Lazy, entitled and narcissistic - these are probably the most common words used to describe the millennial generation. If you have ever talked with someone over the age of 30, chances are they blame you for the current state of our country. You likely hear something like this: "You millennials expect everything to be handed to you. Now my generation, that was a hard working generation. We didn't get everything handed to us." I'm not sure about you, but I am absolutely sick and tired of being the scapegoat for our society and its problems.
Our country is in astronomical debt, a four year education can cost as much as a home, our politics are in factions and our future is bleak. So how exactly can the older generations blame the millennials for these problems? Did we contribute to our nation's poor economic choices? Did we set the prices for college? Did we have anything to do with the current state of our own government? No! Why is it that we are always seen as lazy and entitled? We did not raise ourselves and we sure as hell did not contribute to the demise of our own civilization.
One large complaint about the millennial generation is that we are incredibly apathetic and not willing to work for what we get. Excuse me? Would you be apathetic about your future if you graduated college with upwards of $40,000 in debt? Yeah, not exactly an ideal way to start out your life. Have you seen the terrible unemployment rates? Chances are most of us don't even get a good job out of college to help pay for our Titanic-sized debt. Please, go ahead and lecture me on being apathetic when these were the circumstances we were born into. Now look, I get it. There are quite a few people in my generation who are entitled and pretentious, but let me fill you in on a little secret -- children do not raise themselves.
Our society has moved away from hiring a baby sitter and instead they buy an iPad or an Apple TV. We have moved from good old-fashioned human interaction and values to using computers and technology to appease our children. How exactly do you expect a child to act when they grow up using technology as their only means of entertainment, not to mention the growing secular aspects of even children's TV? This problem is not a mindset that a certain generation is born with. This problem is a mindset that our own society is ingraining into our youth and upcoming generations.
Instead of pointing the finger at a certain generation and how they act, maybe we should take it upon ourselves to ask how it actually happened. Put down the iPad, watch your kids like a normal parent should and start teaching them hard-working morals. Maybe if this happens, we can get back to our 'American' ideals of working hard for everything we get and not being entitled.
Sincerely,
A Disgruntled, "Entitled" Millennial
