Millennials, this is the term for any individual who was born between 1980s and the 2000s. We have the world in our pockets, purses and right in our hands. If we are truly the “connected generation” that can share and like each others opinions at the push of a button, the generation that listens to podcast after podcasts, where 80% sleep with their phones next to their beds, while keeping up to date with the latest news as it is happening, and texting, does it make us smarter than previous generations?

We, the millennials, seem to be characterized by the same phrase you’ve probably heard your parents or grandparents say, “kids these days, with their phones.” But in their day were they as connected to the currents events? Even though we do have our noses in our phones does it mean we are enjoying life’s moments less?

The Us Chambers Foundation believes that the Millennials are in fact more optimistic and diverse. As a whole we are more accepting to changes in our world. They even stated that, “Some studies suggest that this (Millennial) generation is rewiring the brain with extensive multitasking training, evidenced by the teenager who can simultaneously play video games, watch TV, and do homework. They are retraining the brain to reduce the performance deterioration of multitasking by increasing the speed of information the brain processes. This rewiring allows multiple tasks to be processed in more rapid succession. This activity and research suggest that our brains are evolving.” This almost seems to suggest that we are able to handle more jobs at once. Like Netflix, texting, and studying, though I would not advise actually doing that.

We are also a generation that thrives on self-expression through these media outlets. Whether it is through videos, pictures, or sharing articles you find. We seem to find it easier to express our thoughts. Maybe this is due to the fact that we are hidden behind a wall of technology.

Our generation also has a higher high school graduation rate, higher IQ’s, and higher self-esteem. Do our high esteems or opinions cause us to be numb to the struggles of third world countries or make us more selfish? Time magazine said that 71% of individuals over 30 believe that our generation are selfish, but maybe it is just the way we present ourselves. Volunteer Hub says that compares to previous generations, Millennials are less likely to volunteer.

In MY opinion, I think we are more educated as a whole than previous generations, but we still have a long way to go. We are the tech savvy generation, the accepting generation, the generation that is surprising people again and again. We will continue to surprise people and hopefully be the generation that changes the world.

Come back next time where I talk about whether our generation in less sociable than ever.

Sources:

http://www.volunteerhub.com/blog/recruiting-boomer...

http://time.com/3154186/millennials-selfish-entitl...

https://www.uschamberfoundation.org/reports/millen...