we are slobs

I'm weeks late to this shindig but when I read such a post, it tends to raise the hair on the back of my "old" neck. You're 42 and a student....I'm 57 and a student with almost 40 years as an owner/op behind me. Student because I learn everyday. But folks such as yourself with that kind of an attitude make me see how it's not going to change. I don't know what makes you think us old guys are the ones that are "slobs". It has nothing to do with age. It has everything to do with respect. If you don't respect yourself, you can not respect anyone else.

Little story for you...I was a young man floating down the Big South Fork River in KY & TN in a small boat many days fishing with my father-in-law...a much older man. He would leave a trail of sandwich wrappings, chip bags, snack bags, etc as we trolled along. I cringed because it was stupid to toss that litter into such a pristine wild waterway with a bag for trash in the boat that could be disposed of properly at day's end. Now I'm the old geezer and I still hold those same principles...I am not going to sling my trash anywhere I please. I am not a tree-hugger but I know I should do my own part to conserve and protect...for myself and others.

You should check your attitude, sir. You have it wrong. I've had enough of the false blame just because I and my generation are weathering a bit.

 

I see your point, and I agree. Maybe a 2 year term with the National Guard would suffice.

 

I could see how it could have a very good affect on a society full of young men with no respect, no discipline, are lazy, and have an inflated sense of entitlement.

 

Reading back to the start of this thread it moved to the generation Y and I was making an observation based on that. If you did read all of my posts I believe I was trying to make the point the WE made this problem weather we wanted to or not, this is what we produced and now we will have to deal with it. I do have a problem with the stereotypical trucker and how it reflects on this industry. The overweight, wife beater wearing slob that we still see daily is an embarrassment and I will not apologize for that. I do believe that the younger generation is the future of this industry no matter what and we have a responsibility to teach them, but we also have to be willing to accept changes to this industry and the majority of us will not do that or are going to fight it to the end. I am sorry if I offended you or misrepresented myself in any way, that was not my intent.

 

i'm also old enough to remember when this was a fun job done by a bunch of pretty decent people who honestly cared about themselves, those they worked with, and the industry in general. from what i have seen with my old, tired, and worn out eyes, is a pack of people who are rude, uncaring, totally self absorbed, and a herd of know-it-alls, who actually don't know much of anything.

maybe a change is coming, and i hope it is. what i have seen the last 15 or so years has me totally unimpressed.

 

"land of the free" and i didnt need some drill sargent yelling in my face to teach me respect and responsibility....I learned responsibility when I left home at the age of 16 years and 2 months old to fend for myself in this world. No, ive never been in the Military..I volunteered for the Corp. but they wouldnt accept me for medical reasons.

 

Changes are coming, the next generation is just now hitting the work force. This is the super computer, right now generation.

 

<<<Out with the old in with the new. A whole new thought process is coming into this industry and attrition will take care of the slob.>>>

Tired, that was the part that got me. Yours is not the only posts that reveal this idea that all old drivers are problematic and obsolete. I see it a lot and usually keep my jibs zipped.

When one generalizes about any group of people and puts them all into one box...that tends to be wrong. Regardless of age, color, gender, etc...every soul is different. I am not alone in my age group. There are countless guys and gals my age (and older) out there still trucking and some that have settled down to a more comfortable existence that still have a little self respect.

Attrition will take care of the slob? No, sir... it will not. There are lots of slobs out there that haven't worn out their first pair of flip flops yet.

Not offended here, Tired...just gets a little old hearing about how "old" can't be a part of the industry in this day and age and how the new bunch is going to be any better. As far as I'm concerned, the industry needs to try to keep up with me. There ain't half a dozen people can do my job, young or old and I'm as good today as I ever was. Hard to be humble but it ain't braggin' if....

 

I am again not trying to offend but that is a true statement, the younger generation will be who you answer too in the coming years. As I just said the next generation is just now hitting the work force and they are a whole new animal with new ideas. read through some of the posts on this forum it has already started. Computers, right now type thinking, this is the future of trucking and it will advance as fast as the technology will allow. You and I will need to advance with it or move aside. I have all the respect in the world for the folks who made this industry what it is but if we want to stay competitive we will need to advance with it.

 

After reading all of these posts it still gets me that a lot of people think that its just fat, flip flop wearing people that are the slobs. Well guess what, I'm fat, wear flip flops to the shower and im NOT a lazy. self important slob. I also dont have any military experience but I have lots of respect for myself and others. The things that made me respectful are called parents and they didnt babysit me with a tv, video games and a computer. They also spanked me when needed for discipline and lord knows I got a lot of those. Parents and the people in your life are where behaviors are learned from when growing up. Please dont put us all in the same category as I may wear flip flops to the shower and yes I am fat but I'm definitely not a lazy slob.