Millennial Generation

That’s me, and probably most of you readers out there.

Those born from the year 1982-2000 (may change according to different sources), are known as the Millennials.

Or the more familiar term, Generation Y.

I was watching 60 Minutes on Astro, and they were rambling about the Millennials sweeping over the world.

According to many reports, and study out there, Millennials are the luckiest generation, and ones with more potential.

Millenials are often confident, optimistic, goal oriented, ambitious,  and civic minded.

There was an interview with two Millennials, and I found it interesting when one of them said: “I know I am special”, or something along that line.

Being a Millennial myself, and surrounded with many many Millennials, I find that line to be especially true.

Many of the people whom I chat to, or met, believe in the same thing, that they are indeed special. I am not going to be a hypocrite, and said I never thought/think that way, because I do.

What really hit me was the fact that this social upbringing, either by our parents, ourselves, or even the media, has really gone out of control.

Everyone thinks they are special. Everyone thinks they are going to achieve something big later in their lives. Everyone says they know it.

Sure, this can mean, greater competitiveness in the working industry, but the problem is, many of us THINK we are special, but at the same time, we are not working hard to earn that title.

Millenials are also described to be ‘impatient’.

Look at this chart:

• 74 percent of employers say Gen Y workers expect to be paid more
• 61 percent say Gen Y workers expect to have flexible work schedules
• 56 percent say Gen Y workers expect to be promoted within a year
• 50 percent say Gen Y workers expect to have more vacation or personal time
• 37 percent say Gen Y workers expect to have access to state-of-the-art technology

(wikipedia)

Personally, I think the Gen Y expectations are too much.

61% percent of Gen Y workers expect to have flexible work schedules, while dreaming big to becoming successful.

Rich, successful people don’t have flexible hours,  they work their behinds off all day long.

 

Let’s not go too far, just look at the teenagers nowadays.

They have extreme hunger for fame (at least my social circle does). Probably being shaped by the entertainment media, especially Hollywood.

This phenomenon is obvious, especially in the cyber-world.

Personal bloggers to be the best example.

They take pictures of themselves, and post their daily activities onto their blogs like they are a part of the media spotlight.

To make matters worse, they adopt the characters of their role models, and practice it in real life, which makes them think they are someone else, and feeling up to the standard of their idols.

This is big dreaming alright, but this is no achievement.

And this is no more the case of expressionism, it is way beyond that.

I can’t say that the characteristics of Millennials are not desirable, because in a way, confidence, optimism, and many of the Millennial traits, are indeed ‘good’.

But to continue the tradition of telling the younger generation they are special, without a valid reason, is inappropriate.

We shouldn’t tell them that they can do anything they want. We shouldn’t tell them that they can be whatever they want.

It creates false confidence, which later becomes, arrogance and ego.

Millennial Generation may have the biggest, and wildest dreams out there, but without being realistic, and proper work ethic, dreams are just dreams.