Well, we’ve made it to the end of this series kids! The final stereotype I’m going to cover is a doosey. I definitely saved the best and most talked about one for last. But it’s not going to go the way you think. It’s important to own up to your stuff sometimes and not try and fib your way out of it. So It’s time for a confession…
Stereotype 5: Millennials are cell phone and social media addicts.
Hi, my name is Brayden Ainsworth and I am addicted to my phone and social media accounts.
I’m not even going to try and finagle our way out of this one. It is way too apparent and way too true for that. But- it’s not a bad thing. Really, it’s not! It’s normal. You see, every generation has something significant that they were (or are) obsessed with! For example, my Grandpa is a complete motorhead. He looooooves cars. They got cool when he was a teenager. I’m sure his parents thought his obsession was unhealthy and that he should be out selling encyclopedia’s door to door or something. To this day he studies cars, makes models of them and sells them for work and drives around in his bright red Cadillac. He is way cool. My dad would pass out if he didn’t know where his Walkman was. Listening to music on the go was like a dream come true to him. He was obsessed with using it, as were all his friends.
Millennials may be on their phones and posting on social media for what seems like hours on end, but it’s because we have grown up right beside this technology. It’s the new normal. My future children may find that driving flying cars is their new normal. Who knows! But that is the beauty of it. As people change and grow, so does technology. The technology that we millennials use can be a force for good. It’s a resource for people to find jobs, read about current events and get involved in volunteer work. Just because it isn’t what you’re used to, doesn’t make it wrong. Social media and cell phones are here to stay. If anything, they’re just going to keep growing and expanding and improving. I’m not saying that it’s okay for Jimmy to be on his phone at his sister’s wedding and for Claire to be texting while her grandma gives a speech. What I am saying is that we sort of need to embrace the beauty in social media/cell phones. They make lives easier, and even enhance some. I agree that we should work at keeping our manners intact, make sure we can still write more than 140 characters at a time and put our phones down at lunch with mom or dinner with Aunt Sally, but don’t hate on us for being wrapped up in something that we grew up with. This is our technology! I turned 11 and the very first iPhone came out. Now I’m almost 20 typing this article on a rose gold computer and texting my friend on it at the same time. This technology and my generation are tied together. We depend on each other. It needs us and we need it. It’s like we’re boyfriend and girlfriend relying on each other for specific needs. It’s the tool of our trade. It’s better to know how to use it to our advantage than try and deny it.
My advice for you is to start accepting these changes in the world for what they are: improvements. And once again, to my fellow millennials, stay off your phone at the dinner table. Your family is more important than your next Instagram post. Now I’ve got to run to the grocery store in my car that knows how to parallel park itself.
