At the risk of being discovered by some of the folks I'm writing about today...(deep breath) here goes.

Is it just me, or does this new generation of adults have a very different concept of responsibility and accountability than the one with which my parents raised me? I'm frequently shocked by the number of adult people I meet who demonstrate a lackluster work ethic and an insolence toward people in authority that borders on rebellion. Grown men who accept positions of leadership and service used to report back to the "commanding officer" and keep other leaders apprised of changes in the plan. They arrived early. They stayed late. They did whatever it took to ensure the success of the mission without being coddled, cajoled or even commanded. In the forefront or in the background, it didn't matter to them, as long as they were actively participating in something larger than life and larger than themselves.

Today, many seem to sleep as late as they can, arrive as late as they can, slop through their duties with the diligence of an insolent teenager and expect more and more in return from those who provide the opportunities.

Gratitude seems to be a thing of the past, not to mention some sense of loyalty. It would appear that the more one benefits from a program or organization, the less inclined they are to show gratitude and some sense of 'giving back' when things improve.

All across our culture, they are being offended at every turn without giving a second's thought to how offensive THEIR behaviors are in the perspective of those of us who sacrificed much when we were their age.

This post might not survive the week, after I've had time to take a deep breath and feel badly for my outburst. But my goodness, I'll be surprised if society survives this new crop of self-centered, lazy and irresponsible adults after the burden bearers pass on. We may already be seeing signs of the decline.

Read fast. I'm already considering erasing this one.