Amen Sodbuster.
I reread my previous post about the "new" generation and some might get the wrong idea. There are some that are real go-getters, but it seems fewer every year. I'm looking at personal experience.
My 20 year old son is a great help at home and chores, but he's a "lost one" right now. Half his college fund on one semester and ended up with no credits... Couldn't handle the responsibility of being off at school alone. Wife and I cut it off and home he came. Worked spring through fall on a good job, made a buttload of money, got layed off. Now he doesn't know if he wants to go back because of the long hours and getting up at 4am. Gave us a line of BS (about the layed off/going back situation) to keep us off his back. Now we told him he SHOULD go get a burger flipping job. Maybe that would motivate him to get some sort of skill... Good kid, Eagle Scout, hard worker, no ambition or direction... FRUSTRATING
Wish he'd learn a trade.
16 year old is even scarier. Several emotional/behavioral issues/diagnosis's and thinks he should have everything handed to him on a platter. Huge sense of entitlement. Hates all chores and expectations. Probably will take 5 years to get through high school, which I hope he does. What is an employer going to do with the attitude he gives at home and school? Reality is he won't be an "adult" at 18. One counselor/therapist said "hopefully by 25..." I feel for the poor kid. We adopted him at 5 and everything he had been holding in surfaced shortly into the first full school year he was with us. Will he even be able to hold an entry level job and have a successful future?
Sorry if I got off topic there, felt the need to vent a bit. Original point was that ANYBODY can become a valuable employee (or entrepreneur), they just have to want it and work at it. Doesn't matter if they're hood or hillbilly. It just can't be given to them. Sure, some have it easier than others and have people to bail them out when they screw up; but it all comes down to making a personal choice. It's difficult to choose to work hard when you can be comfortable not working... Unfortunately, eldest is doing his best to prove that. Time to grow up!