> I was thinking about that lately, I see my kids don't have this strong motivation as I had, not for anything.
> Don't know how this will affect them on the long run. Now it's only my observation.
I realize that you're only talking about your own kids, but I have a feeling that many people on here consider this to be some kind of general rule for all kids, akin to the "back in my day" rhetoric of the generations before us.
I think it's good to consider that your kids will likely live in a world where this attitude is actually a very effective one:
* Instead of spending days trying to solve some problem yourself, download an app that solves it for you in minutes.
* Instead of coming up with a very well informed opinion about everything relevant in today's politics, listen to trusted others who have taken the time to form opinions on the matter.
* Instead of trying to "earn" that promotion by working 80 hour weeks and "keeping your head down" at your office, apply for a different job elsewhere that offers better pay and work/life balance.
As most of us here are programmers, we all know the benefits of greedy algorithms vs brute-force solutions. Yes, sometimes a brute force solution can be very satisfying, but taking "smart" shortcuts in life really does pay off, whether we like it or not.
And before you tell me that I'm probably one of those millenials who doesn't do anything and thinks everything will just be handed to them: well.. yeah, that's kinda true. I've never worked at a single job for more than a year, I've never really put more effort into my education than what was strictly needed to pass (and sometimes less), and now I'm a data engineer at Apple.
There is always a generational tendency to point out that the next one has it easy or that they are weak because $OBSERVATION. I would like more folks to counter that. I’m a millennial but absolutely love how Gen Z is incredibly adept at navigating the always online culture, calling bullshit on dated traditions around work ethics and so on.
You can look at change and either pat yourself on the back for being better for having overcome challenges they didn’t have to. Or you can see what other generations bring to the table and work with that.
There is a big part of gen Z that is about working hard and grinding it out, but to grind it out on the right shit. Grind smart and hard, not just hard!
I would hate to work with a person who subscribes to these strategies. Someone who can't form their own opinion and looks for the easy way out above all else.
Suddenly anyone in the future with the ability for critical thinking and problem solving beyond "do they have an app for that?" is going to inherit the Earth.
> * Instead of trying to "earn" that promotion by working 80 hour weeks and "keeping your head down" at your office, apply for a different job elsewhere that offers better pay and work/life balance.
I think the reason the "head down" strategy doesn't work so well now is at least partially because it's still the dominant approach. Some time after it becomes the exception, it may become the path to success it once was.
> Don't know how this will affect them on the long run. Now it's only my observation.
I realize that you're only talking about your own kids, but I have a feeling that many people on here consider this to be some kind of general rule for all kids, akin to the "back in my day" rhetoric of the generations before us.
I think it's good to consider that your kids will likely live in a world where this attitude is actually a very effective one:
* Instead of spending days trying to solve some problem yourself, download an app that solves it for you in minutes.
* Instead of coming up with a very well informed opinion about everything relevant in today's politics, listen to trusted others who have taken the time to form opinions on the matter.
* Instead of trying to "earn" that promotion by working 80 hour weeks and "keeping your head down" at your office, apply for a different job elsewhere that offers better pay and work/life balance.
As most of us here are programmers, we all know the benefits of greedy algorithms vs brute-force solutions. Yes, sometimes a brute force solution can be very satisfying, but taking "smart" shortcuts in life really does pay off, whether we like it or not.
And before you tell me that I'm probably one of those millenials who doesn't do anything and thinks everything will just be handed to them: well.. yeah, that's kinda true. I've never worked at a single job for more than a year, I've never really put more effort into my education than what was strictly needed to pass (and sometimes less), and now I'm a data engineer at Apple.