We have got a lot of work to do, and there are even more people that are terrified that we are going to be the ones to do it. But I think the qualities we bring to the table will allow us to drive humanity further and faster to a better life for all. “Generation Y,” as we are called, encircles men and women who were born between the years of 1981 and 2000 — which covers people from the ages of 34 to 16 years old.
Most of us have never known life without a computer or, at least, some sort of electronic device. While our parents were playing cowboys and Indians outside with popguns and delegating people to get up and change the TV during Saturday cartoons, we were raised by the likes of Mario, Pac-man, and Netflix. With the constant flow of information, we have strong opinions that seem to be challenged every day as we absorb more and more information with each click on the internet.
The crime rates have fallen during the raising of generation Y, but we face new problems like school shootings and mass terrorism: events such as 9/11 from faceless enemies.
The worldview of generation Y has expanded greatly because of the increasing technology and ever increasing global access to the internet.
With 500 million tweets being sent a day, it is clear that our generation loves to talk; and most of the time, our favorite topic is ourselves — showing that this generation focuses more on our personal goals than the goals of groups.
Most of the people in Generation Y have grown up hearing the trials and tribulations from generations before our time, and because of this, have a strong sense of justice and want to make sure the world is a fair and peaceful place for all people. From the stories of the women’s rights movement to the struggles of African-Americans told by our grandparents and parents, we’ve grown accustomed to seeking social change.
One of the first social shifts that were impacted because of this generation was the legalization of gay marriage through the United States Supreme Court. You do not have to look far to find people dissatisfied with the direction of not only the U.S government but also the state of the international community. This is also coupled with a growing separation between the two political extremes: far left and far right.
As a correlation, we see many members of Generation Y standing behind radical political candidates like Senator Bernie Sanders on the left, or Donald Trump on the right, as we seek to make our real first impact on the political landscape; seeking to change America for what we see as the best. As our generation begins to delve deeper into politics, we will begin enacting policies that will shape all areas of the American lifestyle including how we conduct business.
Amazon has recently announced the use of drones to deliver packages to peoples' houses within 30 minutes of ordering to try and streamline the delivery side of their business. This type of speed is something only truly known to generation Y as we begin to expedite the process of traveling, food, communication, etc. Generation Y envisions the world as a 24/7 place with fast and immediate processing.
With a large chunk of this group around school age, education is a very important yet strenuous aspect of our generation. A mental health study was conducted by the Associated Press this year and the results were shocking; the average college student experiences over twenty-percent more stress than they did even five years ago. This, coupled with the fact that a college degree is now the new high school diploma (as cited by Forbes), students are finding less fun and exploration in school, as it is now deemed more of a “must” than anything else.
Above all else I think our generation really has only one main opponent at this point: ourselves. If we seek to have any real meaningful change in this world, we've got to learn to rely on one another and seek out the positives in the world and each other. It's so much easier to save something after you've sat back and appreciated it's beauty and the beauty it stands for. Love conquers all.
