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I know this is a broad question but I'm genuinely curious to see what the general consensus is on the Millenial generation. Do you believe that millenials will provide economic growth, practice innovation in their careers, contribute in a positive way to American culture, engage in philanthropy, etc? Or will they simply become bland figureheads of social media and useless trends that do nothing to improve society? Are they truly innovative and optimistic, or just flat out delusional as a result of coming from a more privileged background and excessive pampering? Are they more altruistic or narcissistic? I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Lookinig around at them, I would find it an impossible proposition that the would do anything but speed up the toilet-bown swirl the nation is in under progressivism.
Yes (they will have a positive impact). As someone who straddles the boomer/gen x line and who has raised a millennial, I see the current younger generation as being far more community-oriented, collaborative, and accepting of differences then the three preceding generations. I think that is a reaction to the past 30 years of unbridled consumerism, materialism, and people living in their own tribal bubbles. That's not to trash previous generations, my theory is that every generation brings something good to the table but as they get older they often perpetuate stagnant patterns of behavior and resist necessary corrections that are good for society as a whole.
A lot of us want to do this and I agree we SHOULD, the issue is we see some people in every generation line that feed the generation warfare.
They won't own pickup trucks because they're "bad for the environment".
Imagine the resources that will go unused because these fools will base things upon their environmental impact rather than their usefulness.
I'm not for dirty air and dirty water....there are ways of using nonpolluting fossil fuels in a responsible manner.
Such fools.
If there are ways of using non-polluting fossil fuels in a responsible manner, you certainly won't find examples of them in the 90s or 00s. Rather a look back to those decades will show you what happens when people drive whatever they want with no concern at all for the impacts of their personal decisions on oil consumption, foreign policy, highway safety, the environment, etc. Why would millennials look to previous generations for advice on this when said generations have so throughly rejected responsibility in this regard? Are you also going to suggest that they start another housing bubble, consistently spend more that they make, and continue the seemingly endless string of wars that the U.S. has been involved in since WWII when they get into positions of power?
A lot of us want to do this and I agree we SHOULD, the issue is we see some people in every generation line that feed the generation warfare.
That's true, and I'm probably feeding it to some extent in the sense that I don't think my generation has done a particularly good job of running things. But most of the millennials that I know have been very positive and haven't engaged in that type of sniping (perhaps they are simply holding back, but there's something to be said for that as well in that we need more civility in our debates). And I really look at it more as a cyclical process in that there are periodic times in history where we need to reset to a more communitarian orientation or society will ultimately fail to hold together. But assuming that the millennials rise to this challenge they will still give their children something to push against when they get older. It's how cultures grow and thrive.
Hmmm,..... No. I see people, young and old, with their faces glued to smart phones and it reminds me of toddlers carrying around favorite toys or blankies. This generation is the least capable we've ever progenated. I think I just invented a new word. Anyway, they can barley function in the real world.
We have a solar flare fry the electrricla grid or the government panics and shuts down the internet and people will go ape $#%^, and the millenials will be lost and confused basket cases.
I see this thread has attracted quite a few responses from the crowd who are convinced that their old HS began going to hell in a handbasket the day after they graduated.
I see them as the generation that fully realizes that ALL authorities lie and steal for their own greed and not to trust anyone. So the Millennial Generation concentrates on keeping in touch with their friends and ignoring most of the distractions of the official news and the idiocy of politics. They have survival skills and a properly skeptical attitude. They are smart kids.
Hmmm,..... No. I see people, young and old, with their faces glued to smart phones and it reminds me of toddlers carrying around favorite toys or blankies. This generation is the least capable we've ever progenated. I think I just invented a new word. Anyway, they can barley function in the real world.
We have a solar flare fry the electrricla grid or the government panics and shuts down the internet and people will go ape $#%^, and the millenials will be lost and confused basket cases.
Oh and most people would be able to survive with out ovens, microwaves and stove tops right? Technology is important to every generation in different ways. I know boomers (other than my mom) who use smartphones or social media now they don't use it as much as say I do and I don't really do it much. Every generational cohort has essential technology. As the years have gone on, we have more technology to work with that is essential.
I see them as the generation that fully realizes that ALL authorities lie and steal for their own greed and not to trust anyone. So the Millennial Generation concentrates on keeping in touch with their friends and ignoring most of the distractions of the official news and the idiocy of politics. They have survival skills and a properly skeptical attitude. They are smart kids.
Good Post. This is very true, as bleak as it may sound.
But it is really very encouraging-millenials are living without cars and needless consumption, working on organic farms and growing food on small lots in the city, travelling and studying around the World, localizing their communities yet staying connected with like-minded individuals globally, ignoring the illusion that our Government serves the majority, our Media reports on things that matter, our financial system is sustainable/"free" and that organized religion is meant to promote peace, etc.
People say what would we do without our phones or ipods or whatever, but I worry about how the status-quo will survive in suburbia.
1. As virtually every poll shows, the younger generation favors equality more and more.
2. A growing minority (in all nations at varying degrees) are becoming religiously unaffiliated, agnostic, or explicitly atheist. Of course there will remain hotbeds of radocals for some time, but in the near future we will begin to govern ourselves solely on reason, and whats for the benefit of the people. No more guy with his finger on the button who believes god will tell him when to press it.
3. As global Occupy, and other worldwide anti-oligarch protests continue to spring up, its obvious younger people around the globe are ready for their government to represent them, not the biggest campaign endorser. In the last 30 years, in this nation at least, weve tumbled backwards and shrunk the middle class at the behest of corporate interests and Washington's willingness to cater to those interests. Once the GOP fractures, a legitimate third party will emerge, and work on restoring the bill of rights.
4 & 5. Technological advancements will solve most of these problems. As jobs continue to disappear, the world will continue to move toward a socialist system.
6. Obamacare one step closer to single payer system in the US, a PROVEN success in virtually every other industrialized nation.
7. Shrinking natural resources will mean stronger trade agreements, and although this could stir up warfare, I doubt it. The world is a lot smaller and I see emerging continental unions (like the EU) prohibiting inter (and eventually extra) continental warfare.
This is just my opinion of course. As technology goes, intelligence goes. And the smarter the populace is, the easier it will be to get their way.
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