We hear so often that Millennials are entitled, that we are brats who have had everything handed to us and do not feel the need to work for what we want. But what I think those Millennial critics seem to forget is that we grew up in a time where nothing was certain. A time when some families did not know where their next meal was going to come from. A time when families had to consider what their plan of action was going to be if someone was laid off the next day. A time of uncertainty and fear.
Specifically, I'm talking about the 2000's recession. Remember her? Yeah, she was quite the bitch. It's shocking to think that this period is almost 10 years in the past, and what is even more shocking is that the children of this recession are now adults, or close to it.
My father's career in real estate, unfortunately, was hit very hard by this recession because, as you would expect, not many people look to purchase or sell their homes in such a climate. My dad, being a person of integrity, actually advocated that people not sell, so they didn't lock in a loss. Despite everything, he always remained optimistic about his business and correctly predicted that things would get better for everyone if they could just hold on for a while. Being only about 8 years old when things started going downhill, I couldn't fully grasp what was going on, but my intuition told me that something wasn't right. My parents were having many hushed conversations behind closed doors, probably to protect my brothers and me from hearing the ugly truth.
I very vividly remember my mom and dad sitting us down and telling us that we were not to ask for anything for the next couple of years unless it was a necessity.
My brothers and I wholeheartedly understood this and behaved accordingly. We would not ask to eat out at restaurants. We would not ask for that new video game. We would not ask for a candy bar at the grocery store. Nothing.
Granted, we probably took that warning a little too far (I'm sure a candy bar could have fit in the budget), but it paid off. Luckily, our family came out of this recession not only stronger, but a hell of a lot more grateful, and that quality stuck with us. When we needed something, we did not demand it or assume that we would receive it, but instead asked for it in the most respectful way possible, stating that we would be fine without it. My brothers and I knew that we could not rely on mommy and daddy for the rest of our lives, so we started working as soon as we could. Honestly, I have to thank the recession for some of the values it taught us.
I know there are other Millenials who walked away from this difficult period learning gratitude as well, and it shows.
Most of the people I have met from my generation are not spoiled brats who expect to have everything handed to them.
They are strong, hard-working people who never take anything for granted because they know that status and money are fragile. They know that we have to appreciate those everyday blessings around us because others are not as fortunate.
So please, stop saying that our generation is ungrateful, because those few entitled assholes do not represent the greater whole, and honestly, we would kick them out if we could.
