Time Magazine Article on Millenials

@OP: I always love it when the previous generation calls the up-and-coming one "whiny", "self-absorbed" and "disrespectful"...especially when said next generation is still largely in its teens and twenties.

I'd like to ask the Baby Boom and Gen X what it was doing at a similar age. Oh wait, I know...both gens were altering their minds with chemicals and bitching about their parents. Also, questioning the morals and values of the preceding generation...which is how stuff changes if I'm not mistaken.

People are whiny and self-absorbed as teens and twentysomethings...that fact has not changed, if one looks at youth movements down through the ages. Its folly to judge the worth of a generation before most of its members pass 30, yet the older folk can't seem to pass up the urge. Baby Boomers and Gen Xers spent their time as obnoxious youngsters...if the hippie movement and my childhood are any indication.

I'm not prepared to judge Gen Y yet, and mainstream society shouldn't be either. For that matter I'm curious to see what kind of world they build. Considering the positive values I've seen most Gen Yers espouse I'm actually hopeful.

I think 9/11 is a good generational gap closer here(at least for Americans). I was in the middle of high school when 9/11 happened, and that obviously changed how my life turned out significantly compared to some of my troops these days. My youngest troop who I just got was born in 1995, and obviously sees the world in a bit of a different world-view compared to me.

^

My problem is that I kind of feel like the positive views of the current generation are seen as outweighing the negative ones. Acceptance of the LGBT movement is great and all, but it doesn't make up for being as self-absorbed, weak, whiny, or having as much of a victim complex as the current generations of our youth have being worth it.

I just sort of see a lot of folks like "But our current youth are really accepting on the gender issues front, therefor they are just so much more enlightened than past generations!" And it kind of makes me frown when I hear that, because all that real world shit is rather important too.

edited 14th May '13 11:23:48 PM by Barkey

@Barkey: I'm taking it that you do believe the millennium generation is particular whiny, week and self absorb then?

@Barkey: dude. The point was that we should not judge the current generation yet, because they aren't old enough for a real test.

Like I said...the Baby Boomers weren't worth much at 21, and neither was Gen X (we may think we were, but we weren't). It has yet to be seen what Gen Y has to offer...any way anyone wants to cut it.

Now, I do like their acceptance of different ways of being and I don't like their sensitivity (much like you), but that isn't the point. We've yet to see what they're really going to turn into. We'll see it when you and I are pushing 50, let us withhold our judgement until then if we can.

I agree with you, Drunkie. I'm just sitting back and remembering the flak that hit me as an indeterminate GenXer ('75 — an indeterminate year, depending on the yardstick used: at the time most dismissive articles were written, I was a year or two too young — or too busy working my arse off at uni to relate to them).

It's the same old, same old. Thirty- and fourty-somethings bitching about teens. Quelle surprise!

Compare complaints about using Facebook and Twitter to waste time to using the Atari and Nintendo... and tada! And, hey: drugs! Back with a bang (though, they never go out of style: just which ones).

edited 15th May '13 12:27:04 AM by Euodiachloris

That's another thing thing. People complain about how Facebook and such are corrupting us and leading to bad things but the same arguments were leveled against video games, rock and roll, drugs, comic books, etc. when the previous generations were kids. Maybe there is something fundamentally different about them that is causing problems but so far I think the benefits of a more interconnected world outweigh the negatives.

edited 15th May '13 4:41:40 AM by Kostya

Proceed With Caution - Wall Of Text Approaching

@Kostya: Um, dude, not to upset you or anything but, if you're 18 now, I don't really think you count as a 90's kid. Hell, I was born in '87 and I barely fit to that description; although I do consider myself a 90's kid. Apart from that, you can't compare, say, Comic Books with Facebook, they're two completely different things. To clarify: You can't bash someone's skull in with an issue of Batman; what can happen though, if you're really impressionable and/or haven't yet developed some concrete judgement skills, is getting weird ideas in your head and maybe acting on them. Now, using Facebook to post naked pics of your ex 'cause you're disgruntled about how things ended between you two and you wanna get back at her/him... that's another thing... Comic Books can easily be compared with Movies or TV. Facebook on the other hand, could easily be compared with propaganda tactics and yellow press techniques. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying Comic Books or Facebook are bad, just that you're in far greater danger if you don't know how to handle Facebook than when you're reading a comic.

@Barkey: I've been working since I was 15 and I haven't accepted any money from my parents for at least 5 years now. I got myself through College and I've come to consider myself a pretty independent person. I also served my country in the worst Bases around here. And by "worst" I mean it was hard as fuck. Anyway, I got through it. Not taking any offense here, I just want to see what you consider "weak and whiny".

The thing is, we've reached a point in time where, it's not a matter of being careful not to make the same mistakes our predecessors did anymore, but a matter of not having the luxury to repeat them. The way I see it, either we get it right this time, or we don't... ever. Pretty bleak, I know, but seeing as most of us Gen Yers are nearing our thirties, Failure Is Not An Option sounds intimidatingly appropriate.

edited 13th Jun '13 10:51:43 PM by Basterd

One thing I would like to bring up that does concern me is the massive rash of self-mutilation and suicide amongst youths though. Obviously these things did happen to a degree throughout time, but pages like this disturb me.

So overall, more people were committing suicide in the 50's straight up until the 90's when the rates have been declining, however, teenage suicide has doubled in that span of time. This is obviously troubling.

I think right now one of the greatest questions that people need to be asking and scientists need to be studying is finding out why. Once we know that, we need to find out how to stop or slow this epidemic.

When I was growing up, through both Junior High and High School, I don't think I'd ever had any of my fellow students punch their own ticket. A few cut themselves, but this wasn't seen as normal or common, it was seen as a rare occurrence, something freakish or "out there". I'm really disturbed that this is starting to seem like an every day thing around my country, and nobody is out there trying to find out what the fuck changed to cause this. It's important that we find out.

So as much as "some things change and others stay the same" regarding older generations commenting on younger ones, this is something that is different and unique to "Millenials" and is srs business.

I'm a little confused, Barkey, according to the chart itself "The suicide rate for ages 5-24 (youth suicide) increased dramatically from 1950 to the early to mid 1990s but then began to decrease thereafter." Which is also what I see when I eyeball the numbers. The 1990's was a very stressful time to be a young adult, it would seem.

As for whinyness, etc., I think the point is that you (and others) would still perceive the current generation as whiny, weak, and self-absorbed, even if you were meeting the same age group ten years ago, or twenty years ago (or even a hundred, most likely).

I'll take a guess and say that it could in part be because we are being made very aware of exactly how screwed our generation is going to be for the next 40 years. Our generation is going to be dealing with the problems that the ones before have caused long after those generations are dead, and that seriously sucks.

Though I'm sure that's simply one of many reasons, there are going to be lots of different things that have contributed to this.

...and we'll be dealing with that Generation directly — especially as they retire and need medical treatment and care. Who will be paying for that?

I work with the elderly and I've found that members of the so called silent generation (the baby boomers parents) generally have a lot more kinmanship and respect towards 20 something young people then they do towards their metaphorical and in some cases literal children the baby boomers.

Food for thought.

edited 15th May '13 9:14:05 AM by joeyjojo

That would be the generation of the Great Depression right? That's probably because they recognise the signs of how screwed we are going to be and feel sorry for us.

That is disturbing...

Though, I hope I won't be considered a monster when I say I don't have any sympathy for cutters or junkies. I mean, I'll obviously donate to the local shelter or clinic or what-have-you, but I'll never understand the mind-frame of such people. Yeah, life dealt you a bad hand, society treats you like shit and nobody understands you... Get over yourself.

However, as far as suicides go, I call bad parenting combined with bullying. We all know how cruel, teenagers can be to one another, add that to a career mom and dad, and you pretty much have a guaranteed messed up child.

@Barkey: Care to respond to my previous post?

edited 15th May '13 9:18:40 AM by Basterd

...going to be? Not how screwed we are already?

And remember, they went through World War II as well.

That's the one.

Despite radically different social values (especially regarding the value and purpose of marriage) there is a lot of common ground Between millenials and the silent generation. The break broken times of economic hardship. We both grew up in times of constant war. And we both believe everyone born between 1946 and 1964 destroyed America.

@Basterd

Wasn't sure what to really respond to

Sounds your life has basically taken a similar track to how mine has.

Cool

I was just saying, since I'm part of that demographic, and I've never been weak or whiny, maybe people are jumping to conclusions way too fast. Gen Y considering. I do know people my age that have never worked a day in their life and keep bitching about anything and everything all day long, but I believe they're the minority among us Yers. They're certainly not the people I choose to surround myself with.

By the way, are you an Officer?

No, I'm an NCO.

We're probably not that far apart age wise. I'm in my mid-to-late twenties. So by some estimations I'm a "millenial" as well.

Wuss.

X7 I can't speak for junkies but I know enough cutters to understand the mindset (also I almost did it myself). Many do it as a plea for help, they have problems that make them feel terrible, but because they are constantly being told that they have it easy and that they need to get over themselves, they don't feel they can go to anyone for help, as their problems are to small. So they make the problem bigger, yes it's a grab for attention but we all need attention, we all want to feel that someone cares about us. It's the same logic that leads to kids inventing problems for themselves, they don't think anyone loves them and believe that the only way anyone will is if they feel sympathy for them.

Other times it's because they find it helps, several of the cutters I know don't mention it to people, thy do it in private because they find it helps. I think it's something to do with being unable to properly feel things so they find a different way to feel. Some do that via drugs and alcohol, but with that being harder to access these days, they resort to things like cutting.

Yes there are those who do it because they have an inflated sense of entitlement, yes there are those who do it because their friend did it and they want to be like them. But I think kids like that are in the minority.

Maybe that's a reason for increased depression and such amongst kids. In years past many kids had easy access to drugs and alcohol, so they self medicated. With increased regulation to prevent kids getting such stuff they are unable to self medicate.

edited 15th May '13 2:52:19 PM by Silasw

I don't know man. I just can't wrap my head around it. I had a customer - I was working in a Comic Book Shop a while back - the guy had like, these fucking huge cuts on the interior of his right forearm; only reason I noticed was because he was trying to reach some trade paperback on a high shelf, so naturally, I asked him about it. At first I was concerned, worried, so I went the "Do you have any problems at home?" route. He told me he didn't mean for me to see his scars, that he was totally fine with his folks and, get this, that he simply "enjoys the rush". So that's that. If you like it,like, really like it, like it's a fetish of sorts, I dunno, go for it. I don't think it's right though. Something hurts, as in, it makes you fucking bleed, don't do it. It's probably bad for you...

On the other hand, if you have something you gotta get off your chest, go find someone and talk about what it is that's bothering you. I mean, there's gotta be someone you can talk to! If not your parents, then a friend, or a teacher, or a cop, or a doctor! I think cutters would be better off making friends with each other and talking things through, than by cutting themselves in dark bathrooms.

My two cents.

edited 15th May '13 3:20:04 PM by Basterd

http://campusprogress.org/articles/why_millennials_arent_lazy_entitled_narcissists/

A rebuttal article to the original subject of the thread. I find the alternative cover they used amusing.

You demonstrate a large misunderstanding of mental health there, fella. It's easy to say to do something, not so easy to come clean with it. Kind of like drug addiction that way; you do destructive things because they feel good and help you mentally escape. Stopping is a struggle in itself. Most of the struggle is in admitting you've got a problem.

Also, cutters tend to encourage each other to keep doing it. To the point that there's internet groups that discuss it. So yeah, they can make friends. But mentally and emotionally unhealthy people can't really help each other get better.

edited 15th May '13 3:41:59 PM by AceofSpades

It's a matter of character and will. Everything is. I know people who quit heroin, and I know cutters who don't cut anymore. I've worked with mentally unhealthy people, as in, taking care of. I understand the cutter/junkie - addiction/subculture pretty well.

Fella...

EDIT: Yeah, that cover was pretty neat

edited 15th May '13 3:53:45 PM by Basterd

I think you should consider the possibility that the guy was lying, though I'm sure there are people who get a rush out of it I think they are few are far between. Though I agree that doing it for fun is pretty crazy, but it's probably safer then some of the other stuff that people do for fun.

As for the fact that cutters should go to someone, yeah they should. But they don't think that anyone would care, normally because the people they should be able to go (parents) have made it clear that they don't give a toss, or have make it clear that they think the kid has it easy. When I've been in a dark place I don't share it with my family, that's because when I have tried opening up to my mother about a problem in my life all I get is "well suck it up". When the main person you meant to be able to rely on isn't there for you it naturally breeds a distrust of all authority figures.

The same happens with friends, especially if the person is messed up enough that they've previously done something stupid to try and get attention. I have a friend who ended up in that exact situation, she made up a rather big lie and out of the people she told it to only two of us are still willing to listen to her speak about her problems, myself and the school councillor. She was 13 at the time and I was the only one (plus the councillor) to react with "what the hell is going on that makes her feel the need to make something like that up" instead of the standard "she lied to me, that bitch!".

Plus that's assuming that they'd be willing to go to friends. Most people with these kinds of problems have trouble trusting people, they're afraid to open up because they've been hurt in the past so they don't. The only reason I've managed to gain the trust, of the number of people I have is because I'm very open about me and everything about me. One of my college friends once called me the most open person on our course, people who self harm are unlikely to be very open about it, so they don't talk to each other about such stuff because neither is willing to make the leap of faith needed to start such a conversation.

Also there's pride, some of these kids don't want to reach out for help, they've been taught that that makes them weak, they want to deal with it on their own in their own way.

They would definitely be better off making friends with people they can talk to about problems, but that's not so easy. Especially once it's become a habit, then even once you have a person to talk to the natural reaction is to cut instead of ring the friend. Whenever I talk to my friends that self harm I'm always telling them that if they're ever down and thinking about it they should call me. But they never do, the closest would be the time I was talking with my friend on Facebook and events happened while we were talking that drove her to go try and slit her wrists open. Which was a harrowing experience all round, I can still remember begging her to not do it and knowing that she'd left her computer to go kill herself, it was not a fun night (luckily I was able to wake the friend she lives with and get her to go to her).

Edit: Yes it's a matter of will, but not in the way that most people think about it. It's not about having the will to quit and push on alone, it's about having the will to ask someone to help (and the luck to find someone who will).

edited 15th May '13 3:56:43 PM by Silasw