to look at history to determine the next generation of farmers probably won't include a good portion of the families that are in it today. And for the record, I remember some of the "old timers" that were around when I was a youngin', speaking their minds about how OUR generation just didn't get it....how we wouldn't make it. we did. Some of us anyway. And some didn't. Personally, I have a lot of faith in our youth. Some of them anyway. [Reply]  [No Email]
Spook 09-24-2012 09:36:43 108.67.99.140 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to MF Poor, 09-24-2012 09:28:45   As I see it, need for capital is so high in farming that it eliminates most folks right away. Actually, it eliminates almost everybody. Blue collar jobs no longer pay enough to provide a starting base. I think in most fields, most folks that were sucessful in the past would fail if they had to start now. [Reply]  [No Email]
Super Steve 09-24-2012 09:09:15 68.171.231.82 Report to Moderator	Re: For the youngsters out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   The horse is dead, you can stop beating it. [Reply]  [No Email]
mkirsch 09-24-2012 08:35:35 64.80.110.74 Report to Moderator	Re: For the "youngsters" out there in reply to oldtanker, 09-24-2012 08:03:35   This is supposed to make younger people feel BETTER about older people? Looks like the old "young people don't want to work hard" complaint, just a lot more long-winded. [Reply]  [No Email]