With every new generation, there is an older one to criticize it. They are a package deal.
It appears to be a rite of passage to insult the younger generation. Each upcoming age group is the equivalent of an annoying younger sibling or a cocky freshman.
Categorizing an entire age group as lazy, ungrateful and narcissistic though is ignorant in itself.
With every new generation, there is an older one to criticize it. They are a package deal.
It appears to be a rite of passage to insult the younger generation. Each upcoming age group is the equivalent of an annoying younger sibling or a cocky freshman.
Categorizing an entire age group as lazy, ungrateful and narcissistic though is ignorant in itself.
As a result of the Great Recession of the late 2000’s, one of a magnitude that had been unseen since World War II, many are still hard pressed to find a job. Businesses are wary of hiring and in some cases jobs have been made irrelevant by machinery. Those who continue to preach the archaic advice of it being as simple as going and submitting a resume have likely not had to use their own advice in years, if not decades. There are jobs there, but at the end of the day the wages do not match the cost of living.
The American Dream now seems like a pipe dream. Those who strive for it go to work to be able to afford college, to get a job that may not be there when they graduate. In the meantime they are racking up debt, but are not expected to make more than their parents. Seven in 10 college seniors graduated with debt this past year. Their average debt totaled $29,400 per person. Students are shackled to these numbers for a large remainder of their lives.
While it is discouraging, there is still hope. Despite those who say otherwise, this generation is not one that lacks a voice or passion. We have fought for issues that we believe in and will continue to do so. Many of us advocated for women’s rights, gay marriage, played part in electing the nations first black president and protested the one percent. There are teenagers finding the cure to cancer and others that can motivate and mobilize the masses through posting on social media through the technology that our faces are supposedly glued to.
We are also subject to higher rates of depression, bullying, anxiety and mental health issues. In a society strained enough as it is, it is unhelpful to be oppressed further by insults. Just as all of those before us, we are adapting to change. Those who criticize us simply for being different than them are the ones who perpetuate the negativity. It is time to lay down the boxing gloves in this generational match and accept that each age group has a different weight to bear.
