Being a young millennial with some dissenting viewpoints is very hard in a college environment. I do not say this to be controversial, or to stir the proverbial pot, but rather to inform not only my generation but also other generations to stop being so easily offended by the opinions of others that do not match their own.
You constantly have to be aware of what opinions you voice because, in general, college is a pretty liberal environment. It seems like there is a strong trend in the millennial generation to be easily offended by opinions that do not match their own. In fact, some news outlets have begun calling the millennial generation the outrage generation This is in reference to how millennials tend to be easily outraged by a topic the baby boomer generation might not bat an eye at.
For example, I voiced my opinion during a conversation that was taking place after a psychology lecture, saying how I believe that gay marriage should be an issue settled at the state level, not the federal level. I did not say I was not in favor of gay marriage, and I did not say I was for gay marriage; I simply stated an opinion on what power should be left to the states and what power should be left to the federal government. The backlash I got from my peers was something I was not prepared for in the slightest. I was called a bigot, a misogynist, and just an outright awful human being. I was, honestly, baffled by the responses because I never said I was against gay marriage. In fact, I believe you should be able to marry whomever you please because it doesn't affect me. I simply do not care. The outrage came from the fact that they believed I was against gay marriage just because of my opinion on state vs. federal power. When I tried to explain myself, my peers had none of it and were bringing up topics that had nothing to do with what I said.
The main issue I had with the whole interaction came from their reaction to an opinion that did not match their own. People are going to have different opinions that vary from yours; that is normal. You may not agree, but you still need to be respectful as long as you are not being harmed. Millennials, as a generation, have been coddled. Our generation started the participation award and the everyone-gets-a-gold-star. approach. Instead of earning a bad grade because you didn't study, it has turned into, "Oh that professor is out to get me and is just awful."
Where is the responsibility? I am sorry, but that is not the world we live in. Some people are going to be better than you, have a different opinion than you, and you have to be able to live with that. The millennial generation needs thicker skin, if you will.
We have been the voices of movements that have changed the culture of the world for the better, but we have also caused undue harm to it. Whether it be student protests at Yale and Missouri University, there have been incredible movements made, but also regressions. I implore all of you to try and reflect on what I have said. We are the generation that can change the world, but not if we do it by being the outrage generation.
