KiasuParents - Parenting in Singapore

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Episode brief taken from toggle: Many often say graduation equates to unemployment. Graduates will face more problems and obstacles coming out of school as they start to fend for themselves. Are they prepared to face these challenges? Is it a common trend amongst teenagers to have no dreams and goals?

I find this episode very interesting & wld like to share it here.

sparks wrote:...
Is it a common trend amongst teenagers to have no dreams and goals?
...

Thanks for sharing. I do agree that many teenagers tend to lack dreams and goals today. It seems like they are just waiting for someone to take charge, to clear the path on which they would tread. Many have very low self-esteem, and believe they will never be more average. It is troubling. Has our education system finally produced the ideal factory worker?

ChiefKiasu wrote:

sparks wrote:...
Is it a common trend amongst teenagers to have no dreams and goals?
...

Thanks for sharing. I do agree that many teenagers tend to lack dreams and goals today. It seems like they are just waiting for someone to take charge, to clear the path on which they would tread. Many have very low self-esteem, and believe they will never be more average. It is troubling. Has our education system finally produced the ideal factory worker?

30 yrs ago, a graduate is like a Captain in a combat unit...2nd highest rank after the CO (Maj).
These days, the graduate is still a Captain, but machiam posted to Mindef...the most junior...machiam CO runner in unit...

I think that affects dreams and esteem.

Nebbermind wrote:30 yrs ago, a graduate is like a Captain in a combat unit...2nd highest rank after the CO (Maj).
These days, the graduate is still a Captain, but machiam posted to Mindef...the most junior...machiam CO runner in unit...

I think that affects dreams and esteem.

That's a good analogy.

I'm wondering if is this the outcome of meritocracy? Because the top 1% is so far ahead that the rest of the 99% gives up trying to better their lot and simply fight for the scraps and "maintain" their position. Or maybe 99% is already so advanced that it is impossibly hard to squeeze out enough juice to stand out and become the 1%?

sparks wrote:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMDm0sxBic8

Episode brief: Many often say graduation equates to unemployment. Graduates will face more problems and obstacles coming out of school as they start to fend for themselves. Are they prepared to face these challenges? Is it a common trend amongst teenagers to have no dreams and goals?

I find this episode very interesting & wld like to share it here.

these graduates do have dreams, but it's about how many actually follow their dreams or take actions to realise their dreams.

how many have listened to Steve Jobs' Stanford speech before? but how many have followed his suggestion of "don't settle"?

I think 伟雄 (Anders Tan) in the show is a good example. he started a social enterprise. i happened to be his classmate in SMU and I think that's commendable. if you don't take action, dreams can only remain as dreams.

Every batch has its own challenges to overcome, no? Those who graduated after the Asian Financial Crisis, Sept 11 Attacks, SARS (?) and 2009 worst recession in 60 yrs (post-Lehmann) faced tough challenges of the day as well...

Don't think these participants are "teenagers". They should be "thinking adults" of around 21-23 (gals) or 23-25 (guys)?? They don't look like a Lost Generation to me, at least from the way they conducted/expressed themselves on the show.

Undergrads these days have better informed/educated parents to advise them, ready access to internet, attachment opportunities as well as career counsellors in uni to guide/advise them, unlike grads 20-40 yrs ago who just plunged into any job they could find--particularly during the mid-80s recession...

Not all under/grads have low esteem and confidence...Really depends on their past track record (Sec-JC-Uni Faculty/Discipline). Think most grads, regardless of whether they were top 1% or bottom 99% in primary school, from NUS/NTU/SMU should not have this problem. (Psst: In uni, who cares if you were from the top 1% of your cohort?! Neither do most employers, to be honest. Employers look for freshies with a can-do attitude, humility, excellent comms/interpersonal skills, pleasant disposition, integrity...They dun really bother if freshies tell them about their life goals or lofty dreams at the point of offering them the contract. They want pp who can work and contribute to the organisation.)

I agree with liufangjun that it's not that they do not have dreams, but it's how many actually follow their dreams or take actions to realise their dreams. So true! I think some undergrads do harbour dreams at some point during their varsity years, but many choose to hold back/suppress their dreams for pragmatic reasons. Bread n butter issues (HDB mortgage for those who applied under Fiance-Fiancee Scheme!) top the list, cohort after cohort, gen after gen...

This is especially true for grads with general degrees. I know some even left uni without any definitive goals and concrete dreams! They knew not what to expect nor dare to dream big dreams. Dreams could come in later, as part of their second career.

It's common for youths to have inertia, especially in Singapore where life is so comfortable. There's always a new movie to catch, a new cafe to visit, friends to catch up with... There are so many distractions within the "comfort zone". They need extra motivation to take action to do something different. The youths in the programme carry themselves well but some of them are just paying lip service too. My husband's friend was interviewed on the show for organizing a ground-up event. When asked by the hosts if they would enjoy participating in such an event, all of them say "yes" and they even went on about how it was a great initiative. On the day of the event, however, NONE of them turned up!