I don't want to be a Millenial

A funny thing happened today. I was confronted with myself and I didn't like it. Let me back track just a little. Back in college I took a class focusing on the roles of men and women in American society. Fascinating stuff. But what was more fascinating was a book we read entitled "Generation Me" with some stupid long subtitle below that I can't remember and am too lazy to look up. The book focuses on how our generation has grown up coddled, supported, told to do anything we dream, and utterly selfish.

Millenials. young, sexy, smart, and professional

But not I. I was a good Christian boy, who behaved, did as he was told, and worked very very hard. I had  (or will) worked up the ranks at a local orchard, starting out as a simple part time helper at 13 to be manager of 130+ people at the age of 18. I didn't complain, never had much handed to me, and wasn't always one that had to get his way.

Yet, today at work, I didn't get my way. And the first thing I did? Complain and moan how it wasn't fair. I wasn't getting the affirmation of how well I was doing that I deserved. Literally, I sounded just like those in that book I was morbidly embarrassed for. Was I a Millenial?* Had I become the very person I had detested in that book so much? I have only been at this job for 10 months. How could I expect anything at this point? But I was.

Makes me miss the 90s. Except for Pulp Fiction.

And yet, fear not, I am not necessarily a Millenial. Because as the fear began to sweep over my brain. As I worried I was going to be a wortlhless punk the rest of my life, I remembered one thing. Consumerism, marketing, and psychology are at their peak. There has never been a time before now where people were studied so closely. And I think that book I read was right in describing my generation. But my generation is full of young adults. YOUNG. We should be slightly selfish, immature, and rude. We don't know better. I am not talking about how 3 year olds act. And I doubt our generation acts anymore worse than Gen Xers or Baby Boomers. Rather we are the first to be put under a serious microscope.

Those feelings I had? Completely "normal" in the sense that this is my first time in a corporate setting. I am only 23. I don't know better. The difference, however, and what will separate the leaders in our generation are those that can recognize this is a learning opportunity and take every chance they get to grow from mistakes and situations. For example, at one point today I was utterly disappointed and frustrated sitting right in front of my boss. Granted, he was right. But I wanted to say something. And yet, I didn't. I nodded my head, stuffing my emotions in my stomach, and told him thank you as clearly and confidently as I could. And it worked. I haven't lost the respect of my boss, I still respect him (now more than ever) and I have learned a great lesson in superiority.

So I am a Millenial. And I am damned proud to be one. Because people are saying we are ignorant, selfish, and lack motivation. Let us prove them wrong and show them their views are premature and wrong. Sounds like immature thoughts there, if I say so myself. Who is the one that needs to grow up here?




*Millenial is a term used to describe our generation, that is those born in the 80s and early 90s