Generations are influenced by the defining events, prominent celebrities and politicians, and technological advances. Each generation has its stereotypes and its nuances. Traditionalists are known for being rather conservative on average, and are often thought to lack a technological understanding. Whether or not these stereotypes are true, however, differs depending on who you ask. Millennials have been in the hot seat for years, and are known as entitled, liberal, lazy, spoiled children. So, then, what is the problem with millennials? Why are they commonly called "the worst generation"?
Millennials are entitled. Entitled to healthcare, as everyone is. The right to life is only written into our Declaration of Independence, and as such is a right enabled to every American citizen (Unless, suddenly, proper health and hygiene are no longer a requirement of life, in which case I digress). Millennials also find themselves entitled to education. They understand that, with increasing job specialization and scientific innovation, work is becoming increasingly more complex, technical, and scarce. They understand that the K-12 model of public education is no longer sufficient for employment in the current job market, and that necessary education should not be a business.
Millennials hate family values. A confusingly preposterous assumption, considering many millennials celebrate the importance of love, and wish to extend the rights of marriage and adoption to individuals across the gender/sexuality spectra. There is a difference between the hatred of "family values," and the belief that one should not be forced to aspire to parenthood.
Millennials are lazy. Strange, since they are facing the most difficult public school standards than have been previously seen, and are commonly working hard for internship and job experience since education is no longer the sole requirement for employment; nonetheless, they are called lazy.
Millennials have no respect for their elders, whether their elders deserve respect or not. Millennials do not automatically respect the traditionalist/baby boomer generations simply because they were born sooner. Millennials define respect as "treating everyone as a human, with kindness and fairness," and do not prescribe to the notion that respect for authority is anything but earned. They understand that respect is a two-way street, and are not entitled to show respect to anyone who wouldn't do the same for them. It is not that millennials do not respect elders; millennials understand that respect for authority is not synonymous with respect for an individual.
Millennials are a subject of liberal indoctrination; or, maybe, just do not submit to the blind accusations that America is always the epitome of patriotism and diplomacy. This, however, is a preposterous assumption from anyone who has submit to the ideals of xenophobia and blind nationalism (It's hard to believe that the Quran has text outlining the death of Americans, considering it was written more than a thousand years before the USA was even a concept). In an increasingly globalized planet, millennials understand the importance of tolerance and understanding of many cultures and religions, and are not afraid to admit that America has/does not make the best political decisions. If the presumption that the USA is not perfect is too blasphemous to handle, then Donald Trump should seriously consider a campaign slogan adjustment.
Millennials are forming a divide between citizens, or rather, exposing a divide ingrained by years of misogyny, racism, and fear of LGBT people. By pointing out these divides, however, they are believed to be increasing the distance between different groups of citizens. Millennials understand that the disproportionate advantages afforded to white men and women before the Civil Rights Act were never extended to the black community, and to this day millennials find themselves rightfully disgusted at gentrification police brutality unfairly targeting black men and women. Millennials understand the patriarchy, and the advantage that men have in society, as women are commonly viewed as sexual objects, with other important aspects of their character commonly being ignored. Millennials understand that the gender and sexual orientation of individuals does not influence anyone other than the individual and their partner, and aspire to spread tolerance and understanding to eliminate discrimination.
Millennials are all believed to be overbearingly similar, however, millennials have the widest variety of opinions than has yet to be seen. With the advent of the internet, millennials are able to see a plethora of varying viewpoints. One of the biggest mistakes when it comes to Gen Y and Gen Z is to assume that they all hold the same beliefs.
The problem with millennials is that they have too many solutions. Millennials think about solving problems in ways that previous generations never have. They are challenging the ideals in which the country is currently built on, in a way that previous generations with fixed ideologies never could. Whether or not they are conservative or liberal in ideology, or whether they believe in capitalism or democratic socialism, millennials take an active role in trying to fix the problems that previous generations have left.
