--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Kids today are doing really hard work…" description: "\"Kids today are doing really hard work. Years ago they were involved in anti-apartheid protests. Now there's the whole Occupy movement. Kids are studyin..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/terri-hemmert-70643_children_kids-today-are-doing-really-hard-work-ye_92360.jpg" --- # Kids today are doing really hard work. Years ago they were… ![“Kids today are doing really hard work. Years ago they were involved in anti-apartheid protests. Now there's the whole Occupy movement. Kids are studying to work with handicapped children and so many other things.” quote by Terri Hemmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/terri-hemmert-70643_children_kids-today-are-doing-really-hard-work-ye_92360.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/terri-hemmert-70643_children_kids-today-are-doing-really-hard-work-ye_92360.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2f6/terri-hemmert-70643_children_kids-today-are-doing-really-hard-work-ye_92360.jpg) > “Kids today are doing really hard work. Years ago they were involved in anti-apartheid protests. Now there's the whole Occupy movement. Kids are studying to work with handicapped children and so many other things.” [Terri Hemmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-hemmert/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker contrasts past activist vigor with present superficial engagement, implying a decline in depth of commitment. **In simple terms:** Superficial activism vs. genuine struggle Key Takeaway Depth of commitment matters Themes activism generational change authenticity social engagement Mood critical concerned Type observation cautionary When to use this quote - y education - non‑profit work - community organizing Key Concepts social movements Practical Applications - critical civic education - inter‑generational dialogue Questions to Reflect On - How can modern activism retain depth? - What defines meaningful social contribution? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Children Things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children-things-635461/) [Hard work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hard-work/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kids Studying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-studying-1144053/) [Kids Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids-today/) [Movement Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movement-kids-1144054/) [Occupy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupy/) [Protest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/protest/) [Study](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/study/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) [Years ago](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years-ago/) ## Related quotes > [You have kids studying master class visual arts who are pushed to make films that will be successful economically; that's what they focus on.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/you-have-kids-studying-master-class-visual-arts-who-are-pushed-to/) [Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-gonzalez-inarritu/) > [If kids are studying for a test, they're not going to learn anything. We all know that from our own experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/if-kids-are-studying-for-a-test-they-re-not-going-to-learn-anything/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Kids today do nothing. They're so apathetic. We used to go out and protest. All they do is shop and complain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/kids-today-do-nothing-they-re-so-apathetic-we-used-to-go-out-and/) [Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/) > [I love the protests. And if you think about it, what better way to send a message to Wall Street than by sitting in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-letterman/i-love-the-protests-and-if-you-think-about-it-what-better-way-to-send/) [David Letterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-letterman/) > [As inequality grows, the basic bonds of social fraternity are fraying - as we discussed in regard to Occupy Wall Street. As tensions increase,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/as-inequality-grows-the-basic-bonds-of-social-fraternity-are-fraying/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Occupy is anything but a protest movement. That's why it has been so hard for news agencies to express or even discern the 'demands'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-rushkoff/occupy-is-anything-but-a-protest-movement-that-s-why-it-has-been-so/) [Douglas Rushkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-rushkoff/) > [Sex and children are the two things that delude logic the most in this society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doug-stanhope/sex-and-children-are-the-two-things-that-delude-logic-the-most-in/) [Doug Stanhope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doug-stanhope/) > [I do not believe in confining children to things they understand. They want, and they need, the thing they do not understand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-e-richards/i-do-not-believe-in-confining-children-to-things-they-understand-they/) [Laura E. Richards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-e-richards/) > [You can't forbid children to do things that are available to them at every turn. God told Eve, 'Don't give the apple to Adam,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evel-knievel/you-can-t-forbid-children-to-do-things-that-are-available-to-them-at/) [Evel Knievel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evel-knievel/) > [I see children now, and many things surprise me: they ask me about my boots and why I don't dye my hair. I wonder,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-mata/i-see-children-now-and-many-things-surprise-me-they-ask-me-about-my/) [Juan Mata](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-mata/) > [Children have a fastidiousness that time is slow to cure. It is to be wondered, for example, whether if the elderly were half as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-meynell/children-have-a-fastidiousness-that-time-is-slow-to-cure-it-is-to-be/) [Alice Meynell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-meynell/) > [You can learn a lot from children because they see things new every day. That's the beauty of what you want to achieve as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-burton/you-can-learn-a-lot-from-children-because-they-see-things-new-every/) [Tim Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-burton/) > [I've done all sorts of children's things before, but none as big as 'Harry Potter.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hurt/i-ve-done-all-sorts-of-children-s-things-before-but-none-as-big-as/) [John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hurt/) > [Children see things very well sometimes and idealists even better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorraine-hansberry/children-see-things-very-well-sometimes-and-idealists-even-better/) [Lorraine Hansberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorraine-hansberry/) > [For unflagging interest and enjoyment, a household of children, if things go reasonably well, certainly all other forms of success and achievement lose their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/for-unflagging-interest-and-enjoyment-a-household-of-children-if/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) ## More by Terri Hemmert > [When I'm on the phone with a listener or I meet someone one-on-one, and they're on the lowest rung of hell and they open…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-hemmert/when-i-m-on-the-phone-with-a-listener-or-i-meet-someone-one-on-one/) [Terri Hemmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-hemmert/) > [The music is huge. I consider it a privilege to do what I do, turn people on to music and tell them about issues.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-hemmert/the-music-is-huge-i-consider-it-a-privilege-to-do-what-i-do-turn/) [Terri Hemmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-hemmert/) > [I like to tell the students the radio business's like surfing. You get knocked off your board by a wave, you get back up,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terri-hemmert/i-like-to-tell-the-students-the-radio-business-s-like-surfing-you-get/) [Terri Hemmert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-hemmert/) [Explore all 4 Terri Hemmert quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terri-hemmert/) ## More Children quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [I believe in freedom to do what you want if you aren't hurting others, but pictures of obese protesters giving their children big gulps.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-defranco/i-believe-in-freedom-to-do-what-you-want-if-you-aren-t-hurting-others/) [Philip DeFranco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-defranco/) > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It doesnt seem to me strange that children should like the macabre, the sensational, and the forbidden.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-hecht/it-doesnt-seem-to-me-strange-that-children-should-like-the-macabre/) [Anthony Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-hecht/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [My embarrassing confession is that my father is a 'Camelot: The Musical' obsessive. So as a child, when we were going to visit relatives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-chibnall/my-embarrassing-confession-is-that-my-father-is-a-camelot-the-musical/) [Chris Chibnall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-chibnall/) > [I have many who keep me going, I am very fortunate in this sense. There is nothing like a child who knows more about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/floyd-cooper/i-have-many-who-keep-me-going-i-am-very-fortunate-in-this-sense-there/) [Floyd Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/floyd-cooper/) > [My school was one of the most beautiful places a child can grow up in. 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I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [“Children's lives are always beginning and adults' lives are always ending. Or is it the opposite? Your childhood is always ending and your adult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-espach/children-s-lives-are-always-beginning-and-adults-lives-are-always/) [Alison Espach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alison-espach/) > [As a child I was very involved with sports and I knew at age 9 that I wanted to be an Olympic champion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marion-jones/as-a-child-i-was-very-involved-with-sports-and-i-knew-at-age-9-that-i/) [Marion Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marion-jones/) [Browse all 62,396 Children quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Kids today are doing really hard work. Years ago they were involved in anti-apartheid protests. Now there's the whole Occupy movement. 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