I find it interesting how we make fetishes of labels such as "baby boomers", "Generation X" and "Generation Y." Your discussion brings to mind a book I read quite a few years ago now, called "Casting Nets and Testing Specimens", which made a critical examination of the way in which too much of our lives is driven by the results of polls which sample, supposedly accurately, a group of people. Even with the caveats that are made within the reports on these polls, most of us only ever see broad generalisations that have been extracted from the executive summary.

We often miss the subtle, and not so subtle, differences between people in these polls because, as we know, nets are made more of holes than of string. In this way we can fall into the trap of over-generalising poll results into making important decisions that fail at a policy level.

Interesting article.

I think young Daniel should look up some antonyms.
There are two opposites: "Young" is opposite of "old".
The antonym of "old' is "young". The antonym of "young" is "old."
Anyone with a Senier's card is old, so anyone without a Seniers card is young.
If they weren't young they would have a Senier's card, wouldn't they young Daniel?
If you are saying that "youth" are younger than you, where is your Senier's card?

Very True Daniel.

It is good to see that others share my views.

The young are shaped by the environment they are in, if they are pushed messages so prevalently each day, why wouldnt you finally subscribe?

The good thing is is that these Gen Yers will develop their own identity as they get older, away from the messages they are being pushed.

All statistics and surveys, esp of the young, are as incorrect as possible and therefore avenues to redress problems will never be accurately defined. Most people lie, so why then do many take these statistics as accurate?

We are in safe hands with a generation in the information age, who have many more choices than their predaccessors did which is a good or bad thing.

FYI, 4 stages of life, 4 periods of change in ones thinking.

Childhood: 0-14 years

Youth: 15-25

Adulthood: 26-55

Consolidation: 56+

The sooner a certain older generation loses its grip on power in government through natural attrition, the better it might be for us. The older generation is without social conscience, focused on the bottom line, indulgent and at many times intolerant. The few wise and socially concerned ones like jurists Michael Kirby/Alastair Nicholson [Re Alex, Re Kevin, both in Family Court] and other people in other areas of the community are outnumbered by stupid and intolerant ones.

Family was no inspiration as to boomers having any wisdom or compassion, he lives for his bottom line.

Daniel

Merry Christmas mate! - to you and your young family! Welcome back. I have been waiting to hear from you.

As you know, on this Forum, I have always enjoyed your articles.

I am 58 years of age. I love your notion that "Youth is a lifestyle choice". I feel about 20 years younger than my chronological age - though the body belies this assertion!

Even so Dan, I despair for my nieces - aged 12 and 13 years. They are "pounded" (as in being bombarded) with: mobile, internet, sms disgusting crap. They have never had a Mother due to her suicide when they were 5 months and 18 months. My brother has never learned to deal with the commercial youth stuff. It seems that he feels that he should be giving them all of the electronic stuff. That is very sad.

Merry Christmas mate
Cheers
Kay

I thought Daniel might be onto something but reading I come across the phrase

"young people today have less control of the depiction of their culture than ever before."

WRONG!

If you think young people have Less Control than before - how would a young person of today deal with the controlling effects of conscription or a rigid social class system?

Fortunately, I missed conscription too but I doubt whether it would have had a beneficial effect on the way my "culture" was depicted.

Daniels piece is just more words for the word mill - churning em out like pulp.

I do note Daniel recognises the individuality of people (youth included) with different expectations, goals and values (political as well as drug related). Thruough this individuality is where we develop. Cherishing and nuturing and protecting the individual differences, instead of following the other sheep, is where anyone of any age can excel.

Oh Well

Someone did say

"Youth is wasted on the young"

That was Oscar Wilde and he died 105 years ago and as role models of innovation, dear old Oscar certainly was.

He had a lifestyle which was "illegal" at the time. Travelled extensively and lived largely (including drugs). He was a point of contention for his "social class" yet wrote fairytales for his children.

No wonder he is one of the most quoted, written, depicted and intriguing people there is.

As for "wasting youth on the young" - he was spot on then and is spot on now!

Oh Trannie - you have posted your little bitter pill here too - well maybe you should think on this

Maybe you should look at the bright side - at least you are not living under penalty of imprisonment for the "lifestyle" you have chosen.

When dear Oscar was writing about his experiences in Reading Gaol, he did not sound as twisted or depressing as you.

As for having no social conscience - I wonder what people will say about you in 40 years time? maybe

"As far as breathing is concerned, we wondered why he/she bothered."

col aren't you getting tired of this mudslinging?

I've also heard the counter-claim to youth being wasted on the young, that is wealth is wasted on the old.

I'm still very much young up in my mind, and my body does not yet belie something different. I wouldn't miss for the world my "lifestyle" and turning the clock back I'd do it all again, my only regret is not coming out earlier [its already been 10 years].

I'm on my own for the medical treatment I need yet society will spend many millions on people near death and past their productive capacity just to delay the inevitable.

"The older generation is without social conscience, focused on the bottom line, indulgent and at many times intolerant."

Once upon a time - no, not when I was a boy, I still am... I mean when my grandparents roamed the street without the aid of a stick... except for those involved in agriculture, who still don't need one - to be concerned for society was not a motherhood statement used to justify destruction of the institutions which supported it.

My generation - I don't know what letter we are... nearest the end of the alphabet - is more focused on self-gratification, armed with an overblown sense of entitlement, and thus lacks the self-sacrifice and self-denial that is the basis of any truly functioning society.

I think that the elderly are more trustworthy with money... they're more frugal and tend to save more... and the young just spend it in such a way to get hooked on credit. The vote is wasted on the young too... I think I just committed auto-disenfranchisement. That's a social conscience for you!