Attorney Michael de Broglio on: South Africa, Law, Politics, Attorneys, Sport, Photography, Technology, Gadgets, Media, Crime, Road Accidents Fund,
Divorce, Maintenance, Personal Injury, Medical Negligence
I know that we are bringing up a generation of youth at the moment who believe that they are entitled to everything. I am not saying they are not entitled to a good education and all sorts of other things, and maybe it is not just a privilege, but it would be nice if we could teach them some manners. There is nothing wrong with saying “thank you” for everything somebody does for you and that includes the things you feel you are “entitled to”.
I really worry about the people coming out of University at the moment - I can see it in the people I hire, I can see it in candidate attorneys and there is just not the same attitude to work there was 20 years ago. That is not to say that I don’t have some gems in my office who, despite not having gone to University, know how to work hard, but it is amazing how many would-be attorneys consider that the day starts at 8.30am and finishes at 5pm and it means nothing to swop your articles and go from one firm to another or just move cities, etc. Many years ago, you would never think of doing that, apart from the fact that invariably it means starting one’s articles again, or which means a loss of earnings at the end of your career of one or sometimes two years. Today’s would-be young attorneys don’t seem to really mind that – as long as they can play around for a little bit longer, or chase their latest boyfriend to wherever he is moving, etc. The career takes last place and I don’t have a problem with that – as long as people with that approach don’t complain one day as to how they got unlucky in life and things never worked out. All the usual excuses – “my boss never recognized me”, “my parents never left me any money” etc . I honestly believe that you get what you work for and if you don’t take your job seriously you will pay the price for that one way or another later. Don’t make excuses later – take responsibility for your own life.
I have changed the topic of this blog a little bit by writing it, but it does start with people not thanking their parents for University, not thanking people for what is done for them and thinking they are absolutely entitled to everything - entitled to the good life and constant self-gratification without having to put in the hard work. We can at least teach the new generation, if they cannot put in the hard work, to at least learn to say “thank you”?
Posted by Michael de Broglio on Monday 10-Apr-17
Post a Comment
Comments
Suzanne said:
on Wednesday 03-May-17 01:23 PM
I agree with this whole heartedly - although I am also still in my 20's, I do think that the youngsters of today do not have what it takes to work hard and achieve their goals and are definitely very ungrateful - demanding things without working for it.
Jessica M said:
on Wednesday 03-May-17 01:05 PM
Well my kids will learn that in life there is no such thing as FREE. They will work hard and be motivated in what they do. The problem of now and back then is that now parents give everything to their children without them having to work for it. It is a huge problem as when they do start working they will expect the same treatment. I worry about this with my kid's but will also try to teach them that life is not like that, you will have to work hard for what you want. No one is just going to give it to you.
Cornelie said:
on Wednesday 03-May-17 12:48 PM
I have noted these days the youth only expect from you to perform miracles instead of being crateful for the little things in live.
Brenda van den Bergh said:
on Wednesday 03-May-17 12:42 PM
Everything you achieve or receive is a result of something you work for. No one is entitled to anything to be handed to them on a silver platter. If you want something, work for it. The only way someone will be "entitled" to a great education is if that person has worked really hard to receive it. The problem with society today is that are too many chiefs and too little Indians. Everyone wants the best, but they are not willing to work hard for it.
Clare said:
on Wednesday 03-May-17 12:40 PM
I take my hat off to the people who have had to work and I also agree, the new generation have no manners at all. But I blame parents as well because they don't teach there Kids.
Dune said:
on Monday 24-Apr-17 09:29 AM
It seems like the new generation only expects to receive and does not expect to give. It is sad to see that everything is given to the youth of today and that they do not comprehend what it entails to work to achieve your goals because everything is handed to them on a silver platter. If you are not willing to put in the extra effort and to take the initiative to do things yourself instead of waiting on others to do it for you then you should not expect to be the best you can be. Be grateful, be humble, have respect for other and they will respect you, put in the extra hours extra effort and take action rather sooner than later and it will most definitely pay off in the future.
Helen said:
on Friday 21-Apr-17 04:51 PM
It is very sad topic to talk about, and I am very surprised to read some comments below as well, because not often you will hear "Hi" or "Thank you" from some staff in the office. Today's generation is very demanding and not grateful at all, but life will teach them to start respect and be thankful for what they are getting!
tersia said:
on Friday 21-Apr-17 08:45 AM
I agree, the new generation have no manners at all. They are always trying to get things easy and it must always go their way. The problem with them these days are also that then they see "O this isn't working" they will rather give up and move along. In the old days you don't just give up, you work a little harder, try a different approach. Someone should teach them that mentality as well.
Melissa van Tellingen said:
on Thursday 20-Apr-17 05:32 PM
I agree with Anna however I believe like everything in life there has to be a balance. Of course we all want to be the best in our careers but we must have a balance in your personal life as well. I for one are one of the first of my family to go to varsity and get a degree so I am truly greatful for the opportunity I got to study law. My parents have given me an opportunity to achieve more in life and for that I will never say sorry. I am truly blessed and I could never have said thank yiu enough to my parents.
Liz said:
on Thursday 20-Apr-17 05:21 PM
Being granted the privilege of studying is just that- a privilege, and the youth of today, of which I form part, should realise that. It is alarming that most young people today believe that they can climb the professional ranks and not put in very needed hard work and dedication.
brumilde said:
on Thursday 20-Apr-17 10:53 AM
true words but unfortunately each to his own as they say, you dont know the full extent of someones personal life, and im sure most people like to keep their social and personal lives separated . but manners costs nothing. and a thank you not only shows you appreciate what you receive but shows you are humble.
Lucretia said:
on Wednesday 19-Apr-17 10:19 AM
This is a very sad topic, one hears on a daily basis peoples believe to "their" entitlement. The sad thing is, it is not only the youth of today, I have come across people in their 30's who you give something to and they don't say thank you, why, because they are spoilt and have no manners. When that happens, i make a mental note never to give them anything again............sad but true.
Ashleigh said:
on Thursday 13-Apr-17 05:03 PM
Nowadays society seems to be ungrateful for a lot of things. Its not known to be thankful and appreciative for the things that we do have. It does boil down to Manners and being spoilt I believe. Some people have had everything handed to them on a silver platter growing up and these same people still expect it in life.
Anna said:
on Thursday 13-Apr-17 02:40 PM
Interesting topic! One on which I have plenty to say....besides having manners if you want to have a place in a professional world, whether you are male or female, you set the ground work for what you reap in your 30s and 40s by what you sow in your 20s. If you have a great work ethic, inquiring mind, stamina and a thirst to succeed you should be on track to have a sterling career however if you are lazy. a clock watcher and have a dreadful sense of entitlement I can assure you that any success that you do eventually have, will not feel half as deserved and will probably not reach the same heights as your more hungry counterparts.
When I did my articles and I'm certain it was the same for you Michael, my focus was solely on completing by articles and qualifying as an attorney and starting to climb the ladder of becoming the best attorney I could be. I had a serious boyfriend at that stage but any thought of engagement, marriage, children, travelling the world and buying fancy things was firmly on the back burner until such time as I had established myself. There is so much time to incorporate every other dimension of grown up life into your life however the foundation for your career needs to be laid as quickly and as efficiently as possible.
Regarding manners, I've sadly found that they are a thing of the past as is respect. Why should anyone have manners or respect for other people or in situations if they are entitled to whatever it is they believe is their right?
Lourien said:
on Wednesday 12-Apr-17 09:39 AM
Thank you is one of the first things people learn when they grow up, but somewhere people just stop saying thank you and stop showing appreciation or gratitude. Its moral values that one should follow, saying thank you and respecting other people. I am a firm believer of what you put in is what you get out, you need to work hard and you need to be able to give your very best. Unfortunately everything is taken for granted these days.
Henrietta said:
on Tuesday 11-Apr-17 02:56 PM
Entitled to or not, you are not too good to say thank you. If I look at some of the kids today and their manners I have to say that should that be me with my parent I would have gotten punished. Nothing in life is expected, it’s a privilege if your parents can afford for you to study further, and being an employee today and working hard for the things in my life I have more respect for my parent for doing the same and bring us up. Nothing should be taken for granted.
Michelle said:
on Tuesday 11-Apr-17 02:29 PM
I can’t believe that I'm still shock if people sometimes don't say thank you or ask please. Manners start from parents, if they don't teach you manners you won’t have them. It is true that our generation have fewer manners than before but I think it is because they just expect to get and not work for what they have. I will most definitely do my best to learn my son manners so that history won’t repeat itself.
Joyce said:
on Tuesday 11-Apr-17 11:37 AM
I think to not have manners is a disgrace. I think it is so important to say “thank you”. I think to say "thank you" means a lot (respect to the person giving, gratefulness and appreciation).Even if I was to be told that I am "entitled to" I would still say "thank you".
Thabitha said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 05:09 PM
It is the sad truth that in life if you don't take anything seriously you will pay the price at the end, hard work pays and people must learn that if you didn't work hard for something you are not entitled for it.
Bianca said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 04:25 PM
There is absolutely nothing more unattractive that someone who does not have manners, it is something I see ever so often, unfortunately in the "youth of today." I am talking about children (ages 6 - 15) and not so much adults. I actually had a similar conversation this weekend about how most not all children being raised presently are being parented in such a different way to the way I was. Manners are in some cases non-existent and it's incredibly disturbing. I am extremely grateful that I was taught manners from a very early age and it is something that is very valuable to me.
Prishani said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 04:21 PM
I consider myself very fortunate that I had the opportunity to go to university and study something that I was always passionate about. I know that my parents had to work ten times harder and put in many hours of overtime just so I could go to university. It is definitely something I do not take for granted. My career is also very important to me and after all the years of studying it is definitely not something that I would just push aside. I must say that nothing else infuriates me more than an ungrateful person! I am a firm believer that hard work is the only way you achieve results.
Angelique P said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 03:09 PM
It's sad that people these days feels like the world owns them everything. You have to work hard to come out on top. You can't expect that everything must go your way if you are not willing to work for it. I think if you have manners to say please and thank you will make a big difference.
Angelique Jurgens said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 02:40 PM
I must agree and there is no reason to be self-entitled - it will get you nowhere. I use to always be upset that my mom couldn't afford for me to study full time.I quickly realised that with a job you can study at UNISA and pay for your degree, even if it meant taking less subjects and completing your degree later. I registered and at one point I was constantly broke paying off school fees, textbooks and unpaid/annaul days I would need to take off to study or write exams while my friends either studied full time paid by their parents or were able to use their salaries to "enjoy life". My personal fav saying is "You gotta do what you HAVE to do before you can do what you want to do - Its called priorities". My mom taught me that you can't blame anyone but yourself for your future - I am glad she didn't pay for my studies because I worked extra hard - I made sure not to fail subjects - or I would have to pay for supplementary exams etc. She definitely helped me by sometimes letting me skip rent, paying my medical aid etc and it definitely has taught me a lot. People who are privileged enough to have studies paid for them have no idea how lucky they are but should not feel self-entitled but rather grateful. I would rather say thank you ad nauseam than ever come across as ungrateful. It is never too late to change your attitude or work ethic.
Jadine Richards said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 01:41 PM
Tertiary education should always be viewed as a privilege. This is something I have believed for a while now. If it is not viewed as such ,then it will be taken advantage of and abused. In South Africa in particular the school/university leavers at the moment have a heightened sense of entitlement. Whether this is due to SA's Apartheid legacy or to a general change in the youths mindset I am not sure. However, I am sure that it is an alarming problem which has far reaching consequences not only for the individual but for the country as a whole.
Juliet said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 12:59 PM
I think people who are self-entitled are very ignorant of the big, real world. But will they ever become aware of how things are? With so many different types of people in this world I think some people will never change or improve themselves.
Daniella said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 12:14 PM
What you hand out is what you receive, if you don't work hard you wont get anywhere. My mother has also taught us that we are only entitled to the things we work hard for. Otherwise what is the point.
Mathilda said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 11:58 AM
My parents were very strict and they always said we should say thank you with every opportunity even if it’s to something very small and had to be done
They always said to be humble and never think you are better than anyone
I totally agree with this blog and even with my generation most of them can't say thank you and just think they are entitled to everything that comes their way
But these types of people will learn a hard lesson one day that good manners and hard work pays off
Jolene said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 11:45 AM
Every generation will say the same thing about their youth, they have it easy, they are not thankful, they don’t have respect, they don’t know what hard work is etc. it has been like that for generations and will be like that for many more to come. When we are older we will think the same thing about our youth. In the end the ones who work hard will make it and the ones who doesn’t wont.
Melissa said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 11:30 AM
People that think they are entitled to everything or that the world owes them something, they are absolute brats. They need to realise that this is the real world now and no one is going to spoon feed you. You must always give your best everyday to achieve your goal and become successful. A person have to be grateful for what others did for you in the past or what they are doing now.
Nina said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 10:03 AM
I believe that you have to work hard if you want to achieve something in life. Nothing comes easy. I always make sure that what needs to be done is done before I leave the office and I would gladly stay an hour or two longer or come in earlier if there is more work to do. I agree that the youth are more spoiled these days but I think it is all about how much you appreciate it and you need to prove that by also bringing your part.
Alexis said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 09:14 AM
That is by far the most important thing to teach a person. Manners will get you a long way in this world.
david said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 09:05 AM
for the most part, the youth of today have no idea what hard work is.
Zindy said:
on Monday 10-Apr-17 08:42 AM
So true, not everyone has had the privilege of a paid further education and rather had to jump straight into a job after high school, but I can imagine the satisfaction and discipline of perusing and paying for your own studies to still achieve a higher qualification. I take my hat off to the people who have had to work so that they are able to pay for their own studies. With a few people I know, their parents sent them to study a field perhaps they specialize in and their children land up doing something completely different . They always say if you enjoy what you do and you will never work a day in your life. So I think before jumping into university or studying further just be sure that is what you really want to do.
Johannesburg based attorney specializing in personal injury matters including Road Accident Fund claims and medical negligence matters. My interests include golf, reading and the internet and the way it is constantly developing. I have a passion for life and a desire for less stress!
