The close eye on every little thing that Millennials and members of Generation Z do is overwhelming. No matter what steps my generation take, we get shot down and shouted at, from choosing not to pay tens of thousands of dollars to receive a college education to taking a stand for what we believe in. No matter what steps we take, we will never amount to what everyone would like us to be.
We've been set up for failure by Baby Boomers and Generation X members alike, thanks to their years of unsustainable living, greed and the ways they have raised us. I fail to understand how the repercussions of their actions only fall on us, when they are the creators of the chaos. They are the leading members of corporations, government and schooling, but yet never bear the burden they've caused.
From the multiple bubbles that burst and the crisis that followed, like the Dot Com bubble, Housing Crisis and even the Oil Crisis, we've been put through the ringer, and all because the missteps of our parents and grandparents, who only seem to look at our generation as the problem.
So why is it that we can't even take breath without our college tuition crumbling down upon us, worried we can't be safe at school or on campus because the rage of a gunman could end our lives with the single shot of a gun or the fact that greed has overtaken environmentally-friendly practices that we must now take the time to fix. The lack of consciousness and regard for future generations from those of the Baby Boomers and Generation X are the reason we are at this point today.
Millennials and Gen Z are accused of being babied and given a participation ribbon just for showing up, but who handed those out? Who created the awards? Our parents' generation. They raised us to be the way we are, yet we are the ones blamed for our behaviors. Standing up for what we believe in is no longer seen as courageous, but as a group of whiny children who have no idea what they are talking about, even though we are protesting the effects the actions of those before us, the ones telling us just to shut up and sit down.
So, tell me why it's our fault when we've barely been able to take a step in this world without a criticism to follow? Until you take responsibility, we will be left fighting for what we need.
You constantly see articles that begin with "Millennials Are Killing…" and go on to name what industry we have taken down next. And, usually, it is due to the amount money we DON'T have to spend or the legal ramifications we don't wish to get into.
The shaming of Millennial and Gen Z generations are creating unnecessary pressure, while we are just trying to live our lives and pick up the pieces of the shambles left behind. Leave us alone and let us be. We are making a difference, and the world is changing. All in all, we will make it and--if need be--on our own.
