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Return to Article: Generation Y seeks more interaction with government online

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  Well, first, let's all admit we're all in this together. We all want a more efficient work force, and we all want coworkers with whom we get along.

  Second - Aaron and John - what "generation" do you stereotypically "belong" to? I'm willing to bet you were total hippies. Didn't you slack off and hate the man too? (I am being facetiously stereotypical, I know. I do always wonder, though, how my garage band-playing, rebellious parents turned into the over-protective judgmental parents they are to me now...) What about your kids? How old are they? Do you want them to "get the hell out of this country" too?

  Third, these are just new tools, people. We are trying to improve our Democracy/Republic the way it was created. It's not a radically new way of thinking. The business world has been shifting to a more "open-source" culture for years now. As usual, the government is just finally catching up, as it should.

  Let's all work on being efficient and open communicators together. Let's actually do something to improve this world! (I'm young enough to still have my rose-colored glasses on. It's okay if you're jealous.)

  Emma Dozier Posted November 25, 2008 3:48 PM
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  It amazes me how stereotyping and generalizing younger/older workers is considered acceptable, whereas stereotyping by race, sex, nationality, and religion is prohibited. Where's the difference? I'm also willing to bet my TSP balance that 100, 200, or 500 years ago people were voicing the same complaints about generational differences.

  Junior Elder Posted July 9, 2008 4:47 AM
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  Looking at the current administration, there already exists plenty of interaction.

  In one direction, we have embedded journalists in the armed forces, embedded Pentagon "experts" in the media ... even embedded media like Fox and CNN. Josef Goebbels would be drooling over what's now available.

  And in the other direction, we have telecommunications "partnering" with the NSA, the Patriot Act, data mining like Total Information Awareness, and all those responses solicited at Guantanamo and Abu Ghraib.

  Be careful what you ask for.

  John Kwasnik Posted July 7, 2008 3:12 PM
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  Well, this us and them stuff has to stop in every sector. Every generation has wondered about the next generation's work ethic for the last hundred years. Personally I don't buy it. The young people I work with in government have challenged me to be up on the latest advances. My father's generation helped my grandfather's generation learn new uses for electricity and so on and so forth. Somewhere back in cave days a younger person showed a parent how to use the wheel instead of dragging things around. I think this generational stuff is nothing more than those who don't understand history and the evloution of machines, software and energy and such. In the immortal words of Rodney King, "Can't we just get along". Let's give this generational differences stuff a rest - it isn't useful in getting the work of the American people done.

  JobDoc Posted July 7, 2008 1:32 PM
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  As a young federal employee, I am insulted by the extreme generalizations that are used to describe our generation. It is unfortunate that many "older" federal employees feel the need to constantly complain about our work ethic (or lack thereof) instead of trying to take advantage of the broad skill set that many Gen Y employees bring to the table. It has been my experience that there are many highly-graded government employees that have been in the government for many years who spend their days surfing the net while the Gen Y "slackers" do all of their work for them for less pay. Unfortunately for Gen Y, these people are rewarded with higher pay because of their time in the government, rather than their contributions. As for our dress, I find it interesting that many people believe that their attire at work represents their work ethic. I agree that there is a time and place for certain types of attire, however, you can dress up an idiot and they are still an idiot.

  Gen Y Fed Posted July 7, 2008 10:14 AM
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  It would make sense that a poll conducted by an online social community would be heavily tilted towards correspondents receiving their information online and interacting with the government online.

  It's like going into a McDonald's and surveying patrons their about their plans for eating out for the next year or so. I'd think that a high percentage of them would be planning to eat fast food.

  Bill Murray Posted July 3, 2008 3:23 PM
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  How nice for the hip, edgy, young folks who love to play online. For me, point me to a human being who has the expertise to answer a real question - I have NEVER found a question for which I needed an answer on a Frequently Asked Questions list. That routine, procedural info on FAQs never addresses real issues - my own functional area of HR is being reduced to FAQs on websites in the hope that 90% of all HR issues, problems, questions will be resolved by someone NOT expert in the function by some FAQ. Wish they'd get real.

  AF HR Posted July 3, 2008 2:36 PM
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  Sounds like the previous poster is a little jealous of the more advanced generation in terms of the ability to use technology more EFFICIENTLY!!

  Stop the HATE, you baby boomers will leave no retirement money for our generation anyway. We are just waiting for the reitrement wave to hit so we can fix this mess of a government we have left.

  CLG Posted July 3, 2008 2:30 PM
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  I am pre-generation Y and I too really want direct, honest, genuine communication from the government. If I get direct, honest and genuine communication from the government online, all the better.

  Joe Knepley Posted July 3, 2008 1:06 PM
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  I agree with John, the Y kiddies need to grow up and quit depending on everyone else for their needs. It's just what this country needs, give out more information to our enemies so they can destroy this country and everyone in it. If the Generation Y folks don't like it, get the hell out of this country, it would be better off with out them.

  Aaron Kinser Posted July 3, 2008 11:08 AM
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  Give me a break. Generation Y as they call the loafer generation wants to wear flip-flops all day and looks for instant gradification, even though they have done little to earn it. Grow up. Video games and soccer trophies do not exist in the real world of business. Here's a secret for you: Get off you back side and do some hard work. You may actually get somewhere then and only then. The real world is not coming down to your level, you have to try to fit in.

  John Mills Posted July 3, 2008 8:58 AM