2021 Mindset List

[Isgrimnur]

From Beloit College, a selection:

They are the last class to be born in the 1900s, the last of the Millennials — enter next year, on cue, Generation Z!

Electronic signatures have always been as legally binding as the pen-on-paper kind.

Peanuts comic strips have always been repeats.

The Panama Canal has always belonged to Panama and Macau has been part of China.

It is doubtful that they have ever used or heard the high-pitched whine of a dial-up modem.

They have always been searching for Pokemon.

The seat of Germany’s government has always been back in Berlin.

Ketchup has always come in green.

There has never been a sanctioned Texas A&M bonfire.

Justin Timberlake has always been a solo act.

[McNutt]

Ketchup comes in green?
Have they ever even seen catsup?

[Archinerd]

It comes in green, but is still mostly red.

[Jeff V]

It comes in green, but is still mostly red.

Is that so you can pretend it's relish when committing the cardinal sin of putting ketchup on a hot dog?

[YellowKing]

Something about these lists really annoys me.

It's as if I'm supposed to express shock and amazement that there are people younger than me. I have a 9 year old and a 6 year old. Screw green ketchup, they've never known a world without touch screens.

[Jeff V]

they've never known a world without touch screens.

My daughter is flummoxed every time she encounters a screen that doesn't respond to touch.

[YellowKing]

When they were toddlers they used to walk up to the Netflix menu on television and get mad when it wouldn't swipe.

[Archinerd]

Something about these lists really annoys me.

It's as if I'm supposed to express shock and amazement that there are people younger than me.

My coffee mug is the same age as our summer intern.

[El Guapo]

Something about these lists really annoys me.

It's as if I'm supposed to express shock and amazement that there are people younger than me. I have a 9 year old and a 6 year old. Screw green ketchup, they've never known a world without touch screens.

Plus these are all trivia. Is it supposed to be significant that there's never been a sanctioned A&M bonfire in their lifetime?

[Isgrimnur]

It is in Texas.

[El Guapo]

Also, is this generation somehow defined by Macau being part of China?

[Blackhawk]

Just yesterday I was sitting in the car at the high school, waiting to pick up the kids. I watched the young parents of the elementary school kids picking up their own kids, then had a thought:

Just a few years ago when I was picking up my kids in the elementary lot, most of these parents were the ones being picked up from the high school.

[Jeff V]

Also, is this generation somehow defined by Macau being part of China?

Must be a lack of really profound things to bring up this year.

[Jeff V]

Just yesterday I was sitting in the car at the high school, waiting to pick up the kids. I watched the young parents of the elementary school kids picking up their own kids, then had a thought:

Just a few years ago when I was picking up my kids in the elementary lot, most of these parents were the ones being picked up from the high school.

And there you have it, another for this list. Kids today don't know what it's like to walk to and from school. I never commuted to school via school bus.

[LordMortis]

Kids graduating today have no real memories of a world of music before Kanye West... for me, Kanye's contextual equivalent would Bette Middler or Marie Osmond...

[Daehawk]

Kanye has no singing talent or ability. Poor brainwashed children today.

Now get off my lawn. Move along...shoo...go on.

BTW Move Along is a good song by The All American Rejects.

[gameoverman]

When I was a kid, fighting over the remote control to the tv was a big thing. We weren't allowed to actually use the remote control for anything without permission, but we fought over who gets to hold it. The remote control was that big a deal.

It's to the point now where young people don't even watch tv. Do they even know there are 'channels'?

[LordMortis]

When I was a kid, fighting over the remote control to the tv was a big thing. We weren't allowed to actually use the remote control for anything without permission, but we fought over who gets to hold it. The remote control was that big a deal.

It's to the point now where young people don't even watch tv. Do they even know there are 'channels'?

It the remote control for our first VCR (with real wood paneling) was a big deal. I'm sure remotes existed before but it was our. However, the cord for the remote was only like eight feet long, so you couldn't use it from the far side of the living room. The remote couldn't even change channels or anything. Just play, record, pause, stop. And when it broke, if dad coudn't fix it, we'd take it to the TV repair store, and be out a VCR (or TV) for about two weeks. The good news is there was Little Caesar's next to the TV repair store, so a broken TV meant the rare rare treat of getting pizza from carry out instead of the usual home cooked meal....

This looks pretty close:

[coopasonic]

When I was a kid, fighting over the remote control to the tv was a big thing. We weren't allowed to actually use the remote control for anything without permission, but we fought over who gets to hold it. The remote control was that big a deal.

It's to the point now where young people don't even watch tv. Do they even know there are 'channels'?

Channels not so much. They browse the DVR or Netflix, but my kids do fight over the remote. He who controls Netflix controls entertainment!

[coopasonic]

And there you have it, another for this list. Kids today don't know what it's like to walk to and from school. I never commuted to school via school bus.

False. My kids and most kids in our neighborhood walk or ride their bikes to school every day same as I did at their age (when I didn't live 10 miles from the school any way).

[McNutt]

I've told my kids that we didn't have on-demand anything and to watch a movie we had to obtain a very large VHS tape. I have not told them that many people also purchased additional devices whose sole purpose was to rewind those tapes. They won't be able to wrap their heads around that one. They don't even understand how videos are stored and to them it's just magically there. The concept of tape storage will take them awhile to understand.

[Blackhawk]

It's sad that they'll never know that joy that was actual kids' TV when 90% of the time you were stuck watching Dallas, 60 Minutes, or something equally dull (especially if, like me, you weren't into sports.) TV was for adults. It made those times when shows actually made for your age group came on something you looked forward to the way you looked forward to a birthday present. Saturday mornings were the predictable one, along with the Sunday Disney movie. The really, really great ones, though, were the annual specials. The Wizard of Oz and Willy Wonka were standouts. You'd see them in the TV guide and set your week around them. Blankets on the floor, popcorn. It was an event!

Now they can just select it at will. It's meaningless as instant gratification. I'm actually sad that my kids will never experience that joy.

[Jaymann]

I have shoes that are over 40 years old.

[Jeff V]

And there you have it, another for this list. Kids today don't know what it's like to walk to and from school. I never commuted to school via school bus.

False. My kids and most kids in our neighborhood walk or ride their bikes to school every day same as I did at their age (when I didn't live 10 miles from the school any way).

I'm not even sure it's an option here. My sister's kids went to the same schools I did and parents were expected to drop them off and pick them up each and every day. My sister had to leave work on days our parents couldn't do it. Now that I live in the land of school bus pickup on every corner, I don't think I'm even allowed to let my son walk 2 blocks to the grammar school. I'll find out for sure next year.

[Kraken]

At Wife's family reunion last week they played a video from the 1993 reunion. I was wearing the same shirt. It was my best shirt 25 years ago, it's my best shirt today, and it will be my best shirt 25 years from now, if I have the misfortune to live that long.

[Alefroth]

The All American Rejects.

Who themselves suck majorly.

[GreenGoo]

I like these observations. It is fascinating and somehow puts into perspective that time keeps moving forward despite always knowing that is true.

Cel phones are science fiction. Worse, they are far more capable than even the most fevered imaginings of most sci fi writers back in the day.

Video games far surpass the sci fi RPGs written about in my teens. Hell, most of Ready Player One is not only imaginable, but just around the corner. Like, "why isn't it a thing yet?" imaginable.

But honestly I am still absolutely amazed when I look at a cel phone. Wait, let me clarify. My cel phone is a completely mundane tool I use everyday without it being noteworthy. My 15 year old self that still lives in me somewhere comes out every once in awhile, taps me on the shoulder and asks me if I understand what a completely awe inspiring gizmo I'm holding.

The internet alone changed "everything" and is continuing to do so.

[Unagi]

[GreenGoo]

Related to Blackhawk's post, Saturday morning cartoons were a thing. The Wonderful World of Disney was your Sunday night.

[Kraken]

There used to be people called reference librarians. You could dial them up and ask any question. They'd research it and get back to you. I thought that was just about the coolest job on earth.

[McNutt]

Yes, Isgrimnur is the last of a dying breed.

[Isgrimnur]

[dbt1949]

And who in the hell is Jerry Seinfeld?

[Lassr]

The new fantasy football owner in my league is 27 yrs old, and he had just started Kindergarten when his dad joined my fantasy football league.

[Jeff V]

Related to Blackhawk's post, Saturday morning cartoons were a thing. The Wonderful World of Disney was your Sunday night.

Last Saturday, my son was watching You Tube videos of kids playing with some sort of toy. "Daddy daddy, I want that!" he exclaimed.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

[El Guapo]

You know what else is shocking? People born in 2000 have never known a world in which President William Jefferson Clinton is currently in the process of being acquitted by the Senate over charges stemming from lying about an affair with Monica Lewinsky.

Makes you think, doesn't it?

[GreenGoo]

It's not the same thing. At all.

[Kelric]

My 3 year old gets SO MAD when we are someone with cable or broadcast television - she can't pick something and magically have it appear, and also there are COMMERCIALS.