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So I'm feeling more middle aged than ever (early 40s) after attempting to unload some used household furnishing via Kijiji. Some just given away for free by me.
It's the time of the year when students are moving into town and looking for household stuff. "They'll be grateful to get my giveaways," I reasoned to myself... "Just like I would've been at their age!"
Ha ha ha. Not these Millennials... attitudes have changed.
Kids aren't into the DIY, boho used furniture thing. They want (somewhat) brand new, high-end stuff, the latest styles, etc.. They have no interest in any mix-and-match decor, or in repainting or redoing anything.
Struck me as very odd. Pampered generation? Maybe society's changing faster than I've noticed.
I used to think it was funny that in some countries, used furniture/clothing was majorly frowned upon. Now it's happening here. Thrifting and Value Village aren't hip or trendy now.
Also: What happened to campus hedonism? No Animal House culture anymore? Replaced by PC police? I pity these kids today, what do they do for fun?
So I'm feeling more middle aged than ever (early 40s) after attempting to unload some used household furnishing via Kijiji. Some just given away for free by me.
It's the time of the year when students are moving into town and looking for household stuff. "They'll be grateful to get my giveaways," I reasoned to myself... "Just like I would've been at their age!"
Ha ha ha. Not these Millennials... attitudes have changed.
Kids aren't into the DIY, boho used furniture thing. They want (somewhat) brand new, high-end stuff, the latest styles, etc.. They have no interest in any mix-and-match decor, or in repainting or redoing anything.
Struck me as very odd. Pampered generation? Maybe society's changing faster than I've noticed.
I used to think it was funny that in some countries, used furniture/clothing was majorly frowned upon. Now it's happening here. Thrifting and Value Village aren't hip or trendy now.
Also: What happened to campus hedonism? No Animal House culture anymore? Replaced by PC police? I pity these kids today, what do they do for fun?
I am a 20 something Millenial, and while I obviously can't compare to how things were in the past, that certainly hasn't been my experience, that people don't want used things or don't shop in thrift shops. Heck, it's counter to a hipster stereotype. Maybe with services like Craigslist, people can afford to be pickier about what used stuff they pick up. Young people these days can afford very little space, especially in urban environments, so it would be foolish not to be picky about what you let into your home or the place becoming hopelessly cluttered would be inevitable.
People have always preferred nicer things and matching furniture, that is not new. To strive for that is normal. But that young people today, who are often pretty poor, are too proud for used? Haven't seen that attitude except among those who could afford to have it.
I am a 20 something Millenial, and while I obviously can't compare to how things were in the past, that certainly hasn't been my experience, that people don't want used things or don't shop in thrift shops. Heck, it's counter to a hipster stereotype. Maybe with services like Craigslist, people can afford to be pickier about what used stuff they pick up. Young people these days can afford very little space, especially in urban environments, so it would be foolish not to be picky about what you let into your home or the place becoming hopelessly cluttered would be inevitable.
People have always preferred nicer things and matching furniture, that is not new. To strive for that is normal. But that young people today, who are often pretty poor, are too proud for used? Haven't seen that attitude except among those who could afford to have it.
My original comment is probably a reflection of my own student years... artsy and hanging out with other artsies, into the boho decor and so on. Everyone's apartment was painted purple and red. They had Che posters and candles everywhere, with beaten-up, burned,* duct-taped, second hand everything. I forgot for a minute that during those years, there would've been just as many students with preppy tastes, etc...!
Still, I kind of have the impression that the college students today are less hedonistic than decades ago... maybe I should walk around a uni campus sometime and see what the new campus culture is really like. Things have changed, though, I still have that impression...
Maybe it's cyclical, conformity and rebellion. Maybe not.
*Seriously, I had a clothes dresser missing a couple of drawers due to a girls' residence bonfire or something. Complete with scorch marks.
My original comment is probably a reflection of my own student years... artsy and hanging out with other artsies, into the boho decor and so on. Everyone's apartment was painted purple and red. They had Che posters and candles everywhere, with beaten-up, burned,* duct-taped, second hand everything. I forgot for a minute that during those years, there would've been just as many students with preppy tastes, etc...!
Still, I kind of have the impression that the college students today are less hedonistic than decades ago... maybe I should walk around a uni campus sometime and see what the new campus culture is really like. Things have changed, though, I still have that impression...
Maybe it's cyclical, conformity and rebellion. Maybe not.
*Seriously, I had a clothes dresser missing a couple of drawers due to a girls' residence bonfire or something. Complete with scorch marks.
Could be! Like I said, I can't compare. That said, what you describe exists, those scenes are still out there, it's just whether they're bigger or smaller than they were which is at question. I do think college aged people these days probably are on the whole more serious and less rebellious due to more intense competition. People I know usually have a low key, background level of anxiety about the future which leads to hard work or burnout, even if they still party and have a nice time when possible. I think more people are aspirational in their tastes as a result.
Could be! Like I said, I can't compare. That said, what you describe exists, those scenes are still out there, it's just whether they're bigger or smaller than they were which is at question. I do think college aged people these days probably are on the whole more serious and less rebellious due to more intense competition. People I know usually have a low key, background level of anxiety about the future which leads to hard work or burnout, even if they still party and have a nice time when possible. I think more people are aspirational in their tastes as a result.
Wow... this is pretty enlightening. Anxiety seems to be the affliction of our era, now. Kind of shocking to consider that it might be affecting Millennials to this extent, but I suppose that's kind of obvious to me now that you've pointed it out.
So I'm feeling more middle aged than ever (early 40s) after attempting to unload some used household furnishing via Kijiji. Some just given away for free by me.
It's the time of the year when students are moving into town and looking for household stuff. "They'll be grateful to get my giveaways," I reasoned to myself... "Just like I would've been at their age!"
Ha ha ha. Not these Millennials... attitudes have changed.
Kids aren't into the DIY, boho used furniture thing. They want (somewhat) brand new, high-end stuff, the latest styles, etc.. They have no interest in any mix-and-match decor, or in repainting or redoing anything.
Struck me as very odd. Pampered generation? Maybe society's changing faster than I've noticed.
I used to think it was funny that in some countries, used furniture/clothing was majorly frowned upon. Now it's happening here. Thrifting and Value Village aren't hip or trendy now.
Also: What happened to campus hedonism? No Animal House culture anymore? Replaced by PC police? I pity these kids today, what do they do for fun?
I'm older than you and have seen the cycles of youth culture a few times.
Welcome to the " get off my lawn years "
I wouldn't judge a whole generation from your experience with those students. Yes todays generation is different in some ways, but every generation is.
Try and remember what older people complained to you about when you were young. I bet a lot of it, is the stuff that you now cherish as fond memories. The clothes, the hair, the disorganized apartment and don't forget the music !!
My parents would tell us we were spoiled, compared to their childhood. How their childhoods weren't marred by the advent of television keeping kids inside just staring at a screen. Sound familiar?
I'm older than you and have seen the cycles of youth culture a few times.
Welcome to the " get off my lawn years "
I wouldn't judge a whole generation from your experience with those students. Yes todays generation is different in some ways, but every generation is.
Try and remember what older people complained to you about when you were young. I bet a lot of it, is the stuff that you now cherish as fond memories. The clothes, the hair, the disorganized apartment and don't forget the music !!
My parents would tell us we were spoiled, compared to their childhood. How their childhoods weren't marred by the advent of television keeping kids inside just staring at a screen. Sound familiar?
We didn't have television in my early years except for the winters, when my dad rented one in order to watch hockey. It was such a novelty that we watched along with him, but that was to see the commercials! I can't remember when we got television to stay for good. I think by the time I was 16 or 17 we had it.
However, what I notice about kids nowadays is their reluctance to help with stuff I wouldn't have given a thought to when I was young. I occasionally need help with something on the farm and from an early age my nephews were usually reluctant to help. And I might add that I paid very well and it was never anything that required more than a couple of hours of their time. When I was young and my grandparents needed help, I don't recall ever feeling I had the option to say no and I never expected to be paid, although my grandmother would give me .10 for helping her pick peas. And I never resented it at all. To me it seems as though kids nowadays have a lot of money in comparison to what we had growing up and therefore anything that is 'hard' they don't care to do. Maybe this is a 'city kid' thing since they don't live on farms.
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