If you are active in the Gen Y/Millennial realm you have no doubt seen this article in the NY Times... and if you are a Gen Y/Millennial you are not really happy about how this article portrays our generation. I mean really, first of all turning your nose up at a $40K job is THIS ONE GUY'S decision, it certainly isn't indicative of the views and characteristics of an entire generation. Moving beyond my first-blush irritation with the slant of the article it got me thinking about what I had read about the optimistic views of Millennials and I wondered should Gen Y be bearish or bullish on the American Dream?
After turning this thought over in my head time and time again I reached a conclusion, an epiphany really, achieving the American Dream depends on what the dream means to you. The NY Times writer clearly moves along the lines that financial success and materialism are the American Dream. His view isn't wrong either Lifestyle matters after all. In the last 50 some odd years since the end of the Great Depression, Americans have been both the Jones' and the family trying to keep up with them. Now I would like to point out to all the Gen Y antagonists that the 50 year run I am describing falls clearly within the realm and financial decision making time line of the Boomers. However so as not to turn this into a Gen Y vs. Boomer debate, I will concede that Gen Y certainly profited from this aggressive pursuit of the American Dream by our parents. In fact I will even go so far as to suggest it is because Gen Y was so passive in LIVING THE DREAM that many of them (us) aren't quite as fully prepared for the "real" world as we let on. As a result a lot of Gen Y lives at home with Mom and Dad, still being a part of the American Dream, without ever having to go out and achieve it. And before the chorus of "not me, I worked hard, I struggled, I pay my own bills" starts let me just add that there isn't anything wrong with living at home. The "real" world is too hard for EVERYONE right now, yet alone someone with no money, no job, no experience, high debt, and whatever the hell other millstone you may have tied to you. Which are "real" world problems. These "real" problems which people tell you aren't really that big a deal are being exacerbated by the reality that your boomer parents can't afford to retire. This means that you can't get a job, because no one can move up in their current company and/or you are competing against people with fiftyleven times the experience as you because of all the Boomers and Gen Xers out of work. So you become bearish on the whole thing and you start to realize that the American Dream has turned into your personal American Nightmare. 1, 2, Freddy's coming for you... and just like in Nightmare on Elm Street, if you die in this Dream you die for real... or do you?
Well as the second writer suggests, if you are like most Gen Y, you eventually realize you won't die at all with this iteration of the American Dream. In fact the American Dream isn't dying or becoming more elusive either. You are young. You are healthy. You are smart. You are energetic and passionate and driven. You are bound and determined to fix the flaws of society and the inequities of the world. Optimism swells inside you, the world is a messed up place but you think it can be fixed. As a result of this rising tide feeling you become bullish on the idea of the American Dream. You see past the Lifestyle Branding aspects of the Dream to the deeper core value of freedom to make your own way in this world. You see how the American Dream affords you the opportunity to be down to your last dime and bounce back like it never happened. As your mind races through the greater inspirations you hit your own epiphany...
To me you should be bearish on the American Dream as a Lifestyle Brand, but be bullish on being inspired by the American Dream...
What are your thoughts on the American Dream?
The Millenial Resource Network
Welcome to The Millenial Resource Network, an online resource for people of all generations to learn about the Millenial Generation.
Millenials will find links, articles, and blog posts mainly written by other Millenials which will show them how to get along in a work place still dominated by older generations. Non-Millenials will be able to use those same resources to gain insight into the mind of a Millenial and the best way to deal with them in the "real world."
Millenials will find links, articles, and blog posts mainly written by other Millenials which will show them how to get along in a work place still dominated by older generations. Non-Millenials will be able to use those same resources to gain insight into the mind of a Millenial and the best way to deal with them in the "real world."
Showing posts with label Respect. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Respect. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Friday, April 30, 2010
Is a culture clash inevitable?
While the year of demarcation for who is a Millennial depends on the source, I like the years 1978-2001, so anyone born during this period is considered a Millennial in my book. What is more important than who is a Millennial is the laundry list of characteristics and stereotypes used to define this generation. Simple searches on-line will reveal that Millennials are considered, self centered, egocentric, over ambitious, immature, uncouth, and a whole long list of other "flattering" commentary. However, I don't think there are many in the Millennial generation who would deny those hash-tags as a group. They (we) are all of those things and more. They are proficient multi-taskers, they are quick thinkers (or Googlers maybe?), they are tech-literate, and they are uniquely creative in a world not quite ready to accept their creativity. Which is why the culture clash is coming/already happening.
To me the clash will unfold in many ways. Typical to anything where there is a clash between old and new, there will be conflict, there will be compromise, and there will be reformation. This big clash will be followed by smaller conflicts, less compromise, and less reformation until there is complete indoctrination and a total shift in thinking. The history of the world is littered with examples of this type of mind changing clash, the geocentric vs. the heliocentric, or the flat-Earthers vs. the round-Earthers, team Coco vs. team Leno. In all these cases both sides thought they were right, both sides claimed to have supporting evidence and both sides claimed to have support of the masses and their supporters ultimately did battle.
However no matter how hard fought the battle maybe sometimes the outcome is inevitable. Change is going to happen. Leno got his show back, the earth was proven to be round, and the Sun is the center of the solar system... for now...I still say Pluto is a planet! In any event, the main thing to remember if you find yourself set to clash along generational lines is to consider the opposite position in the debate.
In regards to the Millennials, those of older generations should think of and consider the way things are done now in terms of how they will be done in the future. A phone call today may still be important, but tomorrow it may be as useless as a telegraph. So instead of being upset the Millennials prefer electronic communication, think of it as inevitable that virtually all communication will eventually be electronic... until such time it becomes telepathic, come on Steve Jobs, get a move on it already, I want an APP for that!
In regards to dealing with older generations; Millennials, some things are set in stone, respect for others (especially those in authority) is one of them. If you think your boss is wrong, by all means, tell him, privately and respectfully. If he doesn't allow you to, then he is simply a poor manager. However going home and blogging or posting to FB and Twitter about how much of a Dbag your boss is not respectful, its cowardly. That is the behavior that leads to the stereotype of all Millennials being immature. Put his role into perspective, would you want someone posting to the world that you were awful at your job? I doubt it... and before you can say "so what", "it happens" or "get over it" think about how it may not have ever happened to your boss. You may be the first, and if he is like most bosses today, you may also be the last to criticize him on the world wide web.
Ultimately, while mutual perspective is important it won't stop the impending cultural clash, just make it a little less dramatic. The office and internet will become the Haight-Ashbury of the new generation. Too me though, the biggest reason for the inevitability of the clash is that too many people within the existing establishments will take defense of their viewpoint and begin to have pitched battle with the opposition. Let's face it silo mentality is definitely the hallmark of the older generation. The heretics may burn, some Millennials may not survive... but the world of business will change.
To me the clash will unfold in many ways. Typical to anything where there is a clash between old and new, there will be conflict, there will be compromise, and there will be reformation. This big clash will be followed by smaller conflicts, less compromise, and less reformation until there is complete indoctrination and a total shift in thinking. The history of the world is littered with examples of this type of mind changing clash, the geocentric vs. the heliocentric, or the flat-Earthers vs. the round-Earthers, team Coco vs. team Leno. In all these cases both sides thought they were right, both sides claimed to have supporting evidence and both sides claimed to have support of the masses and their supporters ultimately did battle.
However no matter how hard fought the battle maybe sometimes the outcome is inevitable. Change is going to happen. Leno got his show back, the earth was proven to be round, and the Sun is the center of the solar system... for now...I still say Pluto is a planet! In any event, the main thing to remember if you find yourself set to clash along generational lines is to consider the opposite position in the debate.
In regards to the Millennials, those of older generations should think of and consider the way things are done now in terms of how they will be done in the future. A phone call today may still be important, but tomorrow it may be as useless as a telegraph. So instead of being upset the Millennials prefer electronic communication, think of it as inevitable that virtually all communication will eventually be electronic... until such time it becomes telepathic, come on Steve Jobs, get a move on it already, I want an APP for that!
In regards to dealing with older generations; Millennials, some things are set in stone, respect for others (especially those in authority) is one of them. If you think your boss is wrong, by all means, tell him, privately and respectfully. If he doesn't allow you to, then he is simply a poor manager. However going home and blogging or posting to FB and Twitter about how much of a Dbag your boss is not respectful, its cowardly. That is the behavior that leads to the stereotype of all Millennials being immature. Put his role into perspective, would you want someone posting to the world that you were awful at your job? I doubt it... and before you can say "so what", "it happens" or "get over it" think about how it may not have ever happened to your boss. You may be the first, and if he is like most bosses today, you may also be the last to criticize him on the world wide web.
Ultimately, while mutual perspective is important it won't stop the impending cultural clash, just make it a little less dramatic. The office and internet will become the Haight-Ashbury of the new generation. Too me though, the biggest reason for the inevitability of the clash is that too many people within the existing establishments will take defense of their viewpoint and begin to have pitched battle with the opposition. Let's face it silo mentality is definitely the hallmark of the older generation. The heretics may burn, some Millennials may not survive... but the world of business will change.
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