It’s a generational thing rant.

[user 37518]

Would it be better if they'd want to be a fireman?

Yes. The world doesn't need more YouTube/TikTok influencers doing viral dances or lip-syncing to a song.

 

[cyrano]

I'm wondering. Did you ever take a look at Youtube? Or is this all based on what you've heard about TikTok?

There's a lot of goofy stuff. But there's also pearls. Just like TV. Only difference, anyone can make a vid. Should I quote Einstein? Although, it seems Einstein never said that...

 

[user 37518]

I'm wondering. Did you ever take a look at Youtube? Or is this all based on what you've heard about TikTok?

There's a lot of goofy stuff. But there's also pearls. Just like TV. Only difference, anyone can make a vid. Should I quote Einstein? Although, it seems Einstein never said that...

There are great things on YouTube, I pay for the Premium subscription so I can filter all the garbage. But that is a fact: the majority is garbage.

I am sure that when these kids say the want to be a YouTube influencer, most are not referring to the Veritasium guy who has a PhD in physics, or the Numberphile personalities with PhDs in math.

 

[sahib]

Why's that sad? A while back, "professional game tester" was very high on the list. Some have that job and have learned it's a job. Not a dream. Would it be better if they'd want to be a fireman?

This suggests that a fireman has lesser importance than a computer game tester.

What benefit a computer game and its tester offer to common good?

But a fireman?

 

[Dreams]

I remember reading somewhere or maybe I watched it a video, that around 50% of kids these days claim that they would like to be "professional" YouTubers. Sad times indeed

Yeah sad times indeed. Whenever a 5 year old tells me he wants to be an astronaut i laugh i their stupid FUCKING FACE. Don't they know how much training and physical endurance that takes? Can't believe kids these days would be so fucking stupid

 

[Dreams]

And can you believe: some of them even want to be ROCK STARS. Fucking idiots. They should study accounting

 

[Dreams]

No clearer indication that someone is spewing nonsense then when they start talking about "kids these days" as if kids weren't always and will always be like that

 

[Dreams]

"Why aren't kids interested in the thing I'm interested in" hmm maybe they don't have anyone to look up to who won't condescend at them all the fucking time

 

[Dreams]

I realize none of us are the most social creatures on earth but putting these complaints out there like this helps no one; just old men misremembering what things used to be like

 

[Dreams]

If you're under 30 and reading this, don't give up, we aren't all like this

 

[scott2000]

But there's also pearls

For sure has saved me loads of time and money on more than one occasion. The time may be closer to a wash when I get stuck watching some stuff though...lol

 

[cyrano]

This suggests that a fireman has lesser importance than a computer game tester.

What benefit a computer game and its tester offer to common good?

But a fireman?

Why would it suggest that?

My kids dream profession when I was six, was being a garbage collector. When I was twelve, it was more like "something with computers". Now I do both, in a way.

Also, I don't measure a job's importance in that way. To me, they're all equally important. So, the most important is the garabge man, to me.

 

[cyrano]

There are great things on YouTube, I pay for the Premium subscription so I can filter all the garbage. But that is a fact: the majority is garbage.

I am sure that when these kids say the want to be a YouTube influencer, most are not referring to the Veritasium guy who has a PhD in physics, or the Numberphile personalities with PhDs in math.

So it's always OK if you have a phd? Or if you're smart?

I don't think I follow one channel made by someone with a phd. Am I missing out?

 

[AnalogPackrat]

I remember reading somewhere or maybe I watched it a video, that around 50% of kids these days claim that they would like to be "professional" YouTubers. Sad times indeed

Perhaps the study referred to herein...

https://www.vox.com/the-goods/2022/8/31/23328677/kid-influencer-ryans-world-ellie-zeiler
Which includes adults into their 30s.

 

[MicMaven]

I don't think I follow one channel made by someone with a phd. Am I missing out?

Yes, I think so. There are some really well informed, well documented commenters with solid foundation and background who are worth their salt. I prefer them to the inexperienced, poorly educated younger pundits offering a WAG and mere opinions which are poorly supported and documented by research or facts. It all depends on who you believe is worth listening to. While no guaranty they are correct in all matters, I prefer those with better experience and education than poorly experienced, privileged kids pontificating from a bedroom in their Moms' houses. It turns on levels of credibility, and not everyone is equally qualified as an expert witness. Having an opinion is not enough, it should be well founded and backed by fact.

I also believe producing more firemen, farmers, manufacturers, engineers, and builders of economic infrastructure is preferred to producing more YouTube advertising "influencers" talking about what headphone or microphone is best for producing another senseless video. I am amazed how many real jobs making real products have been lost to other concerns, while young people are living in their parents' homes making videos "for a living." As a professional whose career was in another field, I watched whole industries die and dissolve in Bankruptcy Court, while thousands of employees were left to fend for themselves. I prefer those jobs to producing more YouTubers chattering with little world experience from their bedrooms, as if every opinion was created equal.

A fundamental basis of wealth and expansion of wealth in any economy is the production of goods. Now, I do NOT begrudge the rest of the world for getting in the game - that was inevitable and will redound to the benefit of the larger world community. And yet, I believe there IS greater value in engineering and providing essential services and infrastructure than endlessly droning on and on about what $40-60 headphone or what $25 -$100 microphone is "best" for producing more unnecessary YouTube reviews of other headphones and microphones. So, yeah, I prefer we produce more farmers, engineers, manufacturers, and productive occupations over more kids pitching products hoping to be the next Ron Popiel selling junk on the Internet.

But that is just MY take ... your mileage may differ. James

 

[AnalogPackrat]

If you're under 30 and reading this, don't give up, we aren't all like this

Done ranting? If you read the actual study it indicates that 54% of people from children to adults aged 38 want to be an "influencer." Something is broken.

For the record, up until about age 8 I wanted to be a garbage man (much to my parents' embarrassment). When an adult would ask what I wanted to be when I grew up they sometimes followed up with "why?" to which I replied "so I can get all of the good stuff people throw away." So why do so many people under 38 want to be "influencers?" Sounds like narcissism to me.

 

[AnalogPackrat]

So it's always OK if you have a phd? Or if you're smart?

Or have actual experience. Yes.

I don't think I follow one channel made by someone with a phd. Am I missing out?

No. Most of what I watch are auto and tractor maintenance and repair videos, home repair/maintenance, guitar lessons, pedal reviews, tool tests/reviews, long form political/social discussion and interviews, historical commentary, and some "live" music. I have seen quite a few really bad videos. With a functioning BS meter these are usually easy to detect and ignore. But not everyone has a BS meter, especially kids in their 20s and younger.

 

[MicMaven]

For the record, up until about age 8 I wanted to be a garbage man (much to my parents' embarrassment).

I did, too. My mom was a school teacher and was cool about it. She told me later, as an adult, she understood I wanted to be like our trash man, Mr. Defouw, because he was a hard worker and a polite, pleasant man to know. She endorsed and promoted these qualities as they are good qualities to have. After obtaining a doctorate level degree, and pursuing a career as a licensed professional, I am convinced it would have been more lucrative removing refuse and easier to actually collect trash removal fees than try to collect my professional fees from recalcitrant clients! So, you were not alone in your particular career aspiration, and there is nothing wrong with earing a living through hard work. I told many clients to stop describing their occopation as "factory rat" because manufacturing and making things is a noble and necessary occupation which expands wealth in the economy - much more than my providing a "service" and deriving (leeching) my income from theirs. James

 

[jabe]

The study just says "54% would become an influencer, given the opportunity," which no kidding. If 20 years ago you'd asked the under-40 crowd if they'd rather be successful and famous rather than working their crappy jobs, the numbers would be at least as high, and it's not like jobs are more rewarding these days. It doesn't mean The Youths have no other interests, they just aren't idiots.
In my experience the current crop of young people have much better BS detectors than the Boomers do.

 

[cyrano]

I also believe producing more firemen, farmers, manufacturers, engineers, and builders of economic infrastructure is preferred to producing more YouTube advertising "influencers" talking about what headphone or microphone is best for producing another senseless video.

That sounds a lot like Chinese communism, or Japanese fascism to me. You don't "produce" the kind of people someone would like. Education should aim at getting the best for the pupil, not for the parents, or, worse, the government.

I am amazed how many real jobs making real products have been lost to other concerns, while young people are living in their parents' homes making videos "for a living." As a professional whose career was in another field, I watched whole industries die and dissolve in Bankruptcy Court, while thousands of employees were left to fend for themselves. I prefer those jobs to producing more YouTubers chattering with little world experience from their bedrooms, as if every opinion was created equal.

That the west lost it's manufacturing isn't due to a lack of trained people. It's simply due to capitalism.

A fundamental basis of wealth and expansion of wealth in any economy is the production of goods. Now, I do NOT begrudge the rest of the world for getting in the game - that was inevitable and will redound to the benefit of the larger world community. And yet, I believe there IS greater value in engineering and providing essential services and infrastructure than endlessly droning on and on about what $40-60 headphone or what $25 -$100 microphone is "best" for producing more unnecessary YouTube reviews of other headphones and microphones. So, yeah, I prefer we produce more farmers, engineers, manufacturers, and productive occupations over more kids pitching products hoping to be the next Ron Popiel selling junk on the Internet.

But that is just MY take ... your mileage may differ. James

I'm not gonna tell you that's wrong. Just a reminder: the majority of people learn some trade or skill in school and then go on to do something completely different in their later professional life. Besides, you can't plan for new needs. When the IT industry was born, there were no schools for programmers. Nor for computer designers.

What I think is important for a general preparation into a meaningful job, is math. Second are languages. All the rest is optional, really. Maybe I've seen one too many attempts at "producing" the right people for the job.

A few of the programmers I used to work with, had arts training. One other was a butcher.

I was wrong, I follow a few channels made by someone with a phd. But I hadn't even noticed. Besides, most of the interesting ones are made by someone who is passionate about the subject. And that's all it takes. You learn along the way.

Up until a few months ago, I managed a team of "gardeners" amongst other things. In quotes, cause none of them had the training. Also, there were about a dozen different languages spoken and maybe twenty nationalities in total. Nobody seemed able to get that to work. All it needed was for the "management" to get to know their workers. Once you know them, you find out what drives them. A bit hard if you can't talk to them. A few of them were capable of expressing themselves in English, but they hid it. Afraid of responsibility without reward.