Sun
Jan 29 2012
08:04 am
Pride of the Southland book and an interesting observation
By: R. Neal

KNS: Book on UT's Pride of the Southland Marching Band is labor of love for alumnus

Sousa, director since 1997, said he uses the principles Julian set for the band. Students today, he said, are different from those with whom Julian worked.

"Kids today are more narcissistic, very much entitled. So all the principles of the Pride of the Southland Band — which are discipline and hard work and integrity and giving of yourself to the whole unselfishly — are foreign to these kids. So that's one of the biggest transformations they go through, from being very much entitled to being part of a group and giving of yourself to that group in a service way, serving the university, serving the institution," said Sousa.

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bizgrrl's picture

Kids today are more

Submitted by bizgrrl on Sun, 2012/01/29 - 8:17am.

Kids today are more narcissistic, very much entitled.

I wonder about this statement. Having been in high school band years ago, many of the best players had huge egos regarding their abilities. And rightly so, IMO. Not that the people were not fun to be around or didn't play well with others, they just had an attitude. Most of them I knew worked very hard to get to that point and they got there by being individuals, not by being part of the band (except that band directors helped get scholarships).

R. Neal's picture

I'm guessing the observation

Submitted by R. Neal on Sun, 2012/01/29 - 8:18am.

I'm guessing the observation applies mostly to trumpet players and drummers.

reform4's picture

Nacissisti, or eyes open?

Submitted by reform4 on Sun, 2012/01/29 - 10:17am.

I see analogies to the older corporate/worker model, which has since collapsed. Loyalist and hard (selfless) work was rewarded and valued. Corporations broke the contract starting in the 1980s, and over the next 30 years the results cascadede throughout society.

I no longer ascribe to the theory that GenYers are "lazy" and/or have a work ethic, or more precisely, many do, but I don't blame them and that it's not an issue of their making.

Even with my upbringing, if I saw my parents, friends, and family all screwed over, laid off, and forced to train their replacements after working hard and sacrificing for their employers, I'd have a hard time coughing up some self-motivation, too.

Watching the GOP debates, I'm not surprised to see a field of band members, each asking as Ayn Rand individuals individuals, "what's in it for ME???"

Min's picture

I was in the Pride of the Southland for four years.

Submitted by Min on Sun, 2012/01/29 - 4:22pm.

Some of the best years of my life. And everyone, I mean, everyone, gave it 100%, if for no other reason than to keep Doc off his or her ass. I caught a yard line with my heel once during practice (instead of splitting my foot), and he followed me, literally screaming in my ear, for 15-20 yards.

Until he saw a majorette doing something worse across the field, and he was off like a shot. :-)

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