In Defense of My Generation

I�ve often heard that my generation or the �Millennials� are entitled, lazy, narcissistic, or any combination of those terms and many more. And I know for a fact that I am not alone in my observations. If I were to swallow this pill of pessimism prescribed by those older than me, I would probably think that my generation was the worst thing to ever happen and that we are solely responsible for the sharp decline in American society. However, these claims are ridiculous.

I know my generation is far from perfect. Believe me, I spend over eight hours with these people every day and I see them on my phone whenever I check Instagram or Facebook. Some of these people do fit the narcissistic and lazy narrative and it�s a shame that these outliers have become the representation of over 80 million individuals in our country.

But let�s look at the context of the situation. Millennials are the generation born between 1980 and 2000, a time of rapid change and technological advancement that transformed American society into what it is today. We are now more connected as a species than ever before and Millennials are the first generation to grow up in that era, becoming a sort of guinea pig experiencing a world completely new to humanity. We have grown up in a time with the internet, giving us access to more information than ever before. This allows us to form our own opinions and experience both sides of the political and social spectrum, as opposed to just digesting what our parents or peers drill into our heads. With that said, I think my generation has handled the situation very well.

Millennials are the most educated generation to ever exist, having a higher percentage of college degrees than any other generation. We are the most diverse and as a whole, we have the most cosmopolitan mindset of any generation. 61% of us feel personally responsible to make a difference in the world, 81% of us have donated or volunteered, and 84% of us feel that making a positive difference in the world is more important than professional recognition.

We also love our phones and using social media. 39% of us say that we spend more time communicating through a phone than through actual human interaction. But is that necessarily a bad thing? Just because the mode of communication changes, it doesn�t mean that it�s bad. The distrust of progress and new technology and mourning over the death of �how things were when you were a kid� is unproductive. Cell phones and social media are miraculous inventions that have transformed society and made it easier to connect with people from around the globe.

            Unfortunately, some people see change as uncertain and distrust it because it alters their lifestyle, and I understand that. We as humans like routine and stability, but change is inevitable, and when change presents itself in the form of a cell phone or a new trend, it should be given a chance to transform the world and make it a better place. Millennials are often criticized because we are so unlike previous generations and we ignore many social norms that have defined the past. But in a way, that makes us wiser and more suited to lead humanity into the 21^st century. We recognize change, rather than resisting it like many of our harshest critics. Say what you will about our attitudes and laziness (we all have our flaws), no generation is better prepared to take on the future than we are.