The Impact on Society of the Entitlement Effect

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The issue of entitlement elevated in the 1980’s and led to a whole generation of youth thinking someone owes them; migrating from the thought process ingrained in previous generations. This era generally has an exaggerated sense of self importance that is not commensurate with their actual level of achievement. Every generation changes, adjusts in many ways due to the influence from the previous generation. In an effort to co-exist, adult generations tend to relax or over adjust on morals, values, and ethics passed down from their parents. These are done passively with the intention to avoid hurt, to right a wrong, or to fix an injustice they feel was done in their childhood. Consequences of the entitlement effect span collectively from one end of the spectrum to the other in regards to the generation known as Gen Y, Millennials, or Net Gen. Although they all concede that the sense of entitlement exists, they disagree about the negative or positive impact it has on society.

Generation Y is filled with hedonism, narcissism, and a cavalier work ethic, and technology is second nature or virtually a sixth sense. (Alexander, Sysko 127) According to Wieczner “…college students scored 30% higher on the 40-item Narcissistic Personality Index in 2006 than they did in 1979.” Youth today are void of some of the values that were drummed into their grandparents, such as a strong work ethic and self-sacrifice. Youth have become lost in the relentless quest for self-fulfillment. Immediate gratification is the motto and technology is the weapon, contributing to the impacts on society with speedy and relentless negative effects of tweeting and posting on Facebook about consumer issues which has the retail market caterin...

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...ks Cited

Alexander, Christopher S.1, and James M.2 Sysko. "I'm Gen Y, I Love Feeling Entitled, And It Shows." Academy Of Educational Leadership Journal 17.4 (2013): 127-131. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 18 Apr. 2014.

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Lamb, Sabrina. "Your Children & Money." Ebony 64.7 (2009): 42. MasterFILE Complete. Web. 8 Apr. 2014.

Rourke, Kate S. "You Owe Me: Examining a Generation of Entitlement." Student Pulse-The International Student Journal 3.1 (2011): 1-2. Web.

Wieczner, Jen. "10 Things Generation Y Won't Tell You 10 Things."MarketWatch. The Wall Street Journal, 21 Aug. 2013. Web. 7 Apr. 2014.

Winograd, Morley, and Michael D. Hais. Millennial Momentum: How a New Generation Is Remaking America. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers UP, 2011. Print.

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