It’s no secrete that Millennials suck. Look at all the companies across the world that are scratching their heads when it comes to managing Millennials. Companies like Google, Facebook, Pinterest, etc., are falling all over themselves to remain “cool” and “hip”. Earlier generations are studying Millennials and attempting to figure out how they can be managed, but I have bad news for them. We suck. We don’t fit into the system that was so easily accepted by earlier generations.
Let’s take it back a bit. Taking a quick look at a timeline in the last 100 years, you will find that throughout history we have been progressing basically for the freedom that Millennials have now. (yes, I am using “basically” loosely) Did you ever consider that the whole “Follow your dreams” speeches we all heard through the course of our public or (even more in) private schools, has only been relevant in the past 50 years or so? Are there exceptions to this rule? Sure. Parents have said “you can be whatever you set your mind to” for generations, but I would argue it hasn’t really been feasible until now.
The more we back up in history, the more we see how there has been less and less opportunity to choose your own path. We all know the names of the trail blazers like Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson, etc., but what about the masses? What about the masses of people who worked their whole lives doing the same job until the day they died?
We are at a crucial and pivotal time where there is now more opportunity to follow your dreams than there has ever been before. There have been many factors that have contributed to this massive upturn in opportunity such as the rise of the internet and the ridiculous technology age we are currently fully submerged in. Just these 2 examples have changed the course of history and provided jobs for millions of people across the globe. There are opportunities that could never have been even remotely within reach for previous generations that now sit at the fingertips of Millennials.
In the past, most people who gave up on their dreams probably did so because it seemed like too far of a long shot. Regardless if you have a house payment, kids, partner, and various assortments of bills, if you were providing for your family in the 1960’s at a reputable factory, but always had dreams of becoming a jazz saxophonist, you probably kissed that one goodbye a long time ago. Now things have changed.
I think our main perceived problem is that we are unwilling to let this notion of “following your dreams” go. Millennials can come across as pompous or arrogant because we are unwilling to settle for what the previous generations have accepted as normal life. Something about working the same job for decades, paying off a house for 30 years, and “saving the fun” for when we are old and retired, just seems silly. It’s been the norm for so long that it feels like no one has challenged it quite like the Millennials are currently.
The reason why Millennials suck is because we creating a problem for many large companies. Companies that are used to people keeping their heads down, collecting their paychecks, and doing their jobs. When I read an article about how big business are dumping money into revamping or revitalization efforts in attempt to appeal to Millennials, I can’t help but shake my head. Cool couches, Starbucks coffee machines, ping pong tables, free lunches, and weekly office yoga sessions only work so much. I see those attempts as a band aid fix in the same way offering a raise to an employee who is attempting to leave their job is a band aid. They will leave, eventually. A Millennial will work in a basement with no windows, no yoga, and a Mr. Coffee maker if it meant they were helping build something great. If they truly felt a sense of purpose and freedom in their work, they would never leave. These are most important.
So the answer is no. We are not sorry for our desire for something better. Can the blame be placed on the previous generation for making us this way? I’m sure they deserve their fare share, but it’s not all them. The best thing we can do moving forward is work together. We will never fit into your box in the same way you would never fit into ours. It’s only a collective effort that can succeed.
The Classic Millennial 