Child Abuse In Sociology

Elizabeth Karel
8/20/2015
Sociology
Research Paper
STOP PRAISE!
“No one looks the way I do. I have noticed that it’s true. No one walks the way I walk. No one talks the way I talk. No one plays the way I play. No one says the things I say. I am special. I am me.” This once popular and seemingly innocent nursery rhyme that young children sang in school was once thought to promote self-esteem and pretend to place a value on diversity. Instead these nursery rhymes promote a sense of entitlement and that the world is all about them. Members of Generation Y, or people born between the years 1982-2000 are being accused of being the “all about me generation,” the psychologists are not far off point.
“Everyone did such a great job!” “You are going

to be a member of the NFL!” “This picture is next to a Picasso!” Our generation is brought up with the notion that when our skills are just forming that we are already the next Michael Jordan, or some other fabulous anomaly. It takes eighteen hundred hours to master a skill (source). Something Gen Y kids do not understand. It’s the techno era, an age of instant gratification except when it comes to hard work.
When examining students school work from the generation that predates 1979 it is apparent that the quality of work has fallen making our parents and even grandparents “C” level work our “A” level work, which in turn means that our “C” level work is our elders “F” level work.

We are a generation that is failing but remarketing it as above average intelligence. This is causing a narcissistic epidemic that starts off in young adolescents and leads well into adulthood. The now grown up members of generation Y have entered the job field, and feel entitled to more than an entry level position, they are not willing to put in the hours and hard work to climb the corporate ladder. This has led to a very lazy generation who wants what they want, and wants it now, this national issue can be remedied with two things, accountability, and less praise when nothing is deserved. One thing that Generation Y members are good at is selling themselves. We are a generation that has seen nothing but advertisements flash across the television screen. We even watch people sell themselves. The Kardashian’s are a household name, they worked to sell themselves and become a billion dollar franchise. E! Proliferates the ideals that one can create a sex tape and in a few years have a million dollar business. We learn to sell everything including

ourselves.
As of the year 2000 a sports team that does not give out participatory trophies is unheard of. Everyone gets a trophy even if the where a self-proclaimed bench warmer. From a young age those in Generation Y have been subconsciously taught that they will be rewarded for just showing up. A father tells his son that he will be a part of the NFL, or at least play ball in college on full scholarship upon him getting his first football. Subconsciously the child receives this as praise and thus starts the notion that this nobody child feels he is entitled to what his dad says. This behavior continues not only in sports but in band, art, and academics. Is our generation really going to lead the next into forgetting what hard work means? Or better yet what if feels like? Praise addiction gets us while we are young. I can recall a moment when I scrambled just hours before to get a science fair project together and received not only a participation ribbon, but a future scientist medal, both of which everyone got. My parents then praised me even more by taking me out to dinner to celebrate my less than obvious victory. I did not do anything special I did not earn the ribbons or recognition, but yet people paraded around me congratulating me for nothing. Child psychologist Dr. Linda Sapadin calls the constant stream of praise “A runaway inflation of speech. No girl is pretty: she’s drop dead gorgeous. That guy is a genius (not merely bright). Dr. Sapadin continues to say the word “nice” and “okay” is a put-down.” It’s becoming increasingly obvious that average isn't good enough, but our generation does not put in the hours necessary to be above average.
This attitude has trickled down into our education system. Teachers are being held more accountable for grades, than the students. Parents yell and scream at an F but to the teacher not the student. Grades have been inflated over the past twenty years from kindergarten to college, across the board what is now deemed “C” level work was once “F” material. Dare I question what the now “F” work is? Their less and admirable sense of entitlement has also brought forth a lack of responsibility for their actions, and mistakes. Its seemingly obvious that Generation Y lacks the ability to own up to ones mistakes. Is it because this generation does not know how to admit they where wrong? Or is it because they simply do not care.
“If it is not screaming at you on Facebook then no one will care” says Dr.

Twenge of San Diego State University. She means that if it isn't at least in the peripherals of your social life than why bother to care? If an incident does not directly affect a member of the Generation Y its easy to say that they simply do not, and will not care. Studies of generation Y members have been conducted and shown that the closer our birth years crept to the new millennium an increase in narcissism has risen. Dr. Twenge of studied more than sixteen-thousand students who took the Narcissistic Personality Inventory between 1982 and 2006. Those born in 1982, only had a third of the students score above average on the test. Today that number is over 65%. Narcissism doesn't stop at only caring about yourself it digs even deeper than that. The all about me generation of egomaniacs overreact to criticism, and favor themselves over others. They are incapable of cheering anyone else’s success. Ultimately, these members of society lead miserable lives because they cannot form and maintain healthy

relationships.
Perhaps it is too late for Generation Y, but not for the generations ahead. We can stop this Narcissism epidemic, by stopping unnecessary praise, an action that will be fairly easy for the overly conceited as they do not like to compliment others highly. Get involved in projects outside of comfortable social scenes, turn on the news and shut off the social media. Hit the books and actually earn that trophy. Gen Y can try to reverse the lack of accountability by admitting when they are wrong. As they continue to grow up and leave their mark on the world that population can decide how we as a generation will write our history.
Generation Y is not completely full of useless narcissist's and praise addicts there are a few redeeming qualities. Generation Y is 45% more likely to continue through high school and get some sort of higher education. The millennial babies are the most adept to change, this has a to do with how fast technologies are and have been changing throughout this generation. There also an upside for those with narcissistic tendinitises, they are achievement oriented. Although not always wanting to put in the hours it takes to reach a goal. The bottom line there is always something devastatingly wrong with a generation,(generation X was full of workaholics that gave birth to a generation of latch key kids, who in turn gave birth to Generation Y).
In the early 80's self esteem was pushed. Slogans and catch phrases like “Be you.” and “Be yourself because everyone else is already taken” where popularized and from this was born Generation Y. A highly confident, overachieving group of borderline narcissistic, entitled youths. People born between the years of 1982 and the early 2000's are often referred to as the “All about me generation.” We have become a generation of lazy praise addicts who expect reward for little to no effort. Decline in school productivity with a lack of accountability. At some point this generation is going to have to wake up and realize that not all of them are going to get a scholarship to play football for participating. Or go off and become big and successful without working for it. Generation Y may want what they want and