On Friday, June 8, I caused maybe one of the lamest accidents known to man.
At a whopping speed of 3 mph, I backed into a motorcycle, causing it to tip over. Truthfully, saying that I backed into it is probably an exaggeration. Really, I "booped" it. Nonetheless, it was hard enough to cause the kickstand to unlock, and gravity took care of the rest.
I'd like to say that I handled the situation with the grace and confidence of a 23-year-old, communicating calmly and preceding as an adult. In truth, I was a nervous mess, and if not for my close friend by my side, I would’ve let it show. Long story short, the bike was undamaged and we exchanged information, going our separate ways. As pathetic as it may seem, the event shook me up a bit, leaving me doubting my driving skills (look, I’m not proud either).
And now, sitting here, I realized that I didn't know what to do. I mean, sure, I have a vague idea of what to do: exchange information, take some photos and try not to appear too clueless. However, when it came down to specifics, I was at a loss. What specific information do I need to collect and share? How much information is too much information? How many photos do I need to take? What if the owner of the bike somehow altered the pictures and tried to blame something on me that I didn't do? Can he smell my fear? You know, normal stuff. It's these questions that motivated me to write this article.
Personally, there's nothing I find more patronizing than someone condescendingly categorizing any of my characteristics to that of an entire generation. Yes, I understand the irony of a heterosexual white man making this statement. But lately, I can't help but agree. I think it's safe to say that many millennials don't have the technical skills to say, fix a car, cook tasty and healthy food or even take care of a newborn baby without first consulting the internet. Granted, these are limited examples, and I'm sure there's a 20-something-year-old who can do one of these things, but my point stands.
A quick search lead me to some interesting finds. One AARP article claimed we were the McNugget generation, whatever that means, but there was a general pattern. Some articles blamed those who raised us, while others pointed the finger at the internet and our dependency on social media. Personally, I believe it's all of the above and then some. I;ve always brushed past my lack of knowledge by telling myself I can just look it up when the time comes. Need to replace a tire? I’ll just watch a YouTube video and learn. Is the power out? I can Google it on my phone. I know it’s a terrible habit, but it's one I and many in our generation have adopted nonetheless.
Every generation dislikes the next generation because they are too "something," and it's not at all surprising we face a similar response. I can't tell you that we're "less than" because we don't know how to fix a car, but we know our way around the internet and most social media platforms. Truthfully, I believe that we're doing just fine as a generation (as if you needed me to tell you that), but there's nothing wrong with always learning more. I'm trying to learn little practical skills (the other day, I installed new windshield wipers!) just to make me a better human, and I recommend everyone do the same.
We can gain a lot from listening to our elders, but it's always important to remember that we're not the same as previous generations, which is a good thing, and that there will be many generations coming after us that will be completely different.
Unless, of course, you're this girl, in which case, GTFO.
