A Love Letter to Millenials

originally posted by: Look2theSacredHeart
a reply to: opethPA

Watch out, because Millennials might pull the rug out from under you and your construct of the "real world."

Wouldn't pulling a rug be too aggressive of a move for millenials?

Asking for a friend because I don't want to hurt any feelings.

originally posted by: JinMI
As a millennial I can say you aren't far from the truth. However the opposite side of that coin is vanity and short sightedness.

It won't last as it doesn't create nor destroy. That's why the ideals that surround the colloquial millennial are shunned.

Jin, not knocking the way of life up here, Michiganders are generally nice folks for a reason, but to be COMPLETELY fair, as the "outsider" transplant & a people watcher....the 40 and 50+ somethings, and a good chunk of the 60-somethings, are horribly vain up here, and it's worn on sleeves in the kind of smug manner you want to slap right off their faces.

If I had to further quantify that in an attitude of sorts, I'd say its a blend of arrogance, entitlement, smugness, and being a little too big for the proverbial britches. More succinctly, a spoiled shade of the superiority complex.

I can't even say it leans hard toward one gender more than the other, though it does stand out like a sore thumb in the women, as opposed to the guys, where you have to pay closer attention to see the attitude (well concealed at first glance, IOW) Digging into that further, it's not even a split between the working women or the housewives, because both do it equally. It'd definitely a well-groomed & ingrained superiority attitude.

I know the culture's more than a little different up here compared to the south, but that's a very glaring thing that sticks out to me, and not being from here & raised around it. It kinda smacks you in the face. Even airheads on Miami's Deco Drive weren't quite this bad.

My hubby's also noticed, says it's a "Midwest Malibu" attitude.

Sounds like a generalization of people you've never met based on anecdotes.

a reply to: Nyiah

Jin, not knocking the way of life up here, Michiganders are generally nice folks for a reason, but to be COMPLETELY fair, as the "outsider" transplant & a people watcher....the 40 and 50+ somethings, and a good chunk of the 60-somethings, are horribly vain up here, and it's worn on sleeves in the kind of smug manner you want to slap right off their faces.

No argument from me especially from your neck o the woods in the GM/Steelcase network. There's some seriously entitled folks around here.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

I haven't seen vanity.

Never been to FB/Tweeter/Instagoon?

I've seen a lot of them defining their own worth.

Agreed, seen plenty sitting in their parents home while they wait for someone to give them what they define.

It may seem arrogant, but it might also be more wise than their age.

Arrogant would indicate vanity, yes?

Justin Bieber and Kim Kardashian are vain. The average millennial is too aware of their own skills to put up with data entry starter jobs like I did, right out of college. They know their power better than I did. Vain?Maybe. I hope my kids are more candid and demanding than I was, though. I shut up and jumped those hoops. Who knows how much more fulfilling my career would have been if I had been more "vain."

P.s. My millennial boss has promoted me twice in 3 years. She has a master's, I don't. The millenial value on work and skill isn't all selfish.

a reply to: opethPA

I'm sure you can handle it. Things happen., you know? Life isn't fair.

a reply to: sooth

Lovely post. And dare I say, proving my point.

I love Millenials.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: Nyiah

Jin, not knocking the way of life up here, Michiganders are generally nice folks for a reason, but to be COMPLETELY fair, as the "outsider" transplant & a people watcher....the 40 and 50+ somethings, and a good chunk of the 60-somethings, are horribly vain up here, and it's worn on sleeves in the kind of smug manner you want to slap right off their faces.

No argument from me especially from your neck o the woods in the GM/Steelcase network. There's some seriously entitled folks around here.

I'm still thinking about that end of it, and the "been here forever" employer factor probably does have a lot to do with it. The little 90-something year old neighbor I've mentioned now and then, she's a wonderfully grounded person. But her kids and grandkids are GREAT examples of those entitled folks -- Steelcase is a family employment tradition, and if it's not yours, well, they're pros at sneering in disgust as if to say, "Ew, you're poor then."

The oldest son is actually as grounded as his mother is, he's a nice guy. He's sort of the black sheep among the kids and grandkids in that < gasp > he bothers to speak to the neighbors at all.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

Beautiful thread!

So nice to see such strong positivity.
What we usually see here on ATS, and have seen in this thread: is older generations with nothing good to say about millennials.

They don't get their humour by mocking others, like many from our generation.
As you say: "no person left behind" is their norm.
Along with the gen Z's: am encouraged by the direction Humanity is taking.
(That's Gen-Zed in Canada LoL).

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

The average millennial is too aware of their own skills to put up with data entry starter jobs like I did, right out of college.

You know what is worth more than a 4 year degree? 4 years of experience.

I hope my kids are more candid and demanding than I was, though.

I hope I'm around to hear how that turns out. I'm sure there are a few parents here who could fill you in or I, as a millenial can. It turns out that employers to heel to demands very often and will turn those kids away.

a reply to: Nyiah

It's unique to this area but you can spot 'em a mile away.

a reply to: JinMI

My millennial employees tell me how they think things need to be improved. My Gen X employees just gripe that there needs to be improvement with few ideas on what they want to see. Who's more bold, and dare I say, vain? Whose approach is more helpful?

My boomer employee, by the way, is the most punctual, and has the most interesting "How was your weekend?" answers.

originally posted by: Look2theSacredHeart
a reply to: JinMI

My millennial employees tell me how they think things need to be improved. My Gen X employees just gripe that there needs to be improvement with few ideas on what they want to see. Who's more bold, and dare I say, vain? Whose approach is more helpful?

My boomer employee, by the way, is the most punctual, and has the most interesting "How was your weekend?" answers.

Sounds like you did not do well in hiring your employees.

originally posted by: Look2theSacredHeart
a reply to: JinMI

My millennial employees tell me how they think things need to be improved. My Gen X employees just gripe that there needs to be improvement with few ideas on what they want to see. Who's more bold, and dare I say, vain? Whose approach is more helpful?

My boomer employee, by the way, is the most punctual, and has the most interesting "How was your weekend?" answers.

My millennial employees and interns do not walk in the door until 7am...and check the clock every 15 minutes until closing...if they were putting out a fire in the network or what ever, I get "Works over, I will finish it tomorrow ".

Sorry real life does not work that way. And never will.

originally posted by: Look2theSacredHeart
a reply to: rickymouse

I disagree. Their skyrocketing anxiety rates show huge mistrust. Just like the boomers went through when they hit their late forties and divorced people and bought sports cars. Millenials have that same doubt at age 20. I'd say it equips them for the future.

It is trusting in the wrong people that I am talking about. Not the right people. They are just as easily persuaded by consensus of the time of their generation as we were. I would be considered a baby boomer. The Millenials are more brainwashed by technology and are not thinking on their own anymore. That is bad, because every person is different, every community is different, and the cultures of all countries are different. One shoe does not fit all.

There are political groups that target these young people and tell them lies that are not true and they believe them because they have twisted evidence to show they are correct. Us old timers were taught from youth not to trust the government totally, all governments should be scrutinized, that included all political parties. I have passed this on to my daughters, but they did not believe me...of course, which is natural of young.....till they opened their eyes and saw what I was saying is true. This happened in their thirties, I suppose it was rare that I learned before I was fifteen and had always been aware that you can only believe half of what you hear and three quarters of what you see

That phrase my dad taught me back in the sixties and he said it applies to science too, I had to learn why it applies to science on my own, the answer is that scientists need to get paid and need money for research which means they structure research to make it so they can keep money coming in.

Once the Millenials do find reality, they may be able to do something to correct it so truth is spread more than fear and deceit. I sure hope it happens, I had false expectations that our generation would tackle that, but our generation just played along and profited by it. Not all in our generation did that, just the ones who went to college or went to work for big corporations learned the ropes, most people just went to work and earned an honest living.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

I think young people are awesome! Every generation needs to be appreciated. Human culture is the more interesting than any other focus. People are great!!!

originally posted by: Look2theSacredHeart
a reply to: opethPA

I'm sure you can handle it. Things happen., you know? Life isn't fair.

Yes and when unexpected things happen in my life I dont scream about them, become crippled by anxiety, stomp my feet until I get my way or rock back and forth in the corner. I also realize that respect is not something anyone inherently deserves because you have pink hair dye but rather it's something that is earned or as you said "realizing their worth" without having actually accomplished anything in life yet.

Look Im sure, like any generation, within Millennials their are Tier 1 people and everyone else.
I simply don't see anything wrong with being driven, competitive , intense, seeing a losing scenario as an opp to do it better and realizing that the world owes me nothing. Practicing Extreme Ownership in every element of life. You might call that Toxic Masculinity and I might laugh if you do. =)

You want to celebrate the opposite qualities which many millennials seem to live by that's great but that doesn't mean that approach is the right or wrong way..just a different way.

a reply to: Look2theSacredHeart

wouldn't millennials [in time] eventually turn into the current gen x'ers, 10 years down the line?