Why aren't more people taking up scuba diving?

[Shotmaster]

I don't recall seeing where anyone said the Millenials are lazy. What I said is their interests are different, and how they spend their time is different. The breakdown of hours I listed is pretty consistent from several different surveys where Millenials were questioned directly and that is how they answered. One thing is certain, they wouldnt call your generation the Enigma, if they could figure you out! LOL There are some Millenials who make good money, but are comfortable to continue living with parents, and their low overhead allows them to travel and have lots of expensive toys. There is so much diversity between individual situations, that there is no easy way to generalize. The bad economy only complicates figuring them out as they are truly treading water and it delays them leaving the nest and setting real trends in purchasing homes and cars, taking vacations, or influencing existing recreational markets. The one thing that is felt, is we older people look around and don't see a flood of younger people coming, and considering that there are more Millenials than boomers we don't understand why you aren't showing up to the dance. We see you at the mall, but not at the dock.

 

[JamesBon92007]

Having said all that, I believe I mentioned that in the 4 years I assisted shop OW courses I would say that a majority in each class were maybe 18-25. Maybe this is not the norm. As far as swimming less today, I found that maybe 2 out of 10 had a proper swim stroke. Still boggles my mind. Though I only got OW 11 years ago, I think it is a safe bet that a vast majority taking up scuba in 1966 could swim very well--and properly. Divers from back then will have to confirm this.

In my class in '69 it was all men mostly in their 20s. There was one guy who did not know how to swim well. In the class I took in '83 it was three quarters women, mostly in their 20s. They were all good swimmers.

 

[JamesBon92007]

There are some Millenials who make good money, but are comfortable to continue living with parents, and their low overhead allows them to travel and have lots of expensive toys. There is so much diversity between individual situations, that there is no easy way to generalize. The bad economy only complicates figuring them out as they are truly treading water and it delays them leaving the nest and setting real trends in purchasing homes and cars, taking vacations, or influencing existing recreational markets. .

I recently read an article in the local newspaper that said that 75% of the population in California cannot afford to buy a house. It also said that those same people don't have $500 on hand in case of an emergency. To me that seems hard to believe but considering that a basic OW class costs about $400 that doesn't leave much for recreational endeavors. At this point in my life I am able to take quite a few diving trips. I'm making a lot less money than I used to but I have almost no debt, the kids are grown and on their own, and I have the time. My average yearly number of dives may have gone down from when I was a kid but now I get to go to fabulous, exotic places

 

[kensuf]

I don't know about the pollution in Lake Ontario, but the year I was born the Cuyahoga River caught fire. It fed into Lake Erie.

My grandfather had a cottage on Lake Erie, we used to spend some time there each summer throughout the early to mid-70s until he sold it in '77. My recollection was the smell of dead fish.

 

[mmmbelows]

To say that it is my generation being inside all the time and doing things online is untrue... Shits expensive!

We have school to pay for which depending on what you do an be anywhere from 5000 or more a semester and that doesn't include books (community college for me), our insurance rates are crazy, I have a chip in my car that tells the insurance company how I drive just so I can get a discount (which I succeed and got 22% out of a possible 25), gas isn't cheap right now, and to function in society now we have to have cell phones so there is another bill, if we want to live on our own there is rent or mortgages on top of it all.

I am not saying you older guys had it easier, but you had more financial breaks in my eyes. There are less full time jobs for millennial. A lot of the time you have to have a full education to get one. Many of us work part time jobs at minimum wage, and that goes straight to paying for school.

I am really fortunate to have always had a full time job and one for the government! I went to trades school and am studying to write my C of Q in electrical. I own my car fully and still live at home but am saving to buy a home. A lot of people my age haven't had as much luck as I am fortunate to have had so far.

So to say that the outdoor sports are having lacking numbers because of laziness is untrue, we are just trying to keep our head above water until the baby boomers die off and retire. It doesn't help when we start our adult lives in a recession.

Stop waiting for somebody to hand you a pay check and start a business. Entrepreneurship in millennials is the lowest of any of the generations before you, break out of the herd and make your own way. My generation mowed lawns, painted houses during the summer, did odd jobs, did anything and everything that made a dollar because action leads to more action,, anything leads to something, millennials typically seem to think they have to score a big job or do nothing, nothing in between, sitting in front of a computer or on a smart phone, playing games, playing with facebook and social media is the biggest killer or success any generation has faced. 'Waiting for baby boomer to die off and retire" says it all, your generation thinks in terms of the zero sum game instead of all of the generations prior which believe in the laws of abundance, think about it, because that alone is a killer or success, too many of you want it all or nothing, there is no in-between. Maybe this isn't you, maybe you're the exception, but there sure are a lot of your peers who think this way. But saying you need to wait for someone in front of you to move out of the way for you to take their place sure is the mentality of followers not leaders, leaders find a way to go around the person in front of them.

 

[Shotmaster]

Stop waiting for somebody to hand you a pay check and start a business. Entrepreneurship in millennials is the lowest of any of the generations before you, break out of the herd and make your own way. My generation mowed lawns, painted houses during the summer, did odd jobs, did anything and everything that made a dollar because action leads to more action,, anything leads to something, millennials typically seem to think they have to score a big job or do nothing, nothing in between, sitting in front of a computer or on a smart phone, playing games, playing with facebook and social media is the biggest killer or success any generation has faced. 'Waiting for baby boomer to die off and retire" says it all, your generation thinks in terms of the zero sum game instead of all of the generations prior which believe in the laws of abundance, think about it, because that alone is a killer or success, too many of you want it all or nothing, there is no in-between. Maybe this isn't you, maybe you're the exception, but there sure are a lot of your peers who think this way. But saying you need to wait for someone in front of you to move out of the way for you to take their place sure is the mentality of followers not leaders, leaders find a way to go around the person in front of them.

AMEN!

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

Stop waiting for somebody to hand you a pay check and start a business. Entrepreneurship in millennials is the lowest of any of the generations before you, break out of the herd and make your own way. My generation mowed lawns, painted houses during the summer, did odd jobs, did anything and everything that made a dollar because action leads to more action,, anything leads to something, millennials typically seem to think they have to score a big job or do nothing, nothing in between, sitting in front of a computer or on a smart phone, playing games, playing with facebook and social media is the biggest killer or success any generation has faced. 'Waiting for baby boomer to die off and retire" says it all, your generation thinks in terms of the zero sum game instead of all of the generations prior which believe in the laws of abundance, think about it, because that alone is a killer or success, too many of you want it all or nothing, there is no in-between. Maybe this isn't you, maybe you're the exception, but there sure are a lot of your peers who think this way. But saying you need to wait for someone in front of you to move out of the way for you to take their place sure is the mentality of followers not leaders, leaders find a way to go around the person in front of them.

This is the best post I've read in a long time.
I didn't get to go to college, but I broke out and became self employed almost 30 years ago. It was up to me and me alone to make it.
You get out what you put in.
Years ago we didn't have all the distractions the millenials have now to waste their time. At the worst we had TV and I even remember people warning others of he collosal waste of time that it was watching TV. I remember the phrase "kill your TV!"
Now it seems like that's the least of peoples' problems.
I run two businesses and can't find anyone that wants to work hard and learn the trade. They all want to make $30 to start off or nothing. What ever happened to being an apprentice?
The reason they can't get jobs out of college is because they don't teach them ****, not much that's usable in the real world. Everything in theory is fine, but actual skills is what makes you usefull. That might involve actually working and sweating a little, it might be uncomfortable at times, and the pay might be lower than what you think your worth. But you know what, you're not worth it until you learn how to do it, sorry.
So now we have our physical work force coming up from Mexico to do stuff we're too good to do. They're making money and they're pay is going up. I've never seen a Hispanic sitting at an intersection with a "anything will help" sign. Think about that.

 

[JamesBon92007]

So now we have our physical work force coming up from Mexico to do stuff we're too good to do. They're making money and they're pay is going up. I've never seen a Hispanic sitting at an intersection with a "anything will help" sign. Think about that.

And not just the manual labor, but entrepreneurship in general too. Yesterday the people we had cater our Memorial Day party were from Mexico. The catering was actually the wife's business and the husband has a RV repair business. They both appear to be very successful and she doesn't even speak English! Not only that but it was some of the best, authentic Mexican food I've ever had. Very nice people and they will be getting many referrals.

Several years ago when I lived in Orange County, CA I drove a pickup to work. Whenever I stopped at a red light there would be about a dozen Hispanics wanting to jump into the back of my truck. They all wanted to work, without even knowing how much they would get paid.


Very interesting thread with unexpected conclusions.

 

[dlofting]

Stop waiting for somebody to hand you a pay check and start a business. Entrepreneurship in millennials is the lowest of any of the generations before you, break out of the herd and make your own way. My generation mowed lawns, painted houses during the summer, did odd jobs, did anything and everything that made a dollar because action leads to more action,, anything leads to something, millennials typically seem to think they have to score a big job or do nothing, nothing in between, sitting in front of a computer or on a smart phone, playing games, playing with facebook and social media is the biggest killer or success any generation has faced. 'Waiting for baby boomer to die off and retire" says it all, your generation thinks in terms of the zero sum game instead of all of the generations prior which believe in the laws of abundance, think about it, because that alone is a killer or success, too many of you want it all or nothing, there is no in-between. Maybe this isn't you, maybe you're the exception, but there sure are a lot of your peers who think this way. But saying you need to wait for someone in front of you to move out of the way for you to take their place sure is the mentality of followers not leaders, leaders find a way to go around the person in front of them.

If this was directed at Slym, which I think it was, he said he was working full time and going to school....not much time left to start a business.

A lot depends on what you see around you. I live in an area where many people are professionals or business owners. Fitness and outdoor activity are high priorities. Based solely on what I see on Vancouver's North Shore, I would say that most young people are either mountain biking, trail running, hiking or working out in a fitness centre during their leisure time. Otherwise they work long hours either getting a business running or toiling for someone else or they go to school. They use social media to stay in contact with their friends because it's efficient......but I know that what I see here is not the whole story.

 

[Altamira]

What do we expect from a generation whose lives and mentality have been formed, buttered and baked with a background of unwarranted self-esteem, everyone's a winner, and here is your medal for showing up?