This is my question. Because someone annoyed me today. And the only way I deal with that is to write. Lucky you.

Why are words like “work ethic” and “common decency” foreign to the generation after the baby boomers?  They scream and yell that Gen Y’ers have no respect and no patience for today’s work environment, yet us go-getters still have to wait for our superiors to show up late to work, complain about their pensions, and have the “just enough to get by” mentality.  And they call us slackers.

We may be annoying with our impatience, but that’s just because we refuse to waste our valuable times on situations that don’t work. We may be annoying with our constant inability to sit still…and all of our overcontemplation on how the world works and what we can get out of the world at large, all before our 30th birthday. But maybe all of these neurosis come because we know we live in a world that guarantees nothing, doesn’t care where you’ve been or where you’re going, and ultimately, just wants the finished project done on time, with little cost–no matter what quality may be lacking.  Disagreements fall upon deaf ears, and no one takes the time to even know your last name.

The bottom line is robbing the bottom feeders of energy–something we strive to have, but somehow gets zapped from the mundane experiences of a job sort-of well done.  We have no mentors, for no one will take the time or energy to train the next generation–they are too busy worrying that we will replace them.

It’s a constant struggle for this Gen Y’er who’s determined work ethic gets her in trouble, and who’s worth ethic doesn’t account for much.

It becomes increasingly frustrating to work for companies who don’t take the time (and don’t seem to care enough) to nurture their employees.  And it makes me bitter and jaded. And I start to see myself in those employees that I loathe, who are also bitter and jaded, and it makes me want to scream.

And then I remind myself I have a job, but what job is worth a hard work ethic but no worth ethic?