The death of initiative

I am a practical person.  If I see something that needs doing I do it, without needing to be asked.  Common sense you might say.  I don't think of this as a particularly unusual personality trait.  Well I didn't until recently. 

In the last week I have encountered a staggering lack of initiative.  People complain about dealing with Millennials and their expectation that everything will be handed to them.  Well I can confirm that Generation X is more than happy to stand back and watch other people take care of the things that need doing too.     

When you have volunteered to help at an event, would you stand in front of an overflowing rubbish bag and do nothing about it?  Would you watch someone else come to deal with it and replace it with a new bag without offering to help?

When you raise the possibility of getting a small thank you present for someone and have even gone to the trouble of checking what he might like, would you buy a card and then ask what now?  What do you think now?  Buy the effing chocolates too and just let us know how much we owe you.

Figure it out.  Employ some common sense.  Use your initiative.  

I am well aware that I sound like a grumpy aul one and I will admit that it has been a busy few weeks and I'm tired so I am probably not being my best self today but I've also had a gutsful of pretty much always being one of the few people who are giving their time while the majority of people are happy to take without so much as a thank you.  

Volunteering is a verb, so by definition a doing word, something that requires action.  If you're not willing to do anything why even bother turning up?