Quote:
Originally Posted by KaptKaos
We infantilize our youth. They graciously accept this by not driving, going to college, living in basements in their 20s, all on their parents dime. If any of these kids HAD to work, I can bet you they'd have their license.
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I'm wondering if there are some economic factors in this - I think that fewer teens actually get jobs these days where as you can bet every one of us who has replied here had a job.
I started working to support my desires when I Was 13. Granted - I was building model airplanes and RC cars in a hobby shop but I was still working for someone else, getting paid so I could support my own desires. That hobby shop was just a few miles from my house so I rode my bike.
I ended up working in hobby shops well into my 20s supporting myself almost from when I turned 18. I needed to drive.
One of the reasons I worked in hobby shops was that I couldn't really find any other decent jobs at the time. This was the early 90s right before Clinton. The best I could do outside of the hobby shops was a freaking job at 'subway'. When I got busted for 'closing up early' (my clock said it was closing time as did the clock in the shop) I just walked out and went back to the hobby stores. Same money - much better quality of life.
These days kids into their 20s are having trouble finding jobs. I was just at a friend's son's birthday/going away party. He's going to dental school up in Seattle. He and his friends are in their mid 20s and of course they drive now but one thing that they all were complaining about was finding decent work. They almost all have 4 year degrees. Two work as nannies, one was a manager at a cold stone ice cream shop (business degree) and the others all have pretty lame jobs too.
One of my problems with driving these days is I just don't enjoy cars much anymore.
I have a beater volvo that pisses me off almost every time I drive it - a Prius which is barely a driving experience. I miss my porches but have no desire to maintain a car anymore. If we had better public transit I would use it. I let my coworkers drive us to customers - they are willing to spend the bucks on their 7 series BMWs and what not - I'm not.
Maybe that's it - the cars they would be driving pretty much suck.
I miss my 1983 Mazda B2000.