Same knock applied to "Generation X." Remember them? My g-g-g-generation.

Remember the sense of entitlement? As if a college degree had entitled you to a six-figure salary, a Barbie car, and a home in a gated community?

While we had whinging Gen-X Harvard MBAs bemoaning their lot in life on the TV every night, I was busting my ass for subminimum wages in a truly menial job (door-to-door fundraising) until I found something that (gasp!) paid $10/hr without benefits! (w00t! Honey, we get the good ramen noodles this week!)

I remember this all too well. This article could easily have been written in 1993.

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"If people think nature is their friend, then they sure don't need an enemy." K. Vonnegut, 1922-2007

I'd have jumped at $55K out of college. Hell, I didn't arrive at $55K until about 8 years into my found career.

My first salaried position actually paid me less than the $10/hour temp job that I had.

Still, when I'd gotten that job, I was slinging shrinkwrap on Exabyte's shipping dock, moving waterlogged flowerboxes for some local real estate management company, pushing paper at a car loan division of a chain bank, and doing clerical schlub and receptionist work. Whatever the temp agency would hand me, I'd take. (Good news! The boss says I get to work next week too!)

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"If people think nature is their friend, then they sure don't need an enemy." K. Vonnegut, 1922-2007