Teach us real things, but don't make it difficult

Tagged as humor what else could it be?

I have seniors who regularly ask me, why are we learning this social studies subject? Why can't you teach us something real, something we can USE? I then try to teach them some reading comprehension skills, by reading case studies, current event assignments, etc, and they complain that they have to actually read something. Earlier I created an assignment where they do a little research into politicians, current political topics, and writing their opinion and they complain. I can't win. I teach easy simple stuff they don't do it because "it's not real" I try to teach them useful skills through interesting, relative to them topics and they complain I'm making them do something difficult.

I'm trying not to generalize but man these current seniors of mine really want their cake and to eat it too. They want all the skills but none of the work to get there. They then complain. I'm at my wits end because half of them just dont do any of my work.