The Millennial Generation: A False Sense of Entitlement

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Sixteen year old, Ethan Couch is sentenced to ten years of probation, after stealing beer from Wal-Mart, driving with three times the legal blood alcohol level, with six passengers, and then killing four people in a car crash. He pleaded guilty, claiming that his affluent raising which lacked limits led to his ‘affluenza’ impairing him to discern right and wrong. Many are infuriated that this teen is getting away with these inexcusable actions because of the resources his family has. The Couch’s were able to afford an excellent attorney that helped Ethan get let off easy. There should be justice in this country, unaffected by affluence and privilege. Four people died in this tragedy, a lady with a flat tire, and three ‘good Samaritans’ who came to help. They all died that day, and one of Couch’s passengers is paralyzed and unable to speak, and others are severely injured. This sad story is a real-life example of the false sense of entitlement which young people today hold. Governor Chris Christie believes that “Today, the biggest challenge we must meet is the one we present to ourselves. To not become a nation that places entitlement ahead of accomplishment. To not become a country that places comfortable lies ahead of difficult truths.” This statement perfectly sums up what the United States is facing in present day. In society today, young people have a sense of entitlement; they believe that they are special and should be treated accordingly. This is caused by the style of parenting that they were raised by, as well as the constant positive reinforcement they received all through school. Parents have sheltered their children, and choose to intervene in their kids’ lives instead of having them learn how to deal wi... ... middle of paper ... ...A Framework for." MNCAT. N.p., 2012. Web. 19 Nov. 2013. Trzesniewski, Kali H., M. Brent Donnellan, and Richard W. Robins. "Do Today's Young People Really Think They Are So Extraordinary?: An Examination of Secular Trends in Narcissism and Self-Enhancement." Psychological Science 19.2 (2008): 181-88. Print. Twenge, Jean M. Generation Me: Why Today's Young Americans Are More Confident, Assertive, Entitled- and More Miserable Than Ever Before. New York: Free Press, 2006. Print. Vogel, Carl. "A field guide to narcissism: but enough about me ... what do you think of me? We think we can spot a narcissist--the cartoonish self-absorption, the cast-iron sense of pride and entitlement. Scratch the surface, though, and you find surprises: alluring charm, charisma--and radical insecurity." Psychology COllection Infotrac. Gale Cengage Learning, Jan. 2006. Web. 26 Nov. 2013

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