Growing up during an era of a technology boom has played a large role in the way people my age behave and interact. There is a long list of myths and misconceptions about my generation as a result of having very different values than those of older generations. The term “millennial” can often times have a negative connotation to older people, or those known as “boomers.” This negative view stems from millennials having a different kind of work ethic and technology obsessed mass. When googling the term millennial, search results can appear such as “millennials are lazy” and “millennials are destroying the world.” My goal within this post is to break these negative myths about my generation and the advances that we grew up with.
The recent and popular meme “Ok Boomer” is a phrase used by younger people in a sarcastic connotation as a way to dismiss the closed minded ideas of boomers. Quoted by Taylor Lorenz from the New York Times, the phrase “has become the younger generations endlessly repeated retort of older people who just do not get it, a rallying cry for millions of fed up kids.” In reality, millennials and boomers have a very different way of viewing and approaching life, and the conflict between these generations originates from both age categories misunderstanding each other’s generational lifestyles. Every generation brings something different to the table in order to create this complex and diverse world in which we reside.
Social media is more than just a platform to brag or show off, it is a way to communicate with each other, develop a personal brand and even find new opportunities. Especially in recent years, social media has become extremely diverse in how it can be used. I use social media extremely frequently because they are all encompassing platforms. Within a span of only five minutes, I can check up on my peers, receive important news updates, shop and find great deals, make professional connections, laugh at funny posts or memes and the list goes on. Social media today has no limits, and that is a concept that most boomers do not understand. Since they did not grow up in the era of technology, they are not educated on the endless possibilities that being on social media can bring.
Millennials works smarter rather than harder, and this can often times be mistaken as laziness. Just because we take advantage of the technological advancements does not mean we are not putting in any less effort in achieving success.
I am sure that I am not the only one who has received the “When I was your age” speech when I said that I was too tired or did not have enough money to do something to a boomer. In this day and age, it is very common for college graduates to move back home with their parents before fleeing the nest and becoming completely financially responsible for oneself. According to Forbes, the price of college within the last 10 years has increased almost 8 times faster than wages. Although there are student loan services available, these services are only offered to those at a certain level of income. Those in the middle class who can just afford to go to college often times are rejected by these services because they are considered to be stable enough to pay. As my family was on the cusp of receiving financial aid and getting rejected, it is difficult for me to see my parents struggling to pay for my school and support the rest of my family. Attending college has also become much more of a necessity in getting a well payed job than t did years ago. Life in general has become more competitive than it did during the boomer generation. The idea of us being lazy, poor, or motivated . We are working hard, but it has become more challenging to become financially stable in this era, which is something that some older people cannot grasp.
After reading the Jenkins quote, I am aware that the phrase “Generation Me” can be commonly associated with millennials and their excessive use of social media. Social media platforms have played a major part in the way my generation interacts and views each other. Everyone who creates a post on social media Realistically, any generation that would grow up with social media would use it in an egotistical manner. It is only natural for people to want to be viewed by others in a positive way. Social media can provide a community for younger generations to express themselves in the way that they know and have grown up with, without being brought down by the ways of boomers. Both boomers and millennials have undergone different kinds of experiences and struggles, and that is why it is so challenging for these generations to see eye to eye.
Works Cited:
Lorenz, Taylor. “’OK Boomer’ Marks the End of Friendly Generational Relations.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 29 Oct. 2019, http://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/style/ok-boomer.html.
Maldonado, Camilo. “Price Of College Increasing Almost 8 Times Faster Than Wages.” Forbes, Forbes Magazine, 25 July 2018, http://www.forbes.com/sites/camilomaldonado/2018/07/24/price-of-college-increasing-almost-8-times-faster-than-wages/.
Norton, Richie. “The 14 Most Destructive Millennial Myths Debunked by Data.” Medium, Mission.org, 20 Jan. 2017, medium.com/the-mission/the-14-most-destructive-millennial-myths-debunked-by-data-aa00838eecd6.
Lindsay Feller 