99921, there are "good for nothing" people at all times; my guess is that the percentage of those people was far lower during the 30's than now. And when you figure in the much greater population of today, that's a lot of "good for nothings!"

Scaling back expectations? Well, I agree, however, that's one big reason I think things will take so long to turn around - the genie it so far out of the bottle on the expectation front, I just don't think we can get our hands around it and put it back in the bottle. Perhaps we will have to wait for those yet to be born to become young adults before expectations can be adjusted, without an accompanying sense of failure and frustration, both of which will hold those "spoiled" members of current society, of which there are many, back.

BTW, I've read on past 99921's post and see a few others speak in similar terms. The sense of entitlement and the lack of accountability are certainly at an all time high since the time I was old enough to figure anything out - say, mid-60's. It's disgusting.