Millennials have been a hot topic as of recently. We've received a lot of attention, but not necessarily for good things. We've become the scapegoat for the generations that came before us. Is it broken? We did it. Sales are down? The millennials. The divorce rate? Ugh, these whiny kids! ISIS? I don't know, but if we think hard enough those darn millennials are to blame.
Maybe you've heard that we're self-centered and narcissistic. Maybe you've heard that we're lazy and entitled. Maybe you've heard that we're overly sensitive, cry babies, or my personal favorite: "snowflakes" (what does that even mean?). Perhaps they are right of a few, however, projecting these characteristics onto our generation as a whole is simply a fallacy of composition. One thing is for sure, I won't apologize for being a millennial.
I won't apologize for being mindful of those who aren't like me. Millennials are often criticized for being tolerant of others. Yes, we are more vocal about injustice, corruption, and discrimination than many of the previous generations -- but is that really such a negative thing? Too many problems were created when people sat on the sidelines and blindly pledged allegiance to social norms, so we refuse to turn a blind eye for the sake of feeling comfortable. We are a generation of advocates who are not easily offended.
I won't apologize for thinking of myself as a winner. Some might deem millennials as being selfish, entitled, or my personal favorite, the "everyone gets a trophy" generation. But I ask you, whose idea was it to give every kid a trophy? Whose idea was it to make every kid "a winner"? Here's a clue, it wasn't ours! All we did was accept the shiny piece of plastic and listen to the other generations. Yet, even now, we are talked down to as children when we don't work to our full potential, but when we try to push ourselves and get ahead we're accused of being entitled and too expectant. As a millennial, I won't be apologetic for having self-esteem and high ambitions -- and I certainly won't let someone who knows very little about me accuse me of entitlement.
I won't apologize for standing up for myself. As the baby boomers and Generation X's would-would like to cry, "millennials are so sensitive," or "what a bunch of whiney babies." I won't refute the claim that some members of our generation are spoiled, sheltered, and do pout when they don't get their way; however, these claims are thrown out as blanket statements against us for simply defending ourselves. Often times, the generations before us treated minors and young adults as inferior, but millennials are tired of that. As for me, I'm tired of having to "just take it" when I'm criticized or treated unfairly. I fully intend to stand up for myself, and if that makes me "too sensitive" or "whiney," then so be it.
To the Boomers, the X's, and the Y's: please don't jump on the bandwagon of demonizing the next generation. Think back, didn't you hate it when you were our age and were in our place? Tearing down our generation doesn't make your generation look any better, it just makes you look petty. As for me, I will not be apologizing for the year I was born. I have no intentions of backing away from my convictions. I won't stand and be criticized for something I'm not and I refuse to believe the lie that I'm inferior because of my age.
