Sunday, October 12, 2008
A message to my teenaged children
If you are one of my children, please read this article. You are very lucky, and must be careful not to lord your great fortune over others who have less than you do. Not that you would, but never forget how lucky you are.
For the rest of you, the article is about formerly affluent parents who no longer can afford to say "yes" to every material desire of their children. It made me wonder, will the financial crisis and looming tough times reshape today's teenagers into the most frugal generation since the cohort that came of age between 1930 and 1945? It depends on how bad it gets.
11 Comments:
By 
smitty1e, at
Sun Oct 12, 05:32:00 PM:
I can follow rejecting materialism, but the emergency powers to be claimed by the Fed to shepherd the country through the crisis are what is terrifying.
Figure that the first administration ends on an economically positive note, so that, when the real agenda, corruption of American sovereignty, comes out in the second, the people will be conditioned not to ask, but demand, the sodomy.
By Purple Avenger, at
Sun Oct 12, 05:34:00 PM:
reshape today's teenagers into the most frugal generation since the cohort that came of age between 1930 and 1945?
If frugal means larcenous, yea. There's been an uptick in burglaries in my neighborhood recently.
By Andrewdb, at
Sun Oct 12, 06:22:00 PM:
In the words of my sainted grandmother (may she rest in peace), speaking of my father (b. 1930): "I survived the Great Depression, too. It didn't scare me like that - I don't know what his problem is."
By Aegon01, at
Sun Oct 12, 07:50:00 PM:
Well, I know that if it doesn't seem like "real" money, I tend to spend more.
What I mean by that is this: I can buy stuff in the school bookstore with my ID card. It never feels like I'm actually spending money. I'm sure it feels that way when people accrue massive credit card debt, too.
By Papa Ray, at
Sun Oct 12, 10:20:00 PM:
Jeez, is this article about middle income people? I don't know myself.
"As parents drop housecleaning and lawn services, they are asking their teenagers to pitch in, for pay."
In my family and in my kids family, the "chores" are for the whole family from the time they are big enough to clean up their toy mess until they move far enough away they don't have to come over to mom or pops or grampa or gramma's houses and help with projects or large chores.
That included after they were old enough part time jobs in addition to all the rest.
Another thing. Any money that was given as cash was for doing something extra or for doing something extreamly well. Our family figured that buying clothes, food and giving kids a roof, room and all the other things that they need,reqire and a few things they wanted was enough. No paycheck for doing family chores.
This really pays off, my kids and grandkids were all top students, got good jobs and have done well.
I hate to see what the "priviliged teens" are going to do when the going really gets rough.
And I have a feeling it is going to get that way.
Papa Ray
West Texas
USA
By 
, at
Sun Oct 12, 11:00:00 PM:
The is some good advice in that article.
Two weeks ago I sat my three children who are still living at home and told them a little of what we are up against. Last week my three sons took me out to lunch and told me they are ready for anything that comes their way, and that my family will take take of this together.
Makes a father proud.
By Punditarian, at
Mon Oct 13, 03:26:00 AM:
It's interesting that the Times chose to profile students at Elisabeth Irwin High School, of all places. When I knew students there, it was a hotbed of leftism. It was full of red diaper babies. Nowadays, however, the Times is probably more interested in its founder's sexual orientation.
By Punditarian, at
Mon Oct 13, 03:30:00 AM:
From the Elisabeth Irwin school's website:
"The school retains its historic commitment to social justice and inclusion. Students are encouraged to examine their own values while respecting and striving to understand the values of others, to become involved in struggles for social justice and the realization of the promise of democratic life. So just as alumni tell stories of concerts given by Pete Seeger singing about social and racial justice and about school trips to the coal mines of Pennsylvania, so future alumni will remember the programs and discussions sponsored by today’s Multicultural Committee and Lesbian and Gay Issues Group."
This statement illustrates the left's Gramscian travel from economic socialism ("social . . . justice") to "civil rights" ("racial justice") to multiculturalism and sexual politics.
With marxism discredited and the civil rights movement a success, the left has adopted new themes to conceal its totalitarian goals.
By smitty1e, at
Mon Oct 13, 06:55:00 AM:
@tyree:
The point you're missing is that we're all one family now. The idea that your traditional family still retains some vestigal internal loyalty shall be altered.
Because it's, you know, 'unfair'.
By , at
Mon Oct 13, 11:43:00 AM:
I'd really like to tie this post with the one about Burton Malkiel's advice.
Whence comes the American "innovation machine"?
Frankly, getting future generations into a better position to fuel that machine seems like a great byproduct of the current financial mess.
If you're just brought up being groomed and stroked, do you ever need to test the adage "where there's a will, there's a way?"
And excuse me, but parents are actually being extorted by their kids with the threat of anger? They don't call toddlerhood the "first adolescence" for nothing: Children -- of all ages -- actively look for limits. Until they find them.
So parents' (very hard and, frankly, often thankless) job is to provide them. And enforce them. Kindly and, when necessary, firmly.
By Punditarian, at
Mon Oct 13, 10:14:00 PM:
Parents will have to do that only until the State assumes the responsibilities of parenting from early infancy onwards. Rather than untrained, unprepared parents, children will be raised by Bill-Ayers-trained & certified educational professionals.
