Millennials, who are they?
A millennial is anyone who is born between the years of 1981 and 1996. Their generation is currently the largest in the United States of America. They’re also lazy, self-entitled, tech addicts that have pathetic life skills. At least, that’s what the older generations say.
So why is it that Millennials get such a bad reputation?
Millennials were born right when technology began to boom. When society was transitioning into the digital age, millennials came with it. They grew up with technology. For that reason, they have entirely different backgrounds than older generations. They also get a bad reputation for it.
Older generations believe that always being on their phones are signs of laziness. Millennials would rather turn to Google for answers. Instead of figuring things out themselves. Studies also show that millennials have worse life skills compared to older generations. For that, technology is also to blame.
Millennials get such a bad reputation for being born and raised in an era that they have no control over. So what if they rely on technology? Times are changing, and technology is where it’s headed. They are adapting to their environment and to the things that we give to them. Why do older generations feel the need to shame them about it?
Here are the facts
Millennials are often called lazy because they rely on their gadgets and the Internet of Things for solutions. But the reality is millennials are just more literate in technology than older generations. They know how to use technology to their advantage to find solutions to problems. Yes, millennials are reliant on technology to a certain extent. However, you still need specific skills and capacities to understand how to use technology to take advantage of it in the first place.
Older generations also have this idea that millennials don’t have the proper skills in life, especially when it comes to repairing things at home or fixing their own cars. That’s one thing they got right. A study comparing the DIY skills of Millennial dads and Boomer dads show that Millennial dads don’t know how to repair things themselves. They are more likely to seek professional help than baby boomers. But, the article also states that modern technology has made appliances harder to fix these days. They concluded that when it comes to modern appliances, it’s better to seek professional repair services.
A few more things older generations like to call millennials are: self-entitled and sensitive. They think that millennials complain about everything. The truth is, millennials know that they deserve better. Millennials aren’t self-entitled; they’re just self-aware. They are also more socially, politically, and environmentally aware than older generations. Studies on smart homes and appliances have shown that millennials are more likely to purchase things that are better for the environment.
Did you know that baby boomers waste more energy than millennials? A recent survey shows 53% of baby boomers believe that millennials use more energy than them. The reality is that baby boomers use up twice the amount of electricity that millennials use. The survey was entitled “Generation Gap: How baby boomers and millennials stack up in their perceived and actual energy use.” The survey states that “nearly half of boomers have more than 30 lights in their homes compared to the majority of millennials that have less than a third of that.”
Surveys have also shown that millennials are more like to rely on technology, especially smart devices. Not only because it makes things easier for them, but because it saves space and energy as well. Sixty-four percent of millennials said that although smart technology costs tons of money, it is worth investing in because it is energy efficient.
Millennials spend a lot of time researching and thinking about the things they buy because they want to make sure that their consumption is aligned with their values. Are they suitable for the environment? Are they being made ethically? Will it benefit society in some way? These are just a few things millennials keep in mind before purchasing. Some of us choose not to ask questions at all or just choose to ignore the answers.
Maybe millennials don’t deserve the bad reputation that older generations keep trying to give them. Millennials may seem lazy, self-entitled, and pathetic when it comes to doing things themselves, but they’re not entirely like that. Technology isn’t to blame for their attitudes, either. Millennials aren’t as brainwashed by technology as people think. They use technology to their advantage. It’s hard to understand why older generations keep comparing the present to the old days when technology today is only built to make everybody’s lives easier.
Meta title: Are Millennials as Bad as They Are Thought to Be?
Meta description: Millennials always get a bad reputation, and technology often becomes the villain. But are they as bad as we think they are? Maybe not. Learn more.
