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mystmarimatt · 08-27-2003, 01:28 AM

i was dinking around online and i found this article on netscape.net, and thought it might be fun to read, because it pertains to me.

"Born Before 1985? Then You Are...
...OLD! And here's proof.

Every year Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin publishes what it calls "The Mindset List"--fun facts and figures about the incoming crop of freshmen so professors will be able to relate to their new students.

Beloit says the list is a reminder that the world view of today's new college students is significantly different from the intellectual framework of those students who entered only a few years earlier. Put another way, it's a reminder that you are getting on in years. One of the list's creators is Beloit professor Tom McBride, who quips, "It is an alert for those of us who may be suffering from hardening of the references." And there's no medicine for this!

So to better understand how the class of 2007 thinks, most of whom were born in 1985, read this and feel your age:

The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1985.

They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era and probably did not know he had ever been shot.

They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged.

There has been only one pope in their lifetime.

They were 10 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold War.

They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up on takeoff.

Tiananmen Square means nothing to them.

Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic.

Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums.

The statement "You sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. (They have never owned a record player.)

They have likely never played Pac Man and have never heard of Pong.

They may have never heard of an 8-track tape. The compact disc was introduced when they were 1 year old.

They have always had an answering machine.

Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV.

They have always had cable.

There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what Beta was.

They cannot fathom not having a remote control.

They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is or know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up!" commercial.

They were born the year that Walkman was introduced by Sony.

Roller skating has always meant inline for them.

Michael Jackson has always been white.

Jay Leno has always been on "The Tonight Show."

They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool.

Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave.

They have never seen Larry Bird play.

They never took a swim and thought about "Jaws."

The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as World War I, World War II, and the Civil War.

They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran.

They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are.

They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. (The correct answer, by the way, is Ork.)

They never heard: "Where's the beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or "De plane, de plane!"

They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. was.

Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not bands.

There has always been MTV.

They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter."

Now, mostly, i thought the article was funny, and a lot of it had truth, but it seems to me it makes some really stupid assumptions.

I, for one, have played both Pacman, and Pong, they aren't exactly mythical artifacts from a dead civilization, some of my friends still own Ataris.

My family does own a record player, records and i'm fully aware of its function and how to operate it, lots of families keep them, because their parents are afraid of change, and refuse switch to anything new. like tape decks or 8 track (hehe, sorry older folks, i had to get it in)

i've definently seen a black and white tv, we've got one downstairs.

roller skating IS still roller skating at the rinks.

I have too gone swimming and thought about jaws.

Hard contacts are still in use, i wear them.

Wait, wait, Mork's that guy on Nick at Nite nd the old tv show station, played by Robin Williams, right? (disproved by the very invention of it's existence, hehe)

Typewriters are just dumb, if you screw up once, it's kaput.

anyway, my point was not that i'm bitter at this, i just wanted to poke fun at their perception of us, because it seems to treat us with these kid gloves, of sorts, and i thought it was funny. Your thoughts?

08-27-2003, 01:28 AM	#1 (permalink)
mystmarimatt Omnipotent Ruler Of The Tiny Universe In My Mind Location: Oreegawn	the college class of 2007 i was dinking around online and i found this article on netscape.net, and thought it might be fun to read, because it pertains to me. "Born Before 1985? Then You Are... ...OLD! And here's proof. Every year Beloit College in Beloit, Wisconsin publishes what it calls "The Mindset List"--fun facts and figures about the incoming crop of freshmen so professors will be able to relate to their new students. Beloit says the list is a reminder that the world view of today's new college students is significantly different from the intellectual framework of those students who entered only a few years earlier. Put another way, it's a reminder that you are getting on in years. One of the list's creators is Beloit professor Tom McBride, who quips, "It is an alert for those of us who may be suffering from hardening of the references." And there's no medicine for this! So to better understand how the class of 2007 thinks, most of whom were born in 1985, read this and feel your age: The people who are starting college this fall across the nation were born in 1985. They have no meaningful recollection of the Reagan era and probably did not know he had ever been shot. They were prepubescent when the Persian Gulf War was waged. There has been only one pope in their lifetime. They were 10 when the Soviet Union broke apart and do not remember the Cold War. They are too young to remember the space shuttle blowing up on takeoff. Tiananmen Square means nothing to them. Bottle caps have always been screw off and plastic. Atari predates them, as do vinyl albums. The statement "You sound like a broken record" means nothing to them. (They have never owned a record player.) They have likely never played Pac Man and have never heard of Pong. They may have never heard of an 8-track tape. The compact disc was introduced when they were 1 year old. They have always had an answering machine. Most have never seen a TV set with only 13 channels, nor have they seen a black and white TV. They have always had cable. There have always been VCRs, but they have no idea what Beta was. They cannot fathom not having a remote control. They don't know what a cloth baby diaper is or know about the "Help me, I've fallen and I can't get up!" commercial. They were born the year that Walkman was introduced by Sony. Roller skating has always meant inline for them. Michael Jackson has always been white. Jay Leno has always been on "The Tonight Show." They have no idea when or why Jordache jeans were cool. Popcorn has always been cooked in the microwave. They have never seen Larry Bird play. They never took a swim and thought about "Jaws." The Vietnam War is as ancient history to them as World War I, World War II, and the Civil War. They have no idea that Americans were ever held hostage in Iran. They can't imagine what hard contact lenses are. They don't know who Mork was or where he was from. (The correct answer, by the way, is Ork.) They never heard: "Where's the beef?", "I'd walk a mile for a Camel," or "De plane, de plane!" They do not care who shot J.R. and have no idea who J.R. was. Kansas, Chicago, Boston, America, and Alabama are places, not bands. There has always been MTV. They don't have a clue how to use a typewriter." Now, mostly, i thought the article was funny, and a lot of it had truth, but it seems to me it makes some really stupid assumptions. I, for one, have played both Pacman, and Pong, they aren't exactly mythical artifacts from a dead civilization, some of my friends still own Ataris. My family does own a record player, records and i'm fully aware of its function and how to operate it, lots of families keep them, because their parents are afraid of change, and refuse switch to anything new. like tape decks or 8 track (hehe, sorry older folks, i had to get it in) i've definently seen a black and white tv, we've got one downstairs. roller skating IS still roller skating at the rinks. I have too gone swimming and thought about jaws. Hard contacts are still in use, i wear them. Wait, wait, Mork's that guy on Nick at Nite nd the old tv show station, played by Robin Williams, right? (disproved by the very invention of it's existence, hehe) Typewriters are just dumb, if you screw up once, it's kaput. anyway, my point was not that i'm bitter at this, i just wanted to poke fun at their perception of us, because it seems to treat us with these kid gloves, of sorts, and i thought it was funny. Your thoughts? __________________ Words of Wisdom: If you could really get to know someone and know that they weren't lying to you, then you would know the world was real. Because you could agree on things, you could compare notes. That must be why people get married or make Art. So they'll be able to really know something and not go insane. Last edited by mystmarimatt; 08-27-2003 at 01:31 AM..