An Entitled Generation

For those who read last week’s post about social media, I briefly mentioned entitlement. I would like to use this week’s discussion to further converse this topic. To begin, what is entitlement? Oxford Dictionary explains that entitlement is the fact of having a right to something. If you look further in their definition, Oxford also states that entitlement is the belief that someone deserves special treatment. For those college students, like myself, how true is this statement? I know I can act entitled at times. If my dad takes my sister to lunch, I will complain (mostly jokingly) why he never does this for me. Admit it, many of us have done this. So why is this a problem? Simple: look at our generation today. Those part of Generation Z (born between 1995-2010) are extremely entitled. Where I feel entitlement has become problematic is that college and high school students have become so spoiled that they believe they should get whatever they want, whenever they want it. Even though some positives of entitlement may trigger someone to work harder for a position or job, most times, people believe they are entitled to have something without working for it.

Forbes explains that entitlement is leading this generation to act selfishly, expect privileges, break the rules, and other things of this nature. Taking this a step further, entitlement makes a person feel constantly disappointed because they didn’t get something they didn’t deserve. While I understand this feeling, you cannot complain about NOT getting what you wanted without working for it. Think of a participation trophy. Why do children get participation trophies or ribbons? By doing this, you grow up to think that if you “participate” and not work for what you want, you’ll be given that “trophy.”

Something else that bothers me greatly (and this will be somewhat of a rant) is the ignorance of the privileges and rights Americans have today. Why do we have the freedoms we have today? Who is fighting for them continuously? Leaving their family or possibly losing their lives, so certain (ignorant and idiotic) people can trash this great country? Veterans. Something that I saw recently was a picture of the soldiers at Hiroshima, replaced with men holding a pride flag. Now before I get called homophobic, this is not what I am focusing on. Comparing those who serve, are serving, or did serve to homosexuals is horrible. You’re telling me that people who experience death and war are somehow equal to the LGBT+? I don’t think so. Another one was that I saw a video a while back of a veteran asking a cashier at a restaurant if they had a veteran’s discount (since he served), and this woman said something to the effect of, “Wow, you people think you’re entitled just because you served.” And the guy responded back, “No, it’s a discount. What we really do is serve, so people like you can tell us what we should and shouldn’t be entitled to.” What is wrong with people? Again, ENTITLEMENT!! I will repeat it daily. Because we have become an entitled nation, people truly cannot appreciate what they have. Instead, they want to take away these freedoms for something they don’t understand.

What has led to the major increase, in my opinion, is that rights and what you think you’re entitled to have become blurred. A right is something that the Founding Fathers recognized from God. To have your own choice of personal efforts and happiness. The underlying message is that how hard you work for your personal efforts and happiness is all up to you. God ordained these rights, and the Founding Fathers incorporated what He into their new society. If these rights were given from man (not God), these rights could be easily taken away, just like any privilege in this country. No one can help you, including the government. Only you can decide if happiness will result from your personal effort. If any of these students pay attention to history, this is why men and women chose to come here: to avoid the British government’s control. Entitlement differs majorly from rights. Entitlement requires government to intervene. Take Medicare. Medicare requires government intervention, because Medicare is, mostly, government-sponsored. Look at how millennials behave today. Everything has to be given to them (i.e. free health insurance) because it is a “right.” No, it isn’t!! This is a privilege! And this is exactly what the problem is. These students do not realize what all this entitlement would lead to a lack of freedom. Without the rights our Founding Fathers left us, all of what we have, including the privileges everyone has, would be nonexistent.

Look at how Leftist students are treating capitalism. Because this generation believes they are entitled to have something, without working for it, they believe capitalism has become the enemy. Will Witt (aka “The Man on the Street”) shared something on Twitter to the effect of, “Leftists can complain about capitalism while sharing from their iPhone in their Uber on their way to Starbucks.” How hypocritical, but true, this statement is. Capitalism created iPhones, Uber and Starbucks. What do these have in common? The creators wanted to achieve happiness through their own personal effort, and capitalism led to their success. Anyone is guaranteed their own success, depending on how hard they work for it. Those on the Left, however, support socialism. If socialism existed in America today, we would truly suffer. Uber, iPhones, and Starbucks would not exist. Don’t believe me? Look at Venezuela: one of the most financially successful countries is now in pieces from socialism.

Not only this aspect (which is truly horrible and sad), entitled young adults believe their opinion deserves special treatment over the others. This is where “safe spaces” come into play. I had recently watched a video of Milo Yiannopoulos speaking on this topic. Now, I know he is brutally honest, and "controversial," but some of what he says is the truth, regardless what you think. He explained that college students should be going to college, not only for an education, but to learn contemporary ideas and beliefs. Becoming more open-minded will truly enhance yourself and your personal knowledge. Having “safe spaces” prevents this, and those who become easily offended with contradicting ideas should not be in college. If they are not willing to listen because they believe they are so entitled that their beliefs are the only correct ones, then why bother be in college?

To conclude, entitlement is causing more problems than we realize. What I am optimistic about, however, is the students who are learning more and more about the truths of entitlement. Those who know the truth, like me, are more willing to work hard and avoid the mistakes Leftist students are making. I pray that others will learn the truth from this. An entitled generation, this generation, should not believe they are so “special” to shut down another’s ideologies or beliefs.

Let me know what you thought! Comment down below!

Check these sites if you need further explanation:

• https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/entitlement
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/larryalton/2017/11/22/millennials-and-entitlement-in-the-workplace-the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly/#11bbc45f3943
• https://fee.org/articles/dear-democratic-socialists-entitlements-are-not-rights/
• https://fee.org/articles/rights-versus-entitlements/

P.S. This month is Autism Awareness, and being a sister to a wonderful, autistic brother, this month is especially important to me. Please be mindful of those who don't see the world in the way we do.