Parsing an Ungrateful Generation

You can already tell by our title the direction this piece is going.

But it’s much more than just a bunch of selfish crybabies. Today’s story is about a fundamental shift in how the country thinks and acts, whereby we have lost another critical piece of what made us unique.

Let’s step back for a moment, and I’ll share a story highlighting the problem as I see it.

I live in a small rural county run by a five-person Board of Commissioners. Virtually every decision of consequence is made in a consensus-focused manner. During one of the recent department reports, commissioners were advised that some employees had been put on standby status in case a quick response was required to a recent cold snap. The department head acknowledged that employees would be paid if they were called to work.

But a dispute followed over whether employees should be paid for “standing by” in case of need, whether ultimately activated or not.