Gen Y sucks!?

When one reaches 50 or above 40, there is a tendency to see the present from the perspective of the past. There is a good and bad side to it.

The good part is the present is seen with a historical perspective. There is the years of evolution taken into consideration. Wisdom comes with age, they say.

Basically, experience from undergoing through events enables one to anticipate problems, see future possibilities and opportunities, differentiate major changes from minor happenings, and the way to address or seize the situation.

While the bad part to it, we could be stuck in the past. There may have been significant social change, thus the eyeglasses from the past may not be relevant for seeing things today.

In our youth, we use to answer back our parents whenever they claim they have tasted salt earlier. We claim they only tasted the common NaCl as compared to the many other and types of salts; KI, sea salt, herbal salt, kosher salt, etc. that we have tasted.

Anyway, we are not about to get into serious argument on the old versus the new but to just share the ranting of a friend we see as relevant for the youth and young of today.

When it comes to values, attitude and ethics, there should be no difference between the past and present. In fact, the old school values still remain relevant as recipe of success. Perhaps somethings can be learned out of it.

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Our friend, Man as the nickname we usually address him with, is an architect that started and rose the hard way.

We fall into the Baby Boomer era (born 1946-1964) but neither fit the character of the Malaysian version described as the student demo generation or subsequent Gen X (born 1966-1979).

The early 80s recession sank in as soon as Man graduated from Australia. He end up becoming a temporary teacher in Mathematics and English for a couple of years. As we recalled, he taught at the then ITM.

The entrepreneurial spirit and the desire to be his own boss was so strong that he eventually became one after many number of years in a profession he was never comfortable as. He finally get to start his own practise.

Coming from the then middle class Malay, if the Dato Keramat Kuala Lumpur neighbourhood can be considered one, he didn't have the funding. He had already been skipping repaying of his MARA scholarship for many years. So he had to rely on funding from a Singaporean financier.

It turns out he didn't get to feel like his own boss but was dictated and pushed by the Singaporean.

Many years or decades later, and many hard knocks of painful experiences that had its cost, he can be described as settled.

The company he started with is his but he still harbours the hope to be landed with the big one to prove his mantle as an Architect or Planner (we are not quite sure what he is now).

Nevertheless, he has been around the block to be able to say he has seen things and done things.

One thing about being around long enough one knows almost all the shit, hanky panky and strange going ons in the industry. Man can be awfully, but justifiably, bitter with the way things is going around down there in the local building industry.


But these days he is most concerned with the attitude problems prevailing amongst the new generation of professionals, particularly the Malays. He lamented in our yahoogroups. "Gen Y sucks!" he complained.

Read the caution before reading, below:

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THE WRITING HEREAFTER CONTAINS STRONG ADULT THEMES & MAY BE OFFENSIVE TO CERTAIN READERS. PARENTING DISCRETION IS ADVISED...!

I was treated to brunch today by a fellow professional consultant in Shah Alam as a social gesture, as well as for him to kill time before his next appointment.

His initial intention was for a drink after an exhaustive walk around the site with his site staff of four Gen Y's ranging from 25 up to 37. Being a gentlemen of our era, upon a little persuasion on my part, we settled for brunch instead.

Out of courtesy, the 27 yr old lady Quantity Surveyor was invited, as well as our 43 yr old Clerk-of-Works. Nothing unusual so far.

But when we got into our cars, the disparity of the generation gap showed.

These young professionals could not lead, suggest or recommend even the simplest of destination for a meal. Mind you being in a city of plentiful delicious halal food outlets, these young and not so young adults became total morons when both of us asked them to pick a spot to their liking.

Their indecisiveness was totally appalling; more so when all of them have had spent most of their working careers in Shah Alam and the guy that's going to treat us was their boss, a senior partner of the firm.

So I picked a new outlet called Pindang in Section 10 that I had patronized a few weeks back as the service was fast, reasonably priced and most importantly the toilet's clean and in perfect order.

True enough, the staff marched immediately to set a table for eight of us and within 10 minutes our meals were served.


Now came the second annoyance.

These young engineers talked nonsensically of their petty issues; like football, futsal, computers, wedding of their colleague, etc. The lady QS kept quiet all the time to the extent of being rude to our guest.

These foolish Gen Y professionals could NOT exchange even simple pleasantries to senior practitioners like us, let alone having a respectful conversation with the Malay elders..!!!

They can relate ONLY to their interests; utter selfishness in my opinion. Not even a query on their part on any of the well-being to this elder/boss person. I find that pretty offensive..

The oldest of the Gen Y engineer glued his eyes on the hockey match on the TV screen behind his boss. Can't even come up with any current or interesting topic to share with his boss.

To add insult, the boss then walked to the teller at the back of the shop to pay the meal himself. These young guys simply kept their eyes on TV as if nothing happened.

But hang on, that's not the end of it.

We got back to the site office and chitchatted casually for about 20 minutes on family issues. His staff that he had treated did not get back after more than half-an-hour later - yes, they got chores to do at the nearby shopping mall thus leaving their boss in good hand of yours truly...!!!

Postponing their errand to take care of their boss did not cross their mind.

So the event this morning was really an eye-opener for me.

I simply could not tolerate the selfishness, presumptuous and mindless gestures of our young professionals on a social undertaking - more so when all of us but one fella were Malays. The other guy was an Arab graduate from our local university.

Man
May 24th 2012

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Another gem of observation from Man a week later:

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While looking through some plumbing blue-prints, this young rather good-looking engineer peered over my shoulder grinning with a question,

'Bos hari ni kenapa rajin?'

That question caught me off-guard. Took a few seconds for my Intel Pentium X-1960 to process and retort,

'Aku NAMPAK rajin sebab kau malas! Cuba kau buat kerja kau with that computer rather than chitchatting endlessly among your colleagues, than I would appear to be 'tak buat kerja'.

I did not say the second sentence as what is written above, more to that effect of sarcasm instead.

He gave a sly snigger to my reply.

I hope he would lay wide awake that night thinking of my damning answer; but then again he's from Y-Generation. Most likely he did not get to my point, shrug it aside and play futsal that evening or update his FB account....

Man
May 30th, 2012

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The next day another observation:

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A young lady QS from Johor got married two weeks ago to a 33-year old Contract's Manager of a developer who's hometown is in Pasir Mas, Kelantan. I could not make the trip to her wedding down south; nor had any intention to make the trip to Kelantan either.

She came back to work this week to face plenty of teasing from all of us on site - being the youngest of the lot, she's cheekily sporting with the jesting of the 'seniors'... until she mentioned that her new husband had gone back to KB early this week in preparation for the groom's reception this coming weekend.

That's fine I guessed, until today I learned that she will be taking the bus to Pasir Mas tomorrow all by herself, while her family members will be traveling direct from JB on the weekend. She was working up to 6 this evening until I had to tease her whether she ever had the intention of getting back to KB for the ceremony!

She laughed halfheartedly, sighing on the weekend hectic schedule of an event that any lady should treasure and cherish all through her life...!!!

It's pathetic & irresponsible of today's young alpha males to simply letting their wives finding their own ways, off all the places - to the out-laws home town...!!!

This is NOT any ordinary balik-kampung raya or school holidays, damn it. It's their wedding - how could this alien male being downright STUPID!

And you should hear what her comment on the wedding pictures that I've yet to see?

'Malu nak tunjuk kat Bos, 'cos my husband said that I look fat in the wedding photos ...!!!'

There's many more incidences prior to HER wedding that it's quite ludicrous to expand here. Suffice & regret to say that this girl got married to a TOTAL IDIOT, full stop..!!

Then again, who am I to judge rather than being a wise half-century busy body & nosy old man. I will keep you guys posted on any new development on this Gen-Y couple.

Man
May 31st, 2012

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A friend forwarded a chain email on the plight of a former 10A Malay student that went to Egpyt but was brought back because of the unrest.

The email ask for help with regard to her MARA scholarship. She is not allowed to sit for examination till MARA clears the tuition and other bills.

We thought it was strange because MARA building is so noticeable, visible and accessible at Jalan Raja Laut and Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman in Kuala Lumpur. If she is a MARA scholar, the University would have sorted it out.

If not, she could sort it herself rather sent email to strangers.

Man commented:

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Gen Z lagi lah suckres-blues....!!!

20As pun mesti disuap makan, jinjing ke toilet, beli kan all kinds of electronic gadgets & digital games... In short, the As are purely academic & insignificant in WORKING & SURVIVING situation.

With too many options, alternatives & exposures from the Net navigation - these digital dreamers are livid in making decisions; facing challenges or taking risk to their careers.

They are simply afraid to fail - for fear of being laughed upon. They cocoon their thoughts, whilst their blogs may seem to be fantastic - in reality the storyline could be another cut-and-paste; or as often mentioned - recycled!

Yes, they must appear super-cool all the time just like their stoic digital characters - so much so that the moment they open their mouths, it's character disintegration my fren - TOTALLY EMPTY from inside. Soulless & lifeless.....

Try out yourself. Ask these pretty zombies some thinking questions like what's their top 3 holiday destination, meals or simply sports. You will hear plenty of err, humm or even 'I dunno!' answers from them. Worse still - 'I can't decide / choose any.'

Then tease them on the opposite sex features that they like, and you will not
get a straight answers at all. Unlike our time, even at 9 year young we knew it's going to be someone like Raquel Welch or Ursula Andress or Jacqueline Bisset - nothing less.

Man
June 7th, 2012

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Hmmm ... this is the generation that will be the major segment of voters in the next and future general election to determine the leadership of the country.

As a pro-BN blogger, it may not the most politically correct thing to say but what is stopping us from doing so in the past, more so the present?

What me worry? Our time is nearing the end in coming years.

It is them that have to worry. They have to take up that responsibility but they are not ready and devoid of the right traditional values.

We will not be there or perhaps they may not want us to nanny them.


To add to that, their short sightedness or poor sense of history is rather scary.

Our hope is that we won't be around to see they gave away the country on a silver platter to some irresponsible ones that will destroy what have been built over the years.

Jangan marah but Gen Y still has none to show and claim in what was built.

Psstt Man ...

You have much to say and share. I think you should start a blog. My promise to promote it here.


P/S Even how angry and how much you disagree with Man and us, absolutely NO insults in your comment.

We aspire to have Kadir Jasin, another baby boomer's blog-like comments here.