Why?

[Pony Soldier]

I finished harrowing a field today in preparation for seeding this week or next. As I went around and around, I watched my neighbor digging up stumps with a backhoe.

My wife spent the day staining the wood ceiling on the porch. After the field I spent an hour welding my harrow back together.

At 5 we broke for a rest before dinner. I'm 73. My wife is 71. My neighbor is nearly 80. Labor day to me has always been a day of 'labor'.

I watch a lot of young peaple drive by on the way to the lake. When all of us old farts tip over, will productivity end?

 

[PredatoronthePrairie]

U due u.

At 73 I'm sure your not working a 9-5 anymore in retirement...

Have all day to get what ever u can dream up done. On the other hand there are others that im sure don't have that luxury.

 

[Soj51hopeful]

I wonder what the generation before you said about you.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I farm between consulting jobs. Except during hunting season when I hunt every day.

You have to have a freezer full to last a winter.

As to previous generations, my father maintained his practice into his 80s and my grandfather was an engineer for the Milwaukee railroad for 48 years. I guess work is in my blood.

 

[wapitibob]

If I wanted to work 7 days/week I’d have bought a log truck.
As far as productivity, that went right in the chitter with the computer and cell phone.

 

[180ls1]

Nah.

Lets not pretend your age group wasn't a bunch of drugged up useless hippies for a good while.

 

[Nightstandx]

I wonder what the generation before you said about you.

they defiantly did, the coming generation thinks we failed and our generation thinks there are doomed.

 

[isItFallYet]

Lots of hate already. I’m 40, but recognize that there’s a difference throughout generations. Not all, but imo most, don’t have the patience or wherewithal to match that of our previous generations. I, for one, am hats off to the generations before, that have worked to build this country. Obviously, there are exclusions, but I’d like to say thank you to the men that have worked hard and have made it a staple that hard work and perseverance is what is necessary to be successful.

 

[isItFallYet]

Nah.

Lets not pretend your age group wasn't a bunch of drugged up useless hippies for a good while.

Read a history book. Ever heard of WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam? I’m an IQ and Af Marine vet and we have nothing on the previous generations. Just my opinion. If anything, just like the generations before you old guys, we owe it to you, to keep carrying the torch and remembering how we got here.

Some of us are proud of you.

 

[The_Jim]

Boomers can talk crap all day about younger generations being lazy, but you raised us…

We’ve hired a few 20 year olds and honestly many of these kids had no father figure or any sort of direction or discipline in their life. You give them and chance and treat them with a little respect and you’d be surprised how hard they are willing to work.

 

[180ls1]

Read a history book. Ever heard of WW1, WW2, Korea, Vietnam? I’m an IQ and Af Marine vet and we have nothing on the previous generations. Just my opinion. If anything, just like the generations before you old guys, we owe it to you, to keep carrying the torch and remembering how we got here.

Some of us are proud of you.

I totally forgot about the pivotal role the hippie era (born around late 40s and early 50s) played in WW1 and WW2.

 

[TaperPin]

I think the easier a generation has it the more they tend to say, “ I’d rather be happy than work all the time.” And all that BS.

Too often I see great parents try to give kids more than they had, essentially everything they need to do anything they want, only to be gifted lazy young adults who struggle to be productive members of society. Life is easy so they don’t have to work hard. Hard work isn’t fun, so it must be bad.

On top of that, drug use is seen as no big deal - all the cool kids do it. Most grow up and out of it, but the drugs today drag down more than the old drugs did.

Who ever said life was easy lied to them. If we make it look easy that’s only because the duck’s feet are moving like crazy under the surface. Poor work ethic will catch up with them, as unfortunate as it is, and that’s ok - if a generation has to fall on their faces, at least their kids will experience the struggle and do better.

 

[cnelk]

Memorial Day Weekend & Labor Day Weekend are 'Amateur Weekends'.

 

[Bugger]

Your incorrect interpretation of a federal holiday has nothing to do with a stranger’s contribution to society. Boomers like to say all the younger generation does is sit around and complain on the internet, yet that guy was driving his family to the lake to have a good time and here you are…

 

[The_Jim]

Memorial Day Weekend & Labor Day Weekend are 'Amateur Weekends'.

I've had to work both of those weekend for probably the last 10 years and always thought the same thing. I'm not so sure after taking both of them off this year.

Memorial weekend I took my family to the Black Hills and had no problem finding a campsite when we got there around 6PM. There were open sites in the campground all weekend and there was much less traffic than mid-summer and Custer State park didn't seem crowded at all.

This Labor Day weekend our family canoed the Niobrara river in Nebraska. Its usually PACKED with drunken tubers in the summer. We had the river to ourselves the first 3.5 hours and only passed a few groups of tubes the last hour. We camped at a lake in the sandhills and basically had the campground to ourselves. 1 group of archery hunters and 2 other groups that were fishing...

I think the easier a generation has it the more they tend to say, “ I’d rather be happy than work all the time.” And all that BS.

And the people that buy into that BS are ironically the most unhappy people you'll meet

 

[TaperPin]

And the people that buy into that BS are ironically the most unhappy people you'll meet

Yes, we know a young guy who tries to argue he’s much happier making less money than anyone he knows, yet his friends seem pretty happy working full time and being able to drive reliable cars and buy a house for the same cash flow as over priced rent combined with pet rent and deposits.

 

[180ls1]

On top of that, drug use is seen as no big deal - all the cool kids do it. Most grow up and out of it, but the drugs today drag down more than the old drugs did.

A little data on drug use and hours worked to enrich the discussion.

 

[IdahoBeav]

We like to recreate with our kids after we finish 50+ hour work weeks, which pay for your SSI benefits.

 

[TaperPin]

A little data on drug use and hours worked to enrich the discussion.


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Both my careers were heavily involved with young guys in their 20’s - there’s no comparison between guys 30 years ago and today. Not even close. A lot of kids aren’t even getting their drivers licenses until out of high school - that boggles my mind.

I feel bad for young guys today - if they are interested in something big, they day dream about doing it while playing video games, or get on forums and learn all about it, then no action, rather than doing it. An entire generation feels like picking orders at a warehouse is a good job.

 

[Marshfly]

It's so funny listening to people that can't comprehend you can be "productive" from your computer or phone. So quaint.

Heck, I have done my "job" from a mountaintop behind a spotter glassing up elk on a weekday. How's that for productive? My son was there with me. That way of being productive allowed me to take him hunting that day.