KIDS THESE DAYS

There has been something bothering me for quite some time now that needs to be cleared up. For the first time in our nation’s history a generation is more in debt, more unemployed, and generally poorer than the preceding generation. You can probably guess who it is. The Millennials.

Go figure, a giant group of narcissistic, entitled brats glued to their smartphones are growing up to ruin America. I hear endless complaints of a lazy, selfie-taking, pampered age that is trashing this golden country. I believe that I speak on behalf of my entire generation when I say I’m tired of it. We are not to blame for “ruining America”, and we are not responsible for the political and economic fumbles made by previous generations before we were even out of middle school.

I won’t point fingers but we aren’t responsible for tripling our nation’s debt while spending tremendous amounts of money for programs focused on short term unsustainable economic boosts.

I won’t point fingers but we were not responsible for hitting a low in 2012 where wages per person were the smallest portion of economic output since 1929.

I won’t point fingers but we were not responsible for the most unproductive decade in our nation’s history by the House and Senate that received reelection close to 90% of the time.

I believe the generations that are pointing fingers and calling us entitled should realize that there are three pointing right back at them.

Out of this unemployed, debt-ridden millennial generation, there is rising a group of enlightened youth that realizes a whole world of information is at our fingertips. We question the traditional way of doing things. We question everything. We may not be more intelligent than our parents and grandparents, but we learn faster due to our intuitive technological ability. Multiple studies have shown that when we are not able to figure something out, we are far more likely to “Google it” than call someone for help. When we don’t know something, there is an itch to know the answer because we realize how accessible it is. We realize that there is a world of information in our pockets.

We are criticized for our financial situations when I feel we should be praised. We go to college because it is expected of us and, in turn, we have by far the largest amount of student debt due to the costly price of higher education. By acquiring this debt, we are learning how to manage our money intelligently and frugally. We forgo expensive cars and houses to ride bikes and share two-bedroom apartments with four people. We also choose to move back into our parents’ houses ­– rather than spend money that we don’t have ­– when we realize the unbelievable amount of money that we owe.

Our attention spans are shorter, but that’s because we process vast amounts of information and choose to only be dedicated to what matters most. I believe it allows us to see the big picture quicker and make creative connections that a more focused mind would overlook. Albert Einstein said, “Never memorize something that you can look up.” Well, we look up everything.

I feel that the people who constantly criticize and call us entitled just do not understand us. We are vastly different than those who came before us and rather than accept change, many choose to doubt. As the doubters blame us uselessly, we will steadily rise to become the most innovative, open-minded, connected generation that our nation has ever seen.

We are the Kids These Days.

If you agree, let people know.