Everyone loves to hate the Millennial generation, which is technically anyone born after 1980 through the early 2000s, but people in their 20s today get most of the criticism. From texting too much to over-sharing on social media, the connectivity of Millennials is hard to argue. But whether or not that connectivity is a bad thing is definitely up for debate.
Some criticisms of the connected generation are fair, though. Social media is a great way to make your life seem perfect, and make other people feel like theirs isn’t. This phenomenon of perfection contributes to the fear of missing out, and more seriously, the decline in mental health in young people: anxiety, loneliness, and insecurity are all issues that can have their root in social media. There are studies that back these statements up, and the undeniable truth is that we’ve all felt like we’re missing out because of something we saw on Facebook.
So yeah, there are some good arguments against being connected, but taking a closer look at it may tip the scales the other way.
More than ever, young people have a way to express themselves, share their ideas, have their voices heard, and encounter different opinions and perspectives. This communication brings people closer together and creates space for creative thinking that wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for the closeness that the internet brings to the world.
In the book "Creative Confidence: Unleashing the Creative Potential Within Us All" by brothers David M. Kelley and Tom Kelley, they tell a story of two sets of professors working on projects together. One set has offices next door to each other, and the other can only communicate through phone calls and emails. The team that was geographically closer together had better, more creative results. The author argues that being closer together gives you more opportunities to spontaneously brainstorm and bounce ideas off each other, and that’s why their outcome was better.
In other words, communication is essential. And that’s what most technology is: a better way to communicate. Millennial’s proficiency in all things tech is opening the doors of creativity and innovation on a larger scale. From brainstorming in group messages to public forums with contributors from around the globe, there are innumerable ways to share ideas and fresh thinking with other people. The instantaneousness of the Internet, too, is working in favor of innovation. The downtime between emails lets ideas die, but instant feedback helps to keep your creativity focused, develop your ideas faster, and ultimately get the project done better.
Raised in a time when technology was evolving consistently at an unprecedented rate, the willingness to change with the times is another reason the future looks bright for Millennials. The combination of adaptability and efficient communication are part of the dream team for innovation and creativity.
While there are many ways to criticize social media and the connectedness of the Millennial generation, there are even more reasons why the future is coming faster, and better, because of it.
