The Dumbest Generation

First-time homebuyers are the lifeblood of the housing market. The fuel that keeps the fire stoked. The oil that keeps the engine running. The mayonnaise that keeps the sandwich lubricated. Insert your own rote metaphor here.

And, more often than not, first-time homebuyers are relatively young. They were probably born after 1975, young enough to have at one point believed that New Kids on the Block were awesome (though are justifiably unexcited about their recent comeback).

According to Emory University English Professor Mark Bauerlein, these people are also incredibly stupid.

His forthcoming book is called "The Dumbest Generation: How the Digital Age Stupefies Young Americans and Jeopardizes Our Future (Or, Don’t Trust Anyone Under 30)." Bauerlein's thesis, essentially, is that the internet and video games make people dumb. Young people, avid users of the internet and video games, are therefore dumb. Click here to view his website, and here to see a web slide-show explaining his rationale. I guess he's trying to appeal to the crotchety-angry-old-lady-on-her-rocking-chair-yelling-at-the-neighbor-kids demographic.

As someone born in 1981 and an avid user of the internet, I'd love to weigh in with my opinion on the topic, but I'm just too damn stupid. I can barely read the manuals that teach me how to play all of the video games I spend 18 hours a day playing, let along formulate a cohesive response to his argument.

Those of you who work with young first-time homebuyers already knew this though, right?

Comments

[Aaron Dickinson - Edina Realty]

The dumbest thing someone can do is stereotype a group of people so that they can easily be dismissed. The under 30 crowd has a lot of things to offer the over 30 crowd... and vice versa. Bauerlein calls us "The Dumbest Generation" because simply calling us "different than those that have come before them" wouldn't sell a lot of books.

[Mike Strand]

Well, Jeff, you sort of proved Bauerlein's point by misspelling the word "alone" in your non-comment and, perhaps most importantly, not checking for errors. Are you typing with your thumbs, too? ;-)

[Mike Strand]

Well, Jeff, you sort of proved Bauerlein's point by misspelling the word "alone" in your non-comment and, perhaps most importantly, not checking for errors. Are you typing with your thumbs, too? ;-)

[Jeff Allen]

Checking for errors sounds like a job for older, much smarter people than myself.

Good catch :)

[Susan Hofflander]

It seems Professor Bauerlein is indeed trying to sell books. Why does anyone use inflammatory language like that (can you say Ann Coulter?). As for generalizing about a group of people, that's been going on forever, actualized in racism, sexism, ageism, etc., it doesn't mean we have to buy it as something credible (again I bring up Ann Coulter). I think we all have a piece of the puzzle. Uninformed though some may be, that's why they come to us. The fact is, part of our job is to be a teacher.