Those are the people who will influence the world and determine your future in thirty years.
A couple weeks ago I overheard my nephew say, "I'm not stupid. I know stuff!" So I chimed in and put him to the test.
Q: What's the name of first lady?
A: Mrs. Clinton. I can't remember her first name. Besides, the Vice President ain't that important.
Q: Who's on the dollar bill?
A: I know that one. Wait! It's... Damn it!
Q: How many planets are there?
A: I don't like science, so I never took it.
Q: Isn't it required to take a minimum amount of science credits to graduate?
A: I don't remember. That was four years ago.
Q: Why do ice cubes float?
A: When water freezes, all the air is pumped out.
A: Lincoln. Just like on the penny. That was an easy one.
Q: How many
continents are there?
A: (He looked out the window and studied the neighbor's flag before answering. It wasn't that windy, so he took a stab at it and said...) Six rows with nine stars... (and with a smile) ... 52. (at the very least, he was closer by a factor of two then if he would have done the math correctly)
Q: What was your school's mascot?
A: What's a mascot?
Then it was time for him to leave, but not before the following exchange. "I got that twenty I owe you and can pay it back now. But I'll need to borrow forty for gas for the week."
"So, you want to borrow another twenty?"
"No. I'm paying you the twenty I owe you, but need to borrow forty."
"It's the same thing."
"No it ain't! I'm paying you back the twenty I owe you. We'll be even. I will then borrow forty dollars for gas. Only one loan. Not two. You don't get it!"
I decided to do it his way, for I already knew how it was going to go down. "Fine! We'll do it your way. First give me the twenty you me."
"I don't have it on me. It's at home on the dresser in the bedroom next to my phone that I also forgot."
"No problem! When you bring me the twenty you owe me, I'll loan you the forty you need."
"Great!"
I haven't seen him since Christmas. In his mind, he didn't want to repay me that twenty bucks even if it meant that he would have been into me for forty.
The youth today have a hard time even understanding money. I've seen them make a call to borrow ten bucks and spend ten dollars in gas to come and get it.
They also think that having a job interview is the same as getting their first paycheck and start borrowing against it.
And that's not even mentioning the creative ways they have to sneak in clean piss from their brother who doesn't partake for the required drug test. Two months later, the entire cycle starts all over again. You know why? Wait for it... Because they know stuff.