What's Up With Millennials These Days?
Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X, Millennials.... These are well known generation names dating all the way back to the early 1900s. Each group was very different. Some would venture to say that we have "evolved" enormously since the "Traditionalists" days. I would beg to differ...
Traditionalists (1900-1945) were known for discipline, hard work, loyalty, patriotism, law and order and "family focus."
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) were known for being anti war, anti government, equal rights activists, being loyal to their children and "wanting to make a difference."
Generation X (1965-1980) were known for being highly educated, independent, cynical, informal and "suspicious of Boomer values."
Millennials (1977-2000) are known for being diverse, highly tolerant, self confident, fun-loving, highly competitive, "optimistic lovers of personal attention."
I recently read an article that had a list of reasons as to why Millennials are the "best generation yet." It said that Traditionalists were too "uptight" and "moral." Too moral?! Wow, what a horrible problem to have! Baby Boomers are your "annoying" grandparents (who probably voted or have friends who voted for Trump) and "Thank your lucky stars you're not like them!" Gen X are most likely the group your parents fall into and they are still engrained in old and outdated values passed down from their parents and grandparents. But Millennials. Oh Millennials. They are the heroes. The all-knowing ones that will change the world. The ones that knew better than to vote for Donald Trump. The ones that accept and are accepted.
Okay. Stop right there. I recall college and high school students (aka Millennials) demanding to cancel classes on the day after the election and calling for a nationwide pizza party and "free therapy sessions for all!" These are the world changers? No way.
Now I do understand that I am a Millennial. I do wish that I had been born in another generation about 15 times a day... And yes, each generation had their own good and bad things. Things that made them stick out. I have noticed a disturbing pattern in the Millennial generation though.... About 80% think that they've got it all figured out and the rest of the world needs to catch up. Even Christian Millennials. This whole belief that the traditional church (you know, with the hymns and old-fashioned preaching and Sunday afternoon potluck lunches) should be tossed out the window for the "new and improved" coffee shop/organic, only Elevation/Hillsong music and "what MY Jesus did for ME" teaching style. Oh and don't ever say anything that might offend or be considered "unloving."
I'm an old soul. I actually like hymns and potluck lunches and sitting with the "older crowd" having conversations about tent revivals on 100 degree summer days, the old hymnal books and how the church used to occupy only about 25 people on Sunday mornings. It was a different world back then. I want Millennials to be known for not only being world changers, but being respectful of past generations. Going back to the basics sometimes and not constantly trying to "evolve." As of right now we are mostly a generation that loves their smartphones and Netflix, five dollar coffees and has a complete flip out because who we wanted to be president didn't win. We most certainly aren't surpassing any of the generations before us when it comes to being smart, loyal, hardworking and mature people. We're the cry baby generation... And if we're not in the corner sulking about who offended us this time then we're standing on a soapbox telling the world to catch up and be a little more tolerant. I'm hoping that that's not what we end up being known for.
So back to that article I read.... After I finished it I was actually amused. The person who wrote that article was the epitome of what is wrong with this generation. They made fun of past generations, talked about being accepting of all people (and then made relentless fun of people who voted for Donald Trump, hypocritical much?) and the entire tone of the article spewed the "I know what I'm talking about so just shut up and listen to me and the wisdom I have gained in my 22 years of life" mentality. Riiiight.....
So some final thoughts on all of this.... Maybe we should try learning from the generations before us. Not throwing things out because it's outdated. We could use some of the Traditionalist's manners and some the Baby Boomer's work ethics. If we could implement the past into the present and future I feel like this world would be a much improved place. Millennials have got a lot of work to do, but I believe that if enough of us can get the "entitlement" chip off of our shoulders we really can change the world! With the amount of things we have at our fingertips we most definitely have the best chance of making this world a better place and as Christians the most important thing we can do is show the world Jesus. We've got plenty of chances, opportunities and outlets. Let's make this generation the one that starts a 21st Century Reformation. But hey, that's another blog for another time. ;)
Traditionalists (1900-1945) were known for discipline, hard work, loyalty, patriotism, law and order and "family focus."
Baby Boomers (1946-1964) were known for being anti war, anti government, equal rights activists, being loyal to their children and "wanting to make a difference."
Generation X (1965-1980) were known for being highly educated, independent, cynical, informal and "suspicious of Boomer values."
Millennials (1977-2000) are known for being diverse, highly tolerant, self confident, fun-loving, highly competitive, "optimistic lovers of personal attention."
I recently read an article that had a list of reasons as to why Millennials are the "best generation yet." It said that Traditionalists were too "uptight" and "moral." Too moral?! Wow, what a horrible problem to have! Baby Boomers are your "annoying" grandparents (who probably voted or have friends who voted for Trump) and "Thank your lucky stars you're not like them!" Gen X are most likely the group your parents fall into and they are still engrained in old and outdated values passed down from their parents and grandparents. But Millennials. Oh Millennials. They are the heroes. The all-knowing ones that will change the world. The ones that knew better than to vote for Donald Trump. The ones that accept and are accepted.
Okay. Stop right there. I recall college and high school students (aka Millennials) demanding to cancel classes on the day after the election and calling for a nationwide pizza party and "free therapy sessions for all!" These are the world changers? No way.
Now I do understand that I am a Millennial. I do wish that I had been born in another generation about 15 times a day... And yes, each generation had their own good and bad things. Things that made them stick out. I have noticed a disturbing pattern in the Millennial generation though.... About 80% think that they've got it all figured out and the rest of the world needs to catch up. Even Christian Millennials. This whole belief that the traditional church (you know, with the hymns and old-fashioned preaching and Sunday afternoon potluck lunches) should be tossed out the window for the "new and improved" coffee shop/organic, only Elevation/Hillsong music and "what MY Jesus did for ME" teaching style. Oh and don't ever say anything that might offend or be considered "unloving."
I'm an old soul. I actually like hymns and potluck lunches and sitting with the "older crowd" having conversations about tent revivals on 100 degree summer days, the old hymnal books and how the church used to occupy only about 25 people on Sunday mornings. It was a different world back then. I want Millennials to be known for not only being world changers, but being respectful of past generations. Going back to the basics sometimes and not constantly trying to "evolve." As of right now we are mostly a generation that loves their smartphones and Netflix, five dollar coffees and has a complete flip out because who we wanted to be president didn't win. We most certainly aren't surpassing any of the generations before us when it comes to being smart, loyal, hardworking and mature people. We're the cry baby generation... And if we're not in the corner sulking about who offended us this time then we're standing on a soapbox telling the world to catch up and be a little more tolerant. I'm hoping that that's not what we end up being known for.
So back to that article I read.... After I finished it I was actually amused. The person who wrote that article was the epitome of what is wrong with this generation. They made fun of past generations, talked about being accepting of all people (and then made relentless fun of people who voted for Donald Trump, hypocritical much?) and the entire tone of the article spewed the "I know what I'm talking about so just shut up and listen to me and the wisdom I have gained in my 22 years of life" mentality. Riiiight.....
So some final thoughts on all of this.... Maybe we should try learning from the generations before us. Not throwing things out because it's outdated. We could use some of the Traditionalist's manners and some the Baby Boomer's work ethics. If we could implement the past into the present and future I feel like this world would be a much improved place. Millennials have got a lot of work to do, but I believe that if enough of us can get the "entitlement" chip off of our shoulders we really can change the world! With the amount of things we have at our fingertips we most definitely have the best chance of making this world a better place and as Christians the most important thing we can do is show the world Jesus. We've got plenty of chances, opportunities and outlets. Let's make this generation the one that starts a 21st Century Reformation. But hey, that's another blog for another time. ;)
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