Slacker

For the Richard Linklater movie, see Slacker (movie)

The term slacker, in contemporary western culture, applies generally to high school, college, and young people who underachieve at school or work. The term was commonly used in the United States in World War I and World War II to describe men who were avoiding the military draft.

To other people, it appears that slackers don't do very much actual work, schoolwork, or much of anything. The term is usually associated with grungy MTV-watching Generation X types with their dismissive sayings such as "Whatever" and "Never mind". It is often used as a stereotype for those in alternative culture in much the same way that the Hippie stereotype was used during the '60s counterculture.

To slackers, educational institutions such as high schools and colleges do not adequately prepare young people for the Real World, so why bother making an effort to get good grades?