Millennials....

I was looking for something else and came across this sad little piece and am wondering if what is described is true for most millennials?

As the mother of one and friend to many who don't fit this description, I'm curious.

This is a review of a science fiction movie that the author thinks describes the 'millenial' life well. I have not see this film yet....

What “Advantageous” is that other science fiction films aren’t is quiet.

That’s my experience of being an unemployed millennial in the 2000s. Long stretches of unnerving silence. Being one of a handful of unlucky young people walking aimlessly around in the middle of the day when civilized people are at work. Failing to make eye contact with each other or speak because we’ve forgotten how to have in-person conversations. Turning to social media or aimless Web surfing to fill the long stretches of emptiness, of boredom.

I’ve joked, darkly, that the worst thing about being unemployed isn’t not having any money but not having anything to do.

The author writes well ...

www.salon.com...

a reply to: FyreByrd

The Millennials I know are successful, hard working people. In my experience this isn't an accurate picture of what is overall a very creative and successful generation. Millennials tend to be energetic and idealistic. This movie seems to focus on the worse Millennials have to offer and not the best.

Writers are a special breed. I'm sure the millennial writing that review feels a special sense of ennui all his own, and has a lot of words swirling around to describe it.

Smart article, good review. Now wants to see movie. Everyone… check it.

How much further will it go, “Advantageous” asks. How much less needed can people get, as the things get smarter and shinier and more efficient? How much more will you have to give away, if they ask you to — your body? Your mind? Your soul?

The film doesn’t give any easy answers. But that’s the question we all need to be asking.

There are 5 millennials in my house VS two generation Xers...

We are outnumbered to be sure. I can see some of what he feels as true in my experience.

Here's a cute link to the differences (as perceived) although I can relate to some, certainly not all!

Millenials VS Generation-X

a reply to: FyreByrd

I was looking for something else and came across this sad little piece and am wondering if what is described is true for most millennials?

Seems to describe what the future will be like for everyone, not just millennials.

But it didn’t work, because there was no victory condition, no enemy to defeat, no Death Star to blow up. In retrospect the protests feel as futile as the quiet clouds of smoke in the “Advantageous” skyline. You can’t blow up an entire world, an entire economic system; you can’t beg it for mercy or shout moral imprecations at it either. Break things, throw things, scream things — at the end of the day you still don’t have a job.

This is a very difficult question to respond to. Because many of the answers are going to anger the millennia generation . As for jobs there are plenty of them out there many people just believe most of those jobs are beneath them.

If I felt the way the author feels and assumed I was in such a hopeless position . I would take any job available including flipping burgers at McDonald's . The way I look at it time is better spent doing something constructive to occupy yourself even if it doesn't pay good at least you're busy . If people don't agree with that position then could volunteer their time .

Instead of sitting on social media and complaining about the homeless. Call Habitat for Humanity and volunteer your services . What is the worst thing that could happen, you could help someone and learn something in the process ?


But this part of your link disturbs me that many of the younger people think this way .........

Jules needs a $10,000 deposit to get into an exclusive summer camp in order to get into an exclusive prep school. Without those credentials, she’s unlikely to get a job — any job — at all. Her genius-level abilities are barely enough to get her foot in the door, and without connections and credentials and money, she’ll never be able to walk through it.

If I had a genius level ability I would be able to figure out that I shouldn't expect things to be handed to me . I would get out and take a job any job or better yet start something up on my own even if it's only cutting lawns . But the most important thing I stress is get off your ass, get out and do something for yourself . If you sit idly by and pout about how unfair everything is you're never going to have anything but a bad attitude .

I know I sound like a parent lecturing because in fact I am . I had this very discussion with one of my daughters. I was aghast when she told me what she feels the position of her generation is.

She told me that with the unfairness of the world she believes that her generation just doesn't care about anything .

Of course being a parent I ask her not even yourself ?

She didn't answer all I received the scornful look . But in the years following the discussion I also saw a change in her demeanor . I never asked but I hope my words gave her a spark .

a reply to: Greathouse

I often wonder if my "talks" are sinking in...
time will tell...When moments to "teach" come along I try to make the best of it.

I try to let my children be, no really be who they are going to be as long as it is not hurtful to anyone else.
They have very diverse opinions and ideas. I can only hope that I can guide them to do what's best and hopefully
they will be successful (they all have different ideas of what that is) and able to stand on their own feet.

You give me hope...LOL

a reply to: TNMockingbird

Your approach is very reasonable. I to encouraged individuality in my daughters and I still do it with my grandchildren .

For myself I have found the best technique is not to lecture . I prefer asking questions in the hopes they will look at their selves and come up with their own opinions . Because as a parent I'm sure you can agree that to young adults lectures only bring resentment .

a reply to: FyreByrd
Im an early Millennial and Ive done well for myself. Its the mid to late Millennials who have no hope.

originally posted by: Greathouse
This is a very difficult question to respond to. Because many of the answers are going to anger the millennia generation . As for jobs there are plenty of them out there many people just believe most of those jobs are beneath them.

Jules needs a $10,000 deposit to get into an exclusive summer camp in order to get into an exclusive prep school. Without those credentials, she’s unlikely to get a job — any job — at all. Her genius-level abilities are barely enough to get her foot in the door, and without connections and credentials and money, she’ll never be able to walk through it.

If I had a genius level ability I would be able to figure out that I shouldn't expect things to be handed to me .

This is not necessarily true. Many 'geniuses' don't have the social skills necessary to function productively in society. History shows us that these individuals, more then the rest of use, need massive social supports to be able to do any work at all.

I've a young millennial who is a musical genius and needs a full on support (money, organization, transportation, everything) just to handle basic daily living let alone work. He doesn't have the social skills to work in music because it requires working with others - though his music and compositions can be brilliant. This young man has all the connections you would ever want, is generally liked and respected by those in the film Industry; however not a one of those contacts would hire him for a job because of his lack of social skills and inability to work with others - he never had to learn being a pianist.

a reply to: FyreByrd

This is not necessarily true. Many 'geniuses' don't have the social skills necessary to function productively in society. History shows us that these individuals, more then the rest of use, need massive social supports to be able to do any work at all.

History has proven that you don't get anything unless you do it on your own. Hank Williams, Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan . Were all musical geniuses who started with nothing but a guitar . The lessons from history are out there people shouldn't be locked into only one side of those lessons .

He doesn't have the social skills to work in music because it requires working with others -

That goes hand-in-hand with the entire premise of my response . If people are enabled in their social withdrawal they will never learn . What has actually been proven in history is that to escape your demons you must first confront them . if their social interaction problems are enabled it hinders peoples course to to conquering them .

If the person you know had everything cut off he would be forced to get out and confront his demons. Sure he might have to postpone his musical career but if he conquers his individual inadequacies he will still be a musical genius and be able to pursue them at a later time with a better opinion of himself .


That's just my two cents worth take it or leave it .

a reply to: Greathouse

There are many ways to deal with ones personal demons. You can try to escape them by confrontation, but I have always found it best to butcher the bastards, hang their heads over my front door, and wear their entrails as a scarf for a few days, until the smell becomes an attractant for carrion eaters.

In all seriousness though, this "millenials this" and "generation x" that malarkey is utter bunkum. There are lazy bastards from all throughout time. The immediacy of consequence is what has changed. Another thing to note, is that more work is expected of today's generation, for less comparative status gain per calorie expended, than was the case say thirty five, to forty years ago.

My mother, for example, could have CAKE WALKED things that I will never be in a financial position to do, no matter how hard I work at whatever I am doing, but especially if I remain a part of our very small family business, which I do intend to keep on doing, by the way. Now me, I am thirty years of age, and I am screwed. It would be fair to say that the route by which I ended up in this position was largely out of my control, and was also pretty damned strange to live though, and was not on the cards as far as I was aware when I hit adulthood. However, those who are younger than me are automatically in a whole CRAP load more debt, and will be expected to work longer hours, for less relative gain.

When my mother was a younger lass, many years before my birth, she worked at a fairly low level in a banking industry place. She was a functionary, entered lots of data, processed lots of cheques, that sort of junk. Not a boardroom level gal at all. Although she did not realise it until many moons after her employment there had ended, she could have bought a car, every damned year of her employment there, and still saved a boatload.

There just are not jobs of that sort out there, and I must remind you that her job was not particularly good at all. She was lucky to have it, don't get me wrong, but she was not one of the best paid human beings wandering the British isles at the time by any stretch of the imagination. It makes her sick to think what she could have set up, if she had of been aware of how lucky she was to live in the era she did. She spent most of that money on her parents, and on her first husband and surviving that crappy relationship, which was ironic since it was that relationship which lead to her leaving her job.

It was only after my father, her second husband, left the marriage, that she realised the full weight of what she had at her back when she was working before, and it makes her want to piss acid and spit mercury that her kids are not living in an age where a similar job would pay enough to produce similar results.

Me, I worry for my sons generation. He is ten years old, and when he is an adult, his generation will have to bear the burden of all the government stupidities of the last twenty years, which came to a head and burst like a carbuncle during the economic crisis, which contrary to popular idiocy, is no where near over, and still having effects on trade and consumer confidence. I am talking about poorer public services, weaker economy, less money per hour worked, and even less status change per calorie expended than my generation, who in my view have been summarily pissed on by events to a stupid degree.

I love hard work. I love pulling shards of metal out of my fingertips at the end of a shift, and cleaning the grime of a solid days effort off myself after work. I love the hectic, and eclectic range of things I have to do during a day, just to earn virtually nothing by the end of it. But I wouldn't put up with my pay if I wasn't invested in the company personally. And yet my sons generation will be lucky to be in as crappy a position as I am right now, and that makes me want to throttle someone ever so slowly to death.

So for all that some young people may appear feckless, I can understand that, because my feck levels are depleted as all hell, and I am not even a millenial! I just know that real work has no value in this day and age, ESPECIALLY when you try to do it for yourself.

The world has gone nuts, effort isn't worth money any more, and there are not enough opportunities out there, that's just how it really is. A job at McDonalds will get you just about enough to really screw ones chances of ever being able to afford to rent accommodation, because it will earn you just enough to take you out of the position where the government might help you with your living circumstances. The only jobs that should be offered in any developed nation at the moment, should pay a bare minimum of four times a monthly rent on a modest, one bedroom apartment in the region in which the job is being offered. If they don't, then the work ain't worth doing.

Like I said, I only put up with poor pay, because it's an investment into the business that I helped build. It's showing no returns as of yet, but it's keeping itself alive by some magic I am not entirely conversant with. But I wouldn't take a job at McDonalds, because it isn't worth the cost of printing the damned pay docket!

A lot that is overlooked about Millennials is that they have the knowledge of the net for example on the tip of their fingers. It depends on if they are going to use it. Many have, many are seeing beyond a two party system for example, such as Independent parties are growing.

The main issue with the Millennial generation (specially the latter portion) is lack of discipline and respect. So many kids are doped up on SSRIs and amphetamines at the first sign of misbehavior rather than the parents properly disciplining them. Kids learn morals from the TV these days, social skills from the internet, they are rewarded for disrespect, and there is simply no accountability. Im a Millenial raised by my mother, and she was like a drill sergeant when I stepped out of line. For most of the newer members of my generation, this simply is no longer a reality. So, what is the result? A bunch of disrespectful, incoherent pu$$ies with entitlement complexes. Who is to blame? The preceding generations of progressive-socialist parents.

GEN X forever!

kidding, millennials are fine! Everyone needs to start somewhere and make mistakes and keep going except Gen Y they suck

(joking don't shoot me!)

a reply to: TrueBrit

Great post I read it in its entirety . I wish I could be as elegant as you in my responses . But I can't I have too much country in me .

Yes currently people do tend to single out The millennia generations. So in order to explain myself..., for me it falls under "I had to listen to it when I was young you're going to listen to it also" . Lol

But I agree with your premise every generation has lazy bastards . Growing up I knew many of them, they even call me for bail to this day . But the underlying factor for people that don't succeed is desire/motivation. Every major business around you started somewhere at a single store or location. It was desire and drive that built every company and fueled every success story . And for most companies there is are no good times in the beginning it is a daily grind that will likely cost you 80 to 120 hours a week if you want to be successful . Achievement versus caloric intake does not come into play until you make the company successful then you are amply rewarded .



I can say without fear of being wrong.

You mentioned you run a small family owned business . I guarantee you there is another Business
you know of in the exact same profession that is very successful . Instead of excepting the status quo, rise to the challenge . There is no doubt you are very intelligent use it add a little blood sweat and tears to that and there is no doubt in my mind you could be successful .

The thing is no one ever knows until they try and if you don't try and try hard you will never know .

For what's it's worth, millennia's now out-number Boomers. I will keep my fingers crossed that changes will be for the better. Frankly, it does make me a bit nervous. The one in my family seems "live and let live", but he hasn't yet faced any real challenges. (He thinks he has, of course.)

a reply to: ladyinwaiting

The Corporate/Banker Millennials are the ones to watch out for.

They will end up doing the most damage on larger scales.

We spend all day wandering around on our devices without being able to make eye contact or develop social skills ...

If you know the problem ... then why don't you fix it?! Someone has to start. Put your stupid device down and be the change you want to see.