I have read several articles recently about how "Millennials have ruined this" or how "millennials have killed that," and I think it's finally time that we millennials set the record straight. We aren't horrible people out to destroy everything that older generations know and love, despite what we are made out to be by countless news outlets.

I'd like to start by saying that times have changed. Not every generation is going to like the same things or do things the same way as the previous one, and it's not because we're trying to be difficult or "fight the power." Times have changed. People have changed. The world today isn't the same world it was yesterday, last year, or 50 years ago. I've heard the phrase "out with the old, in with the new" used so many times during my life, but people apparently aren't okay with that saying when it comes to the phasing out of old restaurants, shops, and habits.

For a fairly comprehensive and 100% ridiculous list of the things that millennials apparently "killed" in 2016, check out this BuzzFeed article.

The list includes everything from napkins to movies to light yogurt to the European Union, America, and the Olympics. First of all, how does a generation single-handedly destroy the European Union? I'm here to tell you that it isn't millennials' fault that industries are struggling; it's the industries' fault that they can't adapt.

Times are constantly changing, and consumers' habits, wants, and needs, are always adjusting. New products are always being invented to help make our lives easier, and it's been that way throughout history as inventors have come up with new things.

A baby boomer invented the World Wide Web, so does that mean the baby boomers ruined libraries? Generation X saw the advent of the microwave, so does that mean they ruined home-cooked meals? Other generations don't face nearly as much scrutiny as millennials, even though the inventions of our area are simply building off of ideas of the past, just as the inventions of every other generation have.

Yes, the Internet is an important component to the lives of many millennials. We use it because it's easy and it's convenient. If any other generation had access to the Internet like we do today, do you think they wouldn't have used it the same way?

Yes, millennials are extremely cost-conscious and thrifty for the most part. Many of us won't buy anything that isn't on sale and cringe when we have to pay more than $20 for something that we want. But is that really such a bad thing? We're trying to be financially stable, so when we splurge on something, it isn't going to be something big. Our spending habits are different, but that doesn't mean that we're killing eating out or commerce.

Sure, there are several tried and true businesses and ideas that are on their way out. Applebee's, paper maps, and countless other things are no longer popular or "in," but so it is with every generation. The products and businesses that no longer meet consumers' needs will unfortunately no longer be able to compete, but that's business.

For businesses today and throughout history, it's adapt or face the consequences. Millennials are not the only generation that have said goodbye to well-known businesses or products, so why are we being scrutinized?

It is never any generation's fault that the world loses a restaurant, business, or product. It's that business's fault that it was not able to meet the needs of its consumers. No generation is to blame for how the world is changing. Millennials don't wake up every morning and think "What am I going to destroy for the older generations today?" Change is inevitable, so don't blame anyone for it.