Today, my HR manager shared his recent experience at a job fair. He ventured there to find a suitable candidate for our company but unfortunately and even more Surprisingly, he returned without finding even a single suitable candidate who met his requirements, despite having a large number of applicants. the challenge wasn’t a lack of resumes, but a clear shift in attitude. few of the frequently asked questions from young job seekers were, “What kind of job is it?” “Is there any hard work involved?” though the question seemed so simple it revealed something deeper, something way beyond—a growing mindset among many young people today. It seems the young people are more concerned about avoiding discomfort than about building a career. They are looking for jobs without any specific purpose, mostly to kill time, and earn a minimum salary without sacrificing their comfort zone and prioritizing freedom, personal space, entertainment and happiness.
Reflecting on this, I couldn’t help but think of how different my journey was. Most of Our parents struggled for every small thing. With limited income and no safety nets, they worked relentlessly to build a life. Owning a small house, educating their children, and maintaining a dignified life were difficult goals. But somehow, they made it possible. Their sacrifices and hard work gave us access to better education and opened doors to opportunities we could never have imagined on our own.
Our generation was fortunate. We stepped onto the foundations our parents had laid. Life wasn’t always easy, but compared to theirs, we had more resources, more freedom, and better financial security. We secured stable jobs and grew steadily in our careers. We also took a more planned approach in raising our children, determined to give them what we had missed. We didn’t hesitate to spend on their comforts. Even when things were a little beyond our means, we stretched our limits to fulfil their wishes. In many ways, we tried to live out our lost dreams through our children.
However, there is an unintended consequence of our ways that is now becoming so clearly visible. A significant number of young adults today seem to lack the drive to establish their own independent lives. Many are still being supported by their parents well into adulthood. This support, though given with love and care, may have dulled their sense of urgency. With their basic needs covered, they do not always see the importance of securing a stable career.
Most of this generation has passed through the education system and, thanks to our sacrifices, have received decent qualifications. But for many, education became more of a social phase than a process of learning. It was a time for fun and freedom, not for building knowledge or character. Some of them underperformed in their studies, and others dropped out altogether. Even those who completed their degrees often show very little interest in getting a serious job and owning responsibilities.
What concerns me further is that this trend is more noticeable among youngsters from middle and lower-middle-class families. These students may not have had access to high-ranking institutions and thus were denied the kind of opportunities that come through elite campus placements. But unlike in our time, when we accepted smaller beginnings and worked hard to rise, many today seem disheartened from the start. They want high-paying, prestigious jobs, but are not ready to start small or work their way up. They want quick rewards but shy away from acquiring new skills or enduring discomfort to get there.
We were willing to work for what we wanted. We knew we had to start somewhere and grow through hard work. The hunger to succeed, the urgency to survive, and the willingness to make sacrifices helped us rise above our situations. Today, that hunger is often missing.
Many young people today dream of leisure—long vacations, expensive bikes, scenic adventures. There is nothing wrong with dreaming big, but dreams need a foundation. What we are seeing is a growing disconnection between aspirations and the actions needed to achieve them. There is a lack of discipline, direction, and sometimes even basic values that are crucial for building a meaningful life.
As a father of a 23-year-old daughter who is pursuing her master’s degree at one of the world’s top universities, I often reflect on the role we play as a parent in shaping our children’s life. I believe children are made into who they become by their parents. If they lack direction or purpose, the responsibility also falls on the parents. In our eagerness to give them everything, we may have forgotten to prepare them for the realities of life.
We provided them with quality education, gave them comforts, and supported their dreams. But perhaps we didn’t teach them enough about struggle, perseverance, or the value of hard-earned success. Many young people today are still relying on their parents as though they are still young and incapable of providing for themselves when in reality it’s not forgetting that adulthood comes with its own responsibilities. They don’t always realize that parents won’t be around forever, and that they may soon have to walk alone—and maybe even carry their parents along the way.
What’s most worrying is that many of them do not have clear goals. They lack a structured plan for their future. Some chase unrealistic or shallow dreams with no effort to back them up. Without discipline and a solid set of values, their lives may slowly drift into directions that are unproductive and painful.
This is not a blanket judgment on all youth. There are many young individuals who are focused, hardworking, and making a real difference. But the number of those drifting is growing, especially among families like ours.
As parents, educators, and professionals, it is time to reflect. We must not only support our children but also guide them. We must help them understand that a good life is earned through effort, that comfort is the result of discipline, and that true freedom only comes with responsibility.
We owe it to our children to give them more than resources. We must give them the tools to live independently, the strength to face failures, and the wisdom to rise above challenges.
It is not too late. But the time to act is now.
