“Arrogant” doesn’t begin to describe this pompous drivel.
Be forewarned that the following email you’re about to read from this lifeguard-cum-BMW intern will make you angry. Meet the workplace prototype for the next 10 years: welcome to Generation “I.” — An Incredibly Arrogant Email From A Young Neighborhood Pool Lifeguard To His Former Boss (Deadspin link busted… new link).
The message about “the workplace prototype” does mean we oldsters will need to adjust our expectations and working style, so that we can continue to work with bright, capable, talented people who, for all their talents, may make spectacular flaming errors like this.
My job isn’t to shame, of course, but in order to advise my students and teach them about professionalism, I do need to teach about and explore this kind of behavior.
Sure, the kid is an arrogant jerk, but I really despise the stereotyping of entire generations. Generation “X” does this, but Generation “Y” does this! It’s as flawed and lazy as stereotyping be gender or race. People of all ages are unique. Just because it’s convenient to generalize all of their behavior into a “mindset” doesn’t make it right. For every egotistical IBM intern, there’s a decent kid who would apologetically turn down the job and graciously thank the writer for thinking of them.
Stuff like this will always appear in a culture where you are your job, both socially and in terms of self-identity.