AP English III – E
20 February 2017
Millennials and Modern Society
Are millennials more anxious, egotistical, and insecure because of today’s culture and society?
Imagine a room full of young people that sit on their phones, unwilling to speak to one another because they are either too snobby or reluctant to interact with one another. A teenage girl approaches the others, her eyes filled with both worry and chance. Revealing a picture on her phone, she inquires whether a graduation post of herself in an obscure university robe with medals, multiple organization tassels, and her diploma is “post” worthy. Some either compliment her or grow too impatient to listen. One could observe that with every bit of approval, this girl’s spirits were lifted and relieved that both society and her parents’ pressures paid off. She appears untroubled in her photo, but is only satisfied with the feeling of receiving numerous awards. What her peers do not know is that these are mostly participation awards.
The arrogance, the uncertainty, the illusions – all are an inauspicious reality in society. Along with the other generation groups (Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, and Centennials), scientists examine millennials’ conduct and actions. The overall belief to what time period millennials belong begins as early as 1976 to the latest in 2004. Identifying one’s generation will elucidate his or her reason for acting and speaking a certain way. Millennials are anxious, egotistical, and insecure. Understanding millennials allows recognition of their work skills and behavioral aspects. Parenting, technology, their impatience, and environment explain the reasons why millennials behave the way they do. Because of today’s culture and society’s demands, young people have become impatient, self-absorbed, and desire importance.
Technology has caused downfall in millennials’ behavior. Social media has created a generation of over-confident and arrogant adolescents who have become the attention-seeking “Me Generation.” Excessive use of technology not only caused relationships and proximity to others to falter, but also developed anxiety and impatience in millennials. Forced into lives with lower self-esteem, young people turn to social media to fill these unworthy feelings. To prove that they are doing fine, millennials pretend and “filter” to seem like they have life figured out, even though they are truly depressed (Source B). These online websites and technologies provide temporary relief from stress. It creates superficial relationships with others due to a withdrawal of face-to-face interaction between people. Studies show that people who spend more time on social media sites suffer from higher rates of depression than those who spend less time online (Source B). Young people turn towards technology for deceitful pleasure. When one gets a text or a “like” on social media, he or she receives dopamine, a neurotransmitter that discharges gratifying feelings, meaning that he or she has become addicted to a feeling of needing acceptance from others (Source B). An impatient generation, millennials “want something and want it now.” With numerous Internet resources are provided today, young ones demand for instantaneous responses and deliveries. For example, emails and texts are more direct and quicker ways to contact someone. Amazon Prime demonstrates another example of an online website that ships packages to customers in a day (Sources B & E). Ultimately, technology is one component that affects millennials’ low self-esteem and impatient behavior.
Pressured into emerging as the “best of the best” to fit society’s demands and competition, parents instill the mindset of “being special” among millennials. Additionally, millennials have trouble accepting losses and mistakes and must be rewarded for participation (Source B, C, & F). Pictured as kind-hearted, supportive environmentalists, millennials are, in truth, more concerned about themselves and their status. Due to desires to rise above others, adolescents have been pushed into individualistic ideas. (Sources B & C). Society pushes young ones past their capabilities and produces stress about the future. How this generation was raised factors into why these adolescents behave with such high hopes and low self-esteem. Because they aspire to look high and mighty, millennials pretend to be knowledgeable. They want people to value their opinions. Therefore, previous generations turn to millennials for problem-solving, but most of the time, millennials cannot answer or solve these problems (Source B). Prominent companies expect them to present themselves as highly intelligent students that know all, but blame it on the individual when he or she does not qualify enough. This is poor leadership. These feeble leaders do not take the blame or care that their discouragement hurts millennials’ confidence (Source A). Many of these millennials agonize from their own overachiever culture and want to please their parents with a scholarly attitude (Source G). As a result of the pressure to surpass others, each person pushes his or her limits, stresses himself or herself out, and becomes depressed. Growing up, their parents raised them with an entitled behavior. By doing so, millennials have unrealistic expectations of life (Source A). Living in a contemporary culture, many believe that they can live “freely” and do not have to settle till their late 20s. In doing so, each neglects to prepare for later in life (Source A). Therefore, parents and society have brainwashed the ideas of self-importance into the minds of millennials.
Although modern technology and society ruined some characteristics of millennials, some counter argue this association. Considered to be more accepting of others, this younger generation accepts all races and religions (Source I). Even though this sounds as though these adolescents care for many, they are only caring for strangers. It fails to address that many trouble in speaking to their own peers because technology has damaged and distanced their relationships. Furthermore, one may view that the millennial generation is bored easily, but on the other hand, others see their “migration” as ambition. However, these adolescents are only driven by false ideas of how life is. Their motivation produces unrealistic expectations and causes these young ones to be stressed to make an impact (Source H). Impatient to see a constant influence, they grow weary waiting and instead, search for other subjects in which they may achieve.
To say whether millennials are the greatest or the lost generation is not possible. Unfortunately, millennials were disadvantaged due to the pressures of today’s technology and society. Negligent parenting and large corporations also factor into this. Each influence adolescents to excel at all competitive tasks, but when it comes to millennials’ work skills or self-esteem, both cannot own up to their faults in creating unrealistic ideas and insecurities. Millennials grew up with a mindset of being special and preeminent that their parents and society has created for them. In return, this has caused millennials to suffer from insecurities and depression and belief they are alone. Technology and social media aids millennials in simulating joyous feelings when these posts provide attention and an escape from the stress. Nevertheless, all human beings suffer through desolation and hardships; acknowledge the difficulties they endure in their lives.
Works Cited
Source A
Bass, David N. “The Millennial Generation Lacks a Strong Work Ethic.” American Spectator, Edited by David Haugen and Susan Musser, Nov. 2011, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010829210/OVIC?u=txshrpub100186&xid=973ba1a5.
Source B
Bilyeu, Tom,
“Simon Sinek on Millennials in the Workplace.” David Crossman, 29 Oct. 2016, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hER0Qp6QJNU .
Source C
Chau, Joanna. “Millennials Are More 'Generation Me' than 'Generation We' Study Finds.” The Chronicle of Higher Education, Edited by Amy Francis, 2012, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010885206/OVIC?u=txshrpub100186&xid=e8d951d5.
Source H
Jayson, Sharon. “The Millennial Generation Is Highly Motivated and Overwhelmed with Work.” USAToday.com, Edited by David Haugen and Susan Musser, 2006, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010829213/OVIC?u=txshrpub100186&xid=93abc652.
Source G
Palfrey, John, and Urs Gasser. “Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives.” Born Digital: Understanding the First Generation of Digital Natives, Edited by David Haugen and Susan Musser, vol. 1, Cambridge, MA, Basic Books, 2013, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010829208/OVIC?u=txshrpub100186&xid=b050a1b6.
Source I
Rainer, Thom S., and Jess W. Rainer. “Younger Generations Are More Accepting of Others.” The Millennials: Connecting to America's Largest Generation, Edited by Amy Francis, Nashville, TN, B&H Publishing, 2011, Opposing Viewpoints in Context, link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010885213/OVIC?u=txshrpub100186&xid=0ace22a3.