Social experiment 3 (virtual): calling all Baby Boomers

[Jesuslightoftheworld]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

 

[Terry Sampson]

Read scenario, then answer questions:

1. A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"
2. "I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"
3. Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?
4. Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?
5. Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?
6. Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?
7. Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
8. Optional questions?
9. Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?
10. Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

#1. Excuse me for not shaking your hand, what with social distancing being the rule now-a-days. Plus, in today's world, old guys touching kids is frowned on. I'm doing fine, thanks. What'cha selling?
#2. Sure. Shoot...
#3. Cautionary amusement.
#4. As a general rule? Folks your age are still a little wet behind the ears and inclined to be on or near the top of Mount Stupid. (For an explanation, see the chart below and study up on the Dunning-Keating Effect.)
#5. Show me.
#6. Advice from me now is probably the last thing you need. Go ask Revoltingest.
#7. Do your parents know where you are?
#8. Can't think of anything right now.
#9. Yes. U.S. Navy from May 1967 to February 1971. But I never spent more than a couple of hours on a ship.
#10. Eclectic Christianity.

 

[ChristineM]

#4. As a general rule? Folks your age are still a little wet behind the ears and inclined to be on or near the top of Mount Stupid. (For an explanation, see the chart below and study up on the Dunning-Keating Effect.)

This got me stumped so did a google with no matches. Did you mean Dunning Kruger effect?

 

[ChristineM]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

Pretty much the same as @Terry Sampson except for 9 and 10

9/ Never been in the military but have worked on military projects

10/ What faith? I believe in myself, family and friends if thats any help

 

[Mock Turtle]

Old git (born 1945) but technically not a baby-boomer so will be watching any replies.

 

[ChristineM]

Old git (born 1945) but technically not a baby-boomer so will be watching any replies.

Technically me too but the other way, born 1970

 

[exchemist]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

1) To wonder what charity he is collecting for, or what scam he is attempting.
2) Can't answer without knowing what generation you belong to.
3) Ditto
4) Learn to spell ( )
5) Why are you asking these questions?

Optional:
1) No.
2) Agnostic and sceptical Catholicism.

 

[Mock Turtle]

Technically me too but the other way, born 1970

Oh alright then.

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

Fine thank you, and how are you? I know you are not my son at least. Have you got the certificate from RF to show you are genuine?

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

No bother. Not exactly rushing to get anywhere.

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

This lad is probably going to ask me for some money - has happened a few times and mostly those this age don't approach those older apart from for such or in some sort of other need.

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Not sure they have any over any other generation, given that they are living in vastly different times from all other generations - as was mine.

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Much the same. I don't think people change that much between generations but usually adapt to the circumstances in which they find themselves.

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Not sure I have much to give apart from looking for the best sources for information, respecting those with better knowledge/ability, and respecting/treating all others as you would want to be respected/treated yourself.

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Nope.

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Fortunately not.

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

Not something I tend to have. Trust and expectations maybe, but faith is for others.

 

[Altfish]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?
What are you selling, religion?

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?
I don't think they are any different than when I was a kid, naive and innocent

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?
See answer above

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?
Enjoy life to the full

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
Why me?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?
No

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?
None

 

[Stevicus]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

My first reaction might be to think that the kid might be selling something, collecting money for some school event, or possibly doing a survey for a school assignment. I would probably be somewhat guarded at first. If I was in a hurry, I may not have time to answer a few questions.

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

I can't say I know enough 13-17 year olds to be able to answer this question. I don't think a generation can truly be evaluated at this early stage.

Boomers aren't necessarily evaluated by how they were as teenagers. I think perceptions of that generation have changed over the years. Back during the 60s and 70s, they might have thought they were the center of the universe, but I think they've learned some humility since those days.

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Same as above.

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Hard to say anything that might be meaningful or useful. If today's youth follow the same pattern as previous generations, then you're all human, you'll make mistakes and try to learn from them - just like the rest of us. Trial and error, muddling through, learning from adversity. There are no easy answers.

Try to learn as much as you can. Not just the stuff you learn in school, but about life in general.

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

What is your social experiment for? Why does it matter what a person's generation is, whether they're a Baby Boomer, Generation X, Millennial, etc.? The Boomers made a big deal about their own generation and thought that they were all that. They used to say "never trust anyone over 30," but look at them now.

What do you see in the future? When you're at the age most Boomers are now, what do you think the world will look like?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

I tried to enlist in the Navy when I was 19, but I was rejected due to a slight physical limitation.

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

I was baptized and raised as a Catholic, although I would say I went through various "religious phases" while growing up and throughout much of my adulthood. At some point, I had to face the realization that I really had no idea whether any religion was actually "true" or if there was any purpose to it at all.

At this point in my life, I consider myself "agnostic" or perhaps closer to "ignostic." I think "God" is too ill-defined and vague as a concept to able to discuss meaningfully. A lot of religious people just assume this or that and think they have it all figured out, but I don't believe they really know either.

 

[Polymath257]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

My first reaction to 'Can I ask you a few questions?' is 'Oh no, either a scam or a religious nut'. The age of the person asking isn't particularly relevant.

I assume your generation is that of the 13-17 year old, based on context. The worst characteristic is the same as the worst characteristic of all teenagers throughout history: they think they know how the world runs even though they have had almost no experience in such.

The best characteristic is the best characteristic of all teenagers throughout history: a different way of looking at the world from those of the previous generation, an enthusiasm for righting the wrongs of the world, and a vibrancy in life.

Advice? Learn more, listen more, talk less. But that is good advice for all generations.

Never served in the military. And I am an atheist.

 

[Secret Chief]

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?
I'd ask why.


Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?
I don't characterise generations.


Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?
Same answer.


Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?
None.


Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?
No.


Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?
No.


Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?
My bookcase suggests Buddhism.

 

[Brickjectivity]

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

This is abnormal behavior. We'd like for people to approach and greet us, however it is rare. I have only been approached in this way a few times and most of the time it has been a sales pitch or a request for cash. It is dangerous to approach strangers, by the way. Wouldn't it be great if that changed and if people could greet strangers courageously as friends? I hear stories of places where that is the case, but its not true here.

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Those who are thirteen are from the year 20005. They are the best generations, so far and are not much different from those born in 2001. The worst characteristic of your generation is that you make me jealous!

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

I believe very strongly that you (really you and those born in the 1990s and later) are the first generation to truly have forgotten WWII, and that is a good thing. You don't believe WWII was a battle between Satan and Jesus, but at least 2 generations of people did. You also never experienced the Cold War, so you don't have people telling you that Satan is trying to get the Russians to come take away your faith, your Bibles and force you to become an atheist. The threat of communist revolution is gone and only practical military threats and technological threats remain, and you are unlikely to associate that and other political threats as Satanic.

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

I think that you're the first generation with the greatest potential to return Christianity to a non-superstitious and effective religious practice. If your generation can manage to do this you will save the world (which actually is in danger of self destructing), and I think its up to your generation. Its harder than it sounds, because your every instinct is going to scream at you. You'll want to correct people when they say stupid things. You'll want someone to confidently assure you from a pulpit, to thrill you with false concerns and to congratulate you for coming to church and for listening to the right voices. You'll want the glow of victory and all of the deceptions which so easily beset Christians. CS Lewis will frighten you with stories of the evils of technology and the wiles of Satan out there trying to steal you away from the purity of dogmas and of creeds and of the familiarity of the pulpits. They'll tell you that you need them to understand God's voice. They will perform false miracles (and perhaps real miracles) to convince you, and they'll beg you to take action against silly threats. As the first generation to be away from heavy war you will have an advantage that previous generations did not, and so you are the best hope. This will not be the case for the children in war torn countries such as Pakistan, but you having lived in safety will need to be able to take a punch in order to transmit true virtue. You'll be accused of many things and will have to prove by example that you are not evil. Its a new kind of challenge, but you can face it.

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

If a train from City A is traveling at 39 miles per hour towards city B, and a train from city B is traveling towards City A at twice the speed and have a collision in 32 minutes then it is the Math teacher's fault?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Not yet, and usually they don't want people my age; so I'm probably never going to be in one -- hopefully.

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

I have been charismatic, baptist and unitarian. What does it matter since I have done very little for anyone but myself? I think God would never consider me to be much of anything, so what does it matter?

 

[sun rise]

FWIW and that's extremely little, I'm technically not a Boomer having also been born in 1945. But in my heart I am one.,

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

I'd be taken aback (ignoring COVID-19 in my answer). It's seems extremely pushy and invasive to go up to a stranger that way.

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

Ask me in 30 years if I live that long. It's too early for me to judge.

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

This song expresses it all:

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

What are you looking for? There's a wish behind the questions.

 

[PureX]

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

I would be both curious and pleased, because it's very rare that a person that age asks an old person (I'm 62) anything. When we're that young, we tend to think that we already know it all, or that we must find out everything on our own. It's heartbreaking to me how much wisdom there is available to the young, that they completely ignore, and even resent if it's offered to them. So I would see you as a very interesting anomaly, even before you asked your subsequent questions.

Q:WHAT IS THE WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Your obsession with technology, and the "virtual" view of reality it causes you to hold to in your minds. You seem to live more in a world of electrons, than of molecules. And I think that's ultimately going to be a recipe for disaster.

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

You have access to an incredible amount of information, and with all that information comes a vast array of possibility. As a result, I think your generation is far more inventive, and creative, and far less hamstrung by bias and prejudice than preceding generations.

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

1. Porn is about MONEY, not sex. You lot really gotta stop imitating what you see on internet porn sites as if it were a realistic depiction of human sexuality. IT'S NOT. And if you keep presuming that it is, it's going to cost you all something that is very, very precious without even knowing that you ever had it. Think in terms of dignity, and respect, and true appreciation.

2. Capitalism is a failed economic system in a modern, highly interdependent society. Please, please, understand this, and do whatever you can to rid yourselves of it after our generation is finally out of the way. If you don't, it is going to destroy everything and everyone you care about. Please believe me about this. Whatever economic systems you set up in it's place, make damn sure that the well-being of the people engaging in commercial enterprise is more important than the well-being of the commercial system that they are engaging in. People matter, not economic systems. The whole purpose of any economic system is to serve the people engaged in it. My generation succumbed to it's own greed, and refused to recognize this most basic premise. Please don't let your generation follow suit.

3. Greed, ego, and willful ignorance destroy individuals, and destroy whole societies. Learn to identify these within yourself and master them or they will destroy you and everything you touch. Embrace your humanity, and transcend your animal nature. Move mankind ahead. Darwinism is not a philosophy. It's an anti-philosophical abyss.

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Can you ever forgive us for the giant mess we are leaving to your generation?

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

I am an agnostic theist: philosophical Taoist/non-religious Christian.

Thanks for asking.

 

[Nakosis]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

Interest.

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

Our parents spent too much time making babies.

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

The development of computers.

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

Don't define yourself by past generations.

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

Are you happy?

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

Was not accepted for medical reasons.

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

Lacking.

 

[Heyo]

Read senario, then answer questions:

A kid 13-17 walks up to you, puts his hand out, looks you in the eye, and says, "hello sir/ma'am, my name is Bill, how are you today?"

"I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?"

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FIRST INITIAL REACTION?

"Because I can. And it's healthy and saves a lot of money. Yes, I also do it in winter.
Wait, you didn't want to ask me why I'm barefoot?"

Q:WHAT IS THS WORST CHARACTERISTIC OF MY GENERATION?

"You don't listen to your parents, you only think of having fun, you have no values - just like every generation since the old Sumerians found this out about their youth."

Q:WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE BEST?

"You (hopefully) will save us from going extinct (despite all our efforts)."

Q:WHAT KINDS OF WORDS OF ADVISE DO YOU HAVE FOR US?

"Don't listen to advice from an old fart like me."

Q: DO YOU ANY QUESTIONS FOR ME?

"Why do you ask? Is this a school assignment? Are you working for a polling organization?"

Optional questions?

Q: HAVE YOU SERVED IN THE MILITARY?

"Yes, and I don't recommend it."

Q:WHAT IS YOUR FAITH?

"None."