I have six Google alerts set up on my Gmail account. Among them, one is reserved for Mitt Romney’s campaign, one for all the latest in cheeseburger recipes and one is specific for content featuring Generation Y – as should be wildly obvious from this column’s tagline.
Oddly enough, despite the alerts for Romney and cheeseburgers, the Generation Y alert always proves to be the most entertaining. Once a week, my email account receives a list with links to the top Generation Y-related headlines.
My most recent alert included the headlines: ‘Generation Y is Unlucky, Not Lazy,’ from U.S News and World Report; ‘Why Generation Y Can’t Grow Up: A Recession Tale,’ from The Huffington Post; and ‘For Gen Y, moving in with the parents is a LOL,’ from the msnbc.com blog.
It’s certainly easy to find fault with our generation – our HD TVs, our iPhones, our dub-step concerts. Claims that we’re lazy, spoiled, self-centered and that we expect opportunity to fall into our laps might not be wrong, but it’s not an accurate description of our generation as a whole, either.
It doesn’t take a genius to compare and contrast the stereotypes of past generations to conclude, ultimately, our generation is the same as every other.
‘It’s worth remembering that to some extent, these accusations of laziness and narcissism in ‘kids these days’ are nothing new – they’ve been levied against Generation X, Baby Boomers and many generations before them,’ Catherine Rampell wrote in an article published in The New York Times on May 28. ‘Even Aristotle and Plato were said to have expressed similar feelings about the slacker youth of their times.’
Few 20-somethings have their life figured out and many a writer, editor or publication has not allowed this generation the chance to prove itself. Many of us may never get it right; some of us may already have everything figured out. The economy changes, culture shifts, international conflicts begin – every generation has suffered its share of obstacles and has criticized its share of rebels, slackers, druggies and Snookies.
Gen Y faces a dark recession, a seemingly never-ending conflict in the Middle East and endless hurdles unapologetically placed in our path by former generations. What member of the greatest generation, baby boomers or Generation X, hasn’t faced a similar or, at the least, comparable set of situations.
The numbers might show the odds are against our generation, but I’m sure World War II, the Great Depression, Vietnam War and Cold War produced some pretty grim statistics, too.
They dealt with their challenges and we are, too. I don’t know if previous generations would willingly admit our generation has it tougher than they did. I will never say the subsequent generation has it worse than we do. I’ve already begun criticizing babies and toddlers for having more technologically advanced toys that help develop their intellectual capacity.
The most advanced doll I had opened its eyes when I picked it up and occasionally said ‘I love you, Mama’ in a voice equivalent to an 80-year-old tobacco addict. That might not be fair. I did have a My-Size Barbie – but the bitch never said a word.
If anything, this generation has reaped the largest benefits from innovators who took a risk on an idea that grew into a multibillion corporation in former generations. Those stories may be one in a million, but there’s no telling who that next one will be.
A study from fall 2009 American Express OPEN Small Business Monitor says approximately 80 percent of ‘Gen Y entrepreneurs have significantly more positive outlook on business prospects.’ In comparison to Generation X, 55 percent, and Baby Boomers, 52 percent.
Perhaps the optimism is annoying to many who claim us to be delusional and unrealistic. I’ll take it. Generation Y is not whiny, lazy or expectant – well, probably a little expectant. But I’ll take rose-colored glasses over no glasses at all. The ones who believe they can probably will, and if there’s one thing Gen Y definitely doesn’t lack it’s self-confidence.
Generation everyone else: Sorry, I’m not sorry.
Lauren Tousignant is a senior communications and rhetorical studies and writing major. Her column appears weekly. She can be reached at letousig@syr.edu or followed on Twitter at @lauT1.