Talkin' bout your generation*

Sophie Cunningham over at the Meanjin blog has a short yet thought-provoking post highlighting the way the media often attack young people, just because they are, well, not as aged. She's talking about the mockery in the media aimed at 20-somethings holding important and powerful positions, but it's just as common to find newspapers scolding the 'yoof' of today - who sponge off their parents, beat people up, lack loyalty, read improperly, or have loose morals of one kind or another.

The Gen Y scorn seems to be out of hand. Sing it with me: unfocussed, selfish, flighty, irresponsible, tech-obsessed and above all else ADDICTED TO SOCIAL NETWORKING. OH MY STARS, THE WORLD IS COMING TO AN END. If a day goes by without the BIG paper publishing an article about Twitter I will fall through the floor in surprise. If they publish a POSITIVE article about Twitter, I will fall through the roof!

And who is doling out the derision? One can only assume it's the youth of yesterday, who weren't very impressed when it was done to them. (Stick it to the man, man.)

In our experience, it's not just the young people themselves who cop it. I doubt whether there is a person in the House of Onion working on books for young people who has not been asked by some well-meaning friend or family member when they are going to be promoted to work on adult books. As if there is something inherently better, more meaningful, more important and more fulfilling about working on books for adults. To which we say...

GNNNARRRRRRR

While we are wailing and gnashing our teeth, perhaps you could read Kirsty Murray's musing on this topic from the point of view of the author. Her post is thoughtful, erudite and funny - probably because she lives in a house full of the YOUTH OF TODAY.

* sadly, this post contains no traces of Shaun Micallef