1. OZDEMIR 1
AN ARGUMENT ABOUT OUR GENERATION’S SELFISHNESS AND DEPENDENCE OF
MONEY, COMFORT
Important Problem of The New Generation
Merve Özdemir
Anadolu University

2. OZDEMIR 2
IMPORTANT PROBLEM OF THE NEW GENERATION
Have you also been aware of the fact that the teenage generation in the last ten years is lazy,
irresponsible, insensitive and just curious about money and comfort? This is a problem
nowadays being discussed by educationists and also it is a subject that concerns our society
profoundly. People think that the people older than us were more hardworking and more
successful in spite of the bad living conditions. But now it is obvious that there is a contrary
situation that new generations grow up in undisturbed way and away from the problems of the
real world. So our generation is selfish and concerned with money and comfort because of
the developing technologic devices, changing life conditions and the increasing basic things
that make our lives easier.
Being selfish, thought of sordidness, acting indolently, being irresponsible in every duty
given are the personal characteristics of our generation. It is an important problem nowadays
and this situation affects the future of our society so much. But why this generation has these
characteristics? Actually, it is easy to understand. Older generations had to do everything by
their power and by hand. There weren’t any washing machine, vacuum cleaner, computer or
hair dryer. So they tried everything in bad conditions of life, they pushed the boundaries of
human power. They didn’t have the chance to be lazy. But making everything in life is getting
easier and easier nowadays. Technology and internet are developing and people do even the
simplest things with their computers such as shopping, chatting, searching, enjoying, playing
games. This virtual world makes people unthinking and lazy. After getting used to be in
comfort, everything seems to be difficult to make. Everybody is rival to each other because of
the exam systems and school grades. This makes teenagers selfish. There are some important
facts that show the reality of this problem. These are teenagers’ seeing money as everything
life, their selfish thought in every subject and to avoid their liabilities for being in comfort.
The first point is teenagers’ dependence on money and seeing the money as everything in
life. Of course, we all know that money is a indispensable part of our lives and we need
necessary money to go on living. ‘’Money fuels our vanity, pride, self esteem, gives us social
prestige, gives us the means to attain power .’’ (MONEY - Physical Necessity and
Dependence, No Date).Money doesn’t mean happiness, it is just a vehicle for happiness. But
the new teenage generations give importance to money more than necessary. They put on airs
with expensive clothes, mobile phones and any other things. Teenagers don’t know the value
of the things that are enough for being happy without money such as love, loyalty and family.
Two years ago, a girl killed her mother as she didn’t give enough money to her. Sordidness,
wrong friendships are also results of the dependence of money. For example a high school
student committed suicide last year because his classmates made fun of his old-fashioned

3. OZDEMIR 3
mobile phone. The other example is an elementary school student was beaten by his
schoolmates as he has no money for playing games in internet café. These examples show the
seriousness of money dependence among the teenagers.
The second point is teenagers’ selfish thoughts and just thinking about their benefits. It is a
common problem today and many people believe that this situation is a result of exam
systems in education. Especially for ten years in exams, everybody has been competing with
each other to be the best. Also, students have been struggling so much to be employed among
formidable competitors. Because of these, teenagers grow up with feelings such as
competition and opposition. There weren’t such competition in older generations because
opponents in business and in schools were less than today. So the new generation has selfish
thoughts. Charity, humanity, helpfulness are forgotten feelings nowadays among teenagers.
Nobody wants to help for free. Everyone wants to keep their benefits high. Last year, a high
school student broke his arm at school as he fell to the ground and he screamed long time for
help. But no one helped him, even his classmates. Everybody ignored him and waited for
anybody to help him. Nobody wanted to be involved in the event. A student took a video of
this situation then video published in news. This is an important example of selfishness of our
generation nowadays.
The last and the most important point is our generation’s irresponsibility for being in
comfort. It is the most common problem of the teenagers and it has really bad effects about
future of our society. Especially parents and teachers are complaining about liability of
teenagers.’’ It occurs any time someone complains about his job or life, yet never makes a
change.’’(Overcome Your Comfort Addiction Once And for All, No Date) Many teachers say
that students are reluctant to do even the simplest homework, they have no expectations from
the future and do not have the slightest desire to improve themselves. They hang about and
don’t show necessary performance on their homework and activities. I think that this situation
is a result of the competitive education system, extensive course program and little time for
sport activities. Teenagers are tired under the responsibilities given them. Two years ago I
saw in a newspaper that a girl stabbed her mother as her mother forced her to buy bread from
the market. It is a shocking event that for not going market, for being in comfort she stabbed
her mother. Another unbelievable event is that an elementary school student threatened his
teacher to kill her if she went on scolding him for not doing the homework given. These
examples are real evidences of selfishness of our generation. The problem is big enough to
affect our future badly.

4. OZDEMIR 4
On the contrary of these arguing thoughts of new generation’s selfishness, concerning with
money and comfort, there are some beliefs that are against to my opinions. One is that new
generation is not selfish, they are active and helpful on social media, internet and friendship
sites. I think it is an absurd idea. Virtual world is totally different from the real world. In the
internet, everybody is social, popular, sensitive to social problems. But in real nobody
endeavor to change anything, to find solutions to public problems. Some people are enable to
help the person who has broken his/her arm in the street like the example I gave. The other
contrary idea is that our generation is not more concerned with money than older generations
because the money was more valuable for older generations but earning money and finding
any job is easier now. This idea is nonsense also. Finding temporary and small jobs can be
easier now but it is not available for everyone. Without necessary university education and
knowing foreign language, it is nearly impossible to find a job. If it were easy, there wouldn’t
be such competition and people wouldn’t struggle so much to enter the universities. Our
generation is concerned with money and they exaggerate this as an addiction. They ignore the
other ways of happiness, feelings like love and friendship. "It seems that adults might be
better at putting themselves in other people's mental shoes and thinking about the emotional
impact of actions."( Teenagers thoughtless and selfish, according to researcher, 2006)
Older generations attach more importance to these feelings. The other contrary idea is that our
generation is not irresponsible but teenagers like taking responsibilities in social and
entertainment-related areas. I think this idea is in contradiction with itself. We can’t divide
responsibility to different areas. A person should be responsible both studies, homework,
lessons both social activities. To be responsible on just one area shows the irresponsibility.
Many examples and thoughts of teachers, parents, results of some public surveys show the
reality of the irresponsibility of our generation.
New generations’ on money and seeing the money as everything in life, selfish thoughts and
just thinking about their benefits , irresponsibility for being in comfort are basic supporter
features of this argument. Some real examples, general opinions of parents and teachers
confirm them. Having considered both sides of the argument, we can safely draw the
conclusion that our generation is selfish and concerned with money and comfort because of
the developing technologic devices, changing life conditions and the increasing basic things
that make our lives easier.

5. OZDEMIR 5
Pros
Cons
1) Our generation has selfish thoughts
and teenagers are just thinking about
their benefits.
2) Our generation is addicted to money
and they see the money as everything
in life.
3) Our generation is always thinking
about their comfort.
4) Our generation ignores responsibilities
and doesn’t give enough attention.
5) Our generation is unemotional and
combative because of the internet and
technologic devices.
1) Our generation is not selfish, they
are active and helpful on social
media, internet and friendship
sites.
2) Our generation is not more
concerned with money than older
generations because the money
was more valuable for older
generations but earning money and
finding any job is easier now.
3) Our generation is not irresponsible
but teenagers like taking
responsibilities in social and
entertainment-related areas.
4) Our generation is more emotional
than the older generations because
of the increasing daily
psychological problems.
REFERENCES
1) Cosmos Magazine Home Page.(2006). Retrieved May 30th, 2012, from
http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/637/teenagers-thoughtless-and-selfish-accordingresearcher
2) My Article Archieve.(No Date).Retrieved June 1th,2012,from
http://www.myarticlearchive.com/articles/9/162.htm
3) Vopus Home Page.(No Date).Retrieved May 31th,2012,from
http://www.vopus.org/en/gnosis/psychology-self-knowledge/money-physical-necessity-anddependence.html