It is no secret that a generation gap lies between generations of “90s kids” and our predecessors. Often times, people of older generations are critical of ours, when in reality all of their impressions of us are way off. I personally take offense when my generation is looked down upon as anything other than the hard-working, forward-thinking, open-minded people that we are. In order to set a few things straight, I thought I’d clear up some of the misconceptions on what makes our generation so misunderstood.
1. Acceptance
Perhaps the most significant characteristic of our generation that differs from older generations is how accepting we are when it comes to race, religion, ethnicity, sexuality, etc. You will find that when you speak to certain people of older generations, they may be a bit more reserved when it comes to these areas of life. There’s nothing really that is the cause of this except for the fact it is the way they were raised. As the world gets older, however, it progresses each day towards a more open society. By the time our generation gives birth to a whole new generation, we will have raised a world that is based on welcoming people from all walks of life.
2. Pressures (with school and work)
One thing this generation has that our parents may not relate to is all the different pressures we are under. Whether it be with college or choosing the right career, the world has somehow become more competitive over the years. Nowadays, what you choose to major in in college is supposed to define you and whether or not you have a job lined up after school can make or break you. These were worries that older generations did not have, or at least not to this degree. I am not saying that hard work did not exist before our time, because I would be naïve to think that that was the case. But I am saying that our parents, our grandparents, and their parents didn’t grow up in a society that judged you based on what college you chose to attend, what career you chose, and what grades you were obtaining. We went from a society that valued women as housewives and men as the breadwinners to one that expects all genders to attend college, or at least make a life for themselves.
3. Technology
I know this generation is the “always connected” generation that has a strong reliance on technology, but there are a lot of factors about this which older generations misunderstand. First of all, most of us are not glued to our phones 24/7 because we are going about our daily lives and may not have time. Secondly, when we are on our phones we are most likely on social media, talking to friends or trying to connect with the world. Social media is not as negative as the picture painted by generations of adults who simply do not understand. Technology, in the present day, allows us to see what is going on in the world at a much quicker pace than before social media existed. When a current event happens, I can easily pull up ten articles about it and then go to social media in order to read others’ opinions and even share my own. Technology is an incredible tool in today’s world, one that older generations seem to think we misuse as it causes us to disconnect from the world when in reality it is quite the opposite.
The bottom line is that our generation seems to be misunderstood by most generations that came before us. It's hard to see a relative without hearing the "back in my day" line. Well, yes, back in your day things were different and things will continue to be different as the world gets older. As much as drive-in movie theaters and diners with waitresses on roller skates may have been a cool era to live in, I am proud to be a part of this generation. I'm excited that I can say "back in my day" gay marriage became legal, women fought for their rights, technology made monumental advances and that I was a part of an ambitious group called "Generation Y."
