[quote=johnnysnow;573197]

The difference is of course the era.

Sixty years ago, an 18 year old was a man. He was expected to be hard working , responsible, and full of character. My grandfather who was part of that generation, held a full time job, while attending high school, and enlisted in the military after graduation. Today he would be considered an over achiever. Back then he was normal. Today, young people rarely have these 3 traits together, if they have them at all. To all you younger folks out there who don't think this applies to you, than maybe it doesn't. There are exceptions to every rule, and maybe your that exception, or maybe your not. I'm inclined to think as a general rule, the later is true.
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I took offense to "someone of this generation being hardworking, responsible, and full of character to be an overachiever and those three traits together being rare." Taking advice or criticism in this context is becoming a harder pill to swallow. This generation will have to learn or is learning those qualities quickly.

Your example(78) is still in the age range of many relevant figures anyway: mccain, fuld, madoff, many politicians. Saying the current group of leaders of this country wouldn't have been born in 1950 seems a little ridiculous; i can think of many prominent figures older than 59. Maybe you should take your own sage advice.