Millennials, A.K.A anyone born roughly between the 1980’s and 2000’s. The Baby Boom generation and Generation X have a lot to say about us. TIME magazine called Millennials “the Me, Me, Me generation” back in 2013 on the cover of their May 9th issue. Also on that cover they say we are, “lazy, entitled narcissists who still live with their parents.”
Considering that the later Generation Y children are still in high school, yes they are indeed still living with their parents. These are fighting words from a Mr. Joel Stein who isn’t very far off from being a millennial considering he was born in the '70s and is only 44. If a man who was in his 80’s or even his 50's was expressing his concern for this generation maybe I would listen, but at 44 Stein is still younger than my parents.
If you really want to bore yourself by reading the entire article go ahead and click here. I don’t want to go into detail and bash Stein any more than I already have so let's get straight to the point. I am a Millennial, I get it. Our generation has grown up differently than any generation before us because of technology, changes in the government and other life circumstances.
The Baby Boomers and Gen X didn’t have the luxury of owning a cell phone and being able to call or text their friends at any moment. They didn’t have Facebook and Instagram to see what their peers are doing and connect with them. I do agree that social media has made our generation rather unsocial, and I wish I would spend more time actually being with my friends but that is a story for another time.
My issue is with the generation who raised us now saying we are lazy and entitled and it’s all our fault. The same parents who gave out those participation trophies are now angry with us for getting participation trophies. Maybe it’s just me but I never felt proud of getting a participation ribbon, sure it was cool that I didn’t go home empty handed but I never ran around boasting about getting sixth place in a swim meet.
Stein tells us that he now "has proof" that Generation Y is more big headed than any other generation because he has facts and statistics to back it up. He only has statistics on two of the six living generations in the world today. There is no data on the Baby Boom generation or the Greatest Generation who came before them. Only Gen X and Gen Y are being compared. As a science major I know that this data is incomplete, and therefore I don't take much of what he has to say for credit.
As for all of us being lazy, that's based on the individual not the generation. The majority of Millennials are doing what they can with what they have, just like everybody else. Going to school, trying to get good jobs and excel in those jobs. If a person is lazy and entitled get rid of them, do not however label anyone as lazy or entitled because they were born between the 80’s and 00’s. I am so tired of being branded as something I am not. That is ageism and we all know you Boomer and Gen X people don't like being called old.
I would like to be judged by my character and actions, as would most other people regardless of the year they were born. When applying for my first big kid job I hope the manager interviewing me doesn’t consider me to be a lazy narcissist who lives with her parents. Lastly to all you Boomers and Gen X'rs who are so quick to judge, Millennials know that their elders have more life experience.
That’s why I went to my parents and asked for guidance when picking out an apartment or what company I should use for internet. I will be the first to admit that I honestly know nothing, and many of my peers understand they also know nothing. Lastly, all you Boomers and Gen X'rs out there better not forget what the “the Greatest” generation had to say about you (and we're the narcissists!).
