My uncle sent me a brief video that discussed the typically behavioral pattern of the millennial generation. The talk is given by an anthropologist named Simon Sinek. First and foremost, I have a lot of respect and admiration for his work and articulation. Just this short video was enough to make my mind go a million miles per hour. It is fascinating how societal pressures and circumstances of an era can truly impact how humans think, interact with others and lead their lives.

An article from The Atlantic by Philip Bump outlines the most often referenced generations. Each new generation is a result of attempting to perfect the previous generation. There are certain generalizations that are associated with the various generations.

Who Started it All?

The baby boomer generation began after WWII. People worked hard for their money because of the economic circumstances. Social ideas were revolutionized and people wanted to see changes in the world. Again, people did what they could to contribute to these changes. There was a significant amount of passion and drive in the mentalities of these individuals. One generation later was Generation X. It is formed by people born from the mid 60s to mid 80s. Gen X found some of the values of the baby boomers to be a little far-fetched and is instead a relatively serious generation. The baby boomers had to work hard to make ends meet and create a dynamic society; Generation X wanted more. They wanted excess money and power to give their offspring every opportunity they could.

It is no surprise that the increase in education, money and societal changes resulted in a more “advanced” society. I put that word in parenthesis, because I think there are some aspects of the millennial generation that are progressive and have improved upon prior generations. Yet, I believe there are some crucial values and behavioral patterns that are absent in the millennial generation that were present previously.

Okay, So Tell Me More About These "Millennials"

One of Sinek’s phrases from this video that stuck in my mind was “instant gratification”. He explained how the millennial generation expects an immediate result rather than contemplating the intermediate journey to a certain end product. I do think that this is a huge problem that our generation has. Technology has made so much available at the touch of a button and the tips of our fingers. When there is a task at hand that takes more effort to get an end result, we tend to raise the white flag before even beginning the endeavor. Not to bash an entire generation, and my own at that, but I have definitely noticed general lack of work ethic.

Another key value I think my generation is lacking is interpersonal skills. Technology is one of the biggest culprits for this flaw. We all know that holding a conversation through a phone screen is significantly easier than holding one in person. In addition to communication skills, people don’t understand how to develop and maintain relationships. I think the missing link for this issue is the lack of compassion in millennials. Most people in this generation haven’t been explicitly taught to care for others, inquire about their lives and show selflessness in their times of need. Rather, they are required to scratch down volunteer hours on a piece of paper to graduate school. Often times, people disregard the true lessons you can learn from a volunteer opportunity. In general, millennials are relatively selfish and focused on their own goals and aspirations that previous generations have convinced them they are capable of achieving.

My mom was concerned that I was going to get defensive watching the video and having a discussion about the material.Yet, I didn’t. I recognize that there are values that our generation generally lacks. Just about the only part of the video that made me a little uneasy was discussing what we should do about the issues at hand. As previously stated, the new generations are a result of attempting to fix problems recognized in the earlier ones.

What Can We Do to Improve Future Generations?

Naturally, Sinek places a certain level of blame on Gen X for the flaws in the millennial generation. However, I feel my parents did a beautiful job of resisting the urge to release some of these key values I am referencing onto me. My mom is a nurse and by practice is a very compassionate individual. She said one of the most important things she learned from her nursing school was when a professor told her “the best thing you can do for a patient is to gently touch their leg while you’re giving them news - whether it is positive or negative.” You may not notice, but that simple little gesture, when paired with eye contact and sincerity, shows someone that you care about them. In a digital society, I still make people handwritten thank-you cards for birthday or Christmas presents, because it shows I appreciate the caring gesture they gave me. The smallest gestures can easily make the most impact.

Furthermore, relationships have become disposable. Especially romantic ones. Divorce is rampant, hookup culture is perfectly accepted and you can find a partner through an app. It is time to begin valuing relationships again between families, partners, friends and coworkers.

Work ethic is another principle that must be reinstalled in our world. My father is the hardest working individual I have ever encountered. I watched him and my mother work their way up their jobs. My mom has her associate degree in nursing and my dad didn't attend college until recently. Their hard work and determination is what gave them the respect and positions in their workplace that they both deserved. There is a lot of controversy right now with millennials in the workplace working alongside the other generations. There is a clear need for cooperation, which can be improved upon with more developed interpersonal skills.

We are at the point in society where most people have the resources to get some form of college education. A lot of people will be able to provide for themselves and their families and live comfortable lives. Technology and other innovations are going to continue making appearances in our world in attempt to improve our way of life. But as all of these advancements continue, I hope that we can hold onto some of the values that emerged from the earlier generations. Hard work and going above and beyond in a career is something that I will most certainly be instilling in my own children. I will also be teaching them about compassion for other people. I want my kids to be independent, free spirited and open minded like the baby boomers. I want them to be ambitious and driven like the Generation Xers. Then I want them to be innovative and confident like the millennials. Who knows what the next generation will bring. But, the steps toward a utopian society is the beauty of each new generation.