With parents failing to teach responsibility to their children for their choices.

I am a Gen-Xer. Pretty much right in the middle and entering my 40s (which feels weird to type). I was born to Baby Boomer parents, whose most important lessons to me were to work hard (not just in school, but with physical labor, my jobs, etc), take responsibility for every action, and life isn't fair.

Why does that matter? Well, I actually earned my degree by paying for it entirely out of my pocket. I've experienced being out of work for almost a year and having to live off of savings rather than mooch off the government or Church. I've learned that choices I make have a direct correlation to outcomes that I have. And I wouldn't have had it any other way. I've experienced great success in my career and with my family because of those lessons.

My 14 year old daughter complains about having to buy all of her own clothes and pay for all of her activities herself. She also has 4 piano and viola students that allows her to have a recurring income each month to be able to do these things, because we as parents decided that she needed to take music lessons. She now practices 2+ hours a day at viola and a half hour at piano and likely will end up at one of the top music conservatories in the US because of her work. She has sacrificed activities and other things to get as good as she is, and right now she doesn't necessarily see the benefit. She will down the road as I did after learning the lessons I did from my parents.

My point to all of this is that equality is a great idea...something that sounds wonderful. The reality is that even if everyone is given the exact same thing (in this case forgiveness of student loans) you will never stay equal. Cream always rises to the top. The lessons and behaviors we build as kids shape us as who we will be as adults. Once student loans are forgiven, there will always be something else that is unfair out there. We can't always press the reset button when this happens. People have to take responsibility for their own actions and decisions.

Unfortunately, the above is not just a Milennial attitude but spans the generations. I fear that it is just more prevalent now than before due to a general attitude in this country of not needing to take responsibility for ones own decisions.

If we could change that attitude, then requests like the one in the linked post would be minimized.