Sense of Entitlement not Limited to Millennials

We hear a lot these days about entitlement, especially when we talk about millennials.  I checked the dictionary for a definition and discovered, entitlement is "the right to guaranteed benefits under a government program."  I put in my years of work and now I am entitled to Social Security... after all I did pay into the program over the years.  Today word has taken on an additional meaning.  I am entitled to something because of who I am.  When it comes to millennials, some of them feel they are entitled to have the latest in mobile devises or to a college education.  Some young athletes feel they are entitled to a position on the team because of who they are, or who their parents are.  College graduates feel they are entitled to a top paying job right out of school.

I got to thinking recently, many older adults might have the same sense of entitlement.  Once I reached the mid-fifties a new term was added to my vocabulary: Senior Discount.  While it's nice to get a 10% discount when I shop at a certain grocery store, or to get a break on my greens fee when I golf, I have to wonder: why me?  It seems to me that parents of young children should get a discount too.  Raising children is expensive and many young parents are just getting started in their careers.  They often have tight budgets.  How about a young parent discount?

I don's see millennials as having a corner when it comes to a sense of entitlement. I also see it in older adults who have a lifestyle that focuses on themselves   "I've paid my dues.  Now I am entitled to time to relax, to play golf and maybe travel a little."  There are even whole senior communities that appeal to this sense of entitlement.  What probably troubles me most about this sense of senior entitlement is that they want to limit their relationships to other who are the same age or those who share their interest.  Aside from their grandkids, they have no interest in associating with teens or young adults.  That is a shame because if there was ever a generation that needs their insights and expertise, it's today's millennial generation.