Immediate Gratification

Here's my recent insight:

As I was judging groups and individuals for a talent show I have relaized that these kids were not prepared. Very few of them seemed to have spent the time to create a quality performance, and yet they seemed to almost expect a chance to perform at the show. This is also not relegated to just tlanet and music related things.

I believe that, in our internet fueled/have it now culture, children to not know the value of hard work. That's not to say I was raised with the true knowledge either. It started with my generation; we grew up with the internet and had information, entertainment, and connectivity at our fingertips. It took no work to do what we needed and then never gave us cause to learn the value of hard work.

It's far worse now, however, since the digital age has been in full swing for these kids. They can become an instrant celebrity with American Idol or YouTube, and they don't see or understand the work that comes with those things. All they have to do is show up and they will be applauded and given a "sticker".
Sadly, this translates to lack of motivation in school and lazinessacross the board. I see so many students who simply fill a chair and get frustrated when they aren't at the top of the class. They expect everything to be spoon-fed to them and, if they don't understand right away, it probably doesn't matter and they don't have to do it. It's sad when we are trying to work on teaching the piano to students (something parents tell me they would like to play all the time) and these students don't understand. We spend months on the notes, show them where the correct keys are, label the keys with note names, sing the song with note names, and do "fun" review games, bu they still have no idea. Now, these aren't the ones who are trying. Some students talk through the entire explination or space out and then expect to be able to perform.

You cannot perform admirably on anything unless you are willing to put in the time.

Get help, work hard, spend the time, and crush it!

I wish that the newest children born recently or are soon to be born will understand this. the world cannot take and entire population that is uninspired, needy, and demanding.

No one is going to applaud (and mean it) a half-hearted effort.

Maybe I'll write more on this later. If I'm feeling inspired