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Making Money Beats Purpose?

This just in, according to the new U.S. Census Bureau’s Statistical Abstract of the United States 2007:

- 79 percent of freshmen in 1970 had an important personal objective of "developing a meaningful philosophy of life."  By 2005, 75 percent of freshmen said their primary objective was "being very well off financially."

Also, according to that report:

- adults and teens will spend nearly five months (3,518 hours) next year watching television, surfing the Internet, reading daily newspapers and listening to personal music devices.

Money holds more weight than life purpose (for the younger generation, at least), and most of us spend almost half a year tuned in to various forms of media (and so, not actually living life).  Reading those statistics inspires me to find more purpose in life, and take even more dog walks in 2007 (if that is even possible…)  What about you?

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Tuesday, January 2nd, 2007 in Announcements, Events and Miscellany

  • http://profile.typekey.com/noraleeed/ Nora

    I’m not sure I buy this little statistic. I can see it’s source, however. For years we, as a society, have equated college with a better job. But the world is changing slowly. England has instituted a new policy for their equivalent of graduating high school seniors — take a year off. Don’t start university until you have a little life experience. That idea is catching on here, too. There’s a concerted effort to put college in perspective. Many of the teens I know — freshmen in 2008 or 2009 — want to change the world. And their socio-economic status doesn’t seem to matter. Rich or poor — they want things to be different and they are willing to work for that change. So don’t despair. More of them get it than you think.

  • http://profile.typekey.com/andlearn/ Andrea Learned

    Great.. good to hear your anecdotal experience, Nora. I have mainly met really purposeful young people lately, as well – so the numbers made me wonder. It is good to have hope for the future as we begin 2007, indeed!

  • http://inwomenwetrust.typepad.com/in_women_we_trust/2007/01/is_bottled_wate.html In Women We Trust

    Is bottled water worth $500 to a family of four?

    The things you learn while reading other’s posts. Andrea Learned was commenting on the difference between what kids in 1970 wanted and what they want in 2005, i.e. 1970/developing a meaningful philosophy of life vs. 2005/ 75% kids want to be well off f…