Every so often in the news, I come across articles about how our uncertain future as a country stems in part from the fact that the new crop of Americans (known as Generation Y or "Millennials") isn't on par with the rest. The terms "lazy," "apathetic," and "materialistic" get thrown around quite a bit. While these adjectives may line up with certain members of our ranks, the rest of us would appreciate it if you wouldn't lump us in with them until you take a closer look at who we are.
A decent chunk of Baby Boomers and older generations seem to view us as ungrateful "adult-children" who aren't capable of or interested in being involved in our government. I'll even admit I've met my fair share of apathetic cretins who would rather let every single life form on this planet perish before pulling themselves away from their iphones and Facebook, but I'd be truly terrified for our future if I thought they constituted the majority of my generation. Among many in their late teens/early twenties, I've seen a new trend emerging from the rubble of media over-saturation and apathy: We are getting downright pissed...continued below the fold.
Put yourselves in our shoes. Our parents were raised by Depression Era and WWII survivors, growing up in large families where they often went without that brand new pair of sneakers or shiny new car. When their time to pop out a few offspring came along, they wanted their kids to have what they didn't. A noble intention, certainly, but with unforeseen consequences. We became the first materialistic generation, taught from infancy that we should have the latest, newest, best. What to do with that old cell phone? Why, you simply throw it away! Where should you shop? Forget the old 'mom and pop' stores, Wal-Mart has it all in one place! Getting what we wanted, when we wanted it, with parents who (though wonderful, well-intentioned people) would rather be our friends than the strict overlords they remembered from youth, it's no wonder you call us materialistic. We are. But you're the ones who made us that way.
Skip ahead a few years: Generation Y goes to college. Which we did, and are doing, in record numbers compared to previous generations. Why, you ask? Many of our parents weren't able to go to college, and watched those who could benefit from it in droves. In the 70s and 80s having a degree meant a much better shot at a good job, and a better salary. It only made logical sense for the Baby Boomers to push their kids toward college. Did I say push? I meant bulldoze. For many of us, college prep jargon began as early as eighth grade. From the time our shadows darkened high school doorways we were supposed to be racking up grades, extra-curricular activites, and anything else that would look good on college applications. That was the message at my high school, anyway. Get into college, they said, and you'll have a future. The phrase "Or you'll end up flipping burgers" came up a lot.
Well, here we are, graduating from universities across the country in increasing numbers, with one problem. It turns out the future we've spent our lives since age 14 preparing for a future that doesn't exist anymore. Economic crisis fell in our laps the second we left the ivory tower, and not only can very few of us find good jobs, we've also got more school debt than any generation before us. Oh, and for those of you 1% magnates who say we should just get jobs at McDonald's and quit complaining, I direct you to the "flipping burgers" comment. You taught us our whole lives to expect better of ourselves, and now that we do you call us lazy for not wanting the jobs you taught us to look down on?
Materialism and debt aside, the cherry on top of our inherited sundae comes in the form of global climate change. Centuries of poor regulations and environmental policies coming to a head, gift-wrapped with the tag reading, "Our bad. Good luck with that."
The good news is that many in Generation Y are getting angry, and getting active. We can't afford to be apathetic about the economic situation or global climate change, because their consequences will play out within our lifetime. Gone are the days of the "Our children's children" rhetoric. These issues are approaching a tipping point, as early as our 40s and 50s. Perhaps that's why Millennial voter turnout increased measurably in 2004, 2006, and 2008. For a lazy, uninterested generation, we sure are turning up to vote an awful lot.
Activism is also on the rise in Generation Y. With so many of us going to college, we have learned a thing or two about climate science and global human rights, and picked up the tools we need to organize around our issues. Young voters have been key driving forces in many gay rights, women's rights, and environmental awareness campaigns in the past five years, many of which have gotten their starts on college campuses.
In the 60s and 70s, everyone complained that the Baby Boomers were nothing but a bunch of "lazy, pot smoking hippies." Hindsight being what it is, history has forgotten the indifferent in favor of celebrating the strides young people of that generation made for civil rights and women's rights. When it comes down to it, there will always be some people in Generation Y who would rather play Xbox than get off the couch to sign a petition or write their local representatives. Their apathy shouldn't devalue the work the rest of us are doing to ensure a better, brighter future for our country. We may be stumbling our way through this, but the kids are alright.