This is not going to be a rant about how adults are always saying that we are on our phones and how technology is taking over the world. This is about older generations looking down on our generation, talking about “back in “their” day.” Yes, we may have a lot of technology in our lives, and we may have it a lot easier than they did, but that does not mean that the way they grew up was better or that now it is better.

It may seem that the world now is a lot more hectic and violent than it was then, but the truth is, it’s about the same. A big issue going around is the Black Lives Matter movement and police brutality. Back then, racism was just as alive, if not more alive, as it is now. There have always been violent and ignorant people. The only difference about this generation is that now we have the power of technology to spread news updates like wildfire. Anyone can snap a picture or take a video of something violent happening, post it online, and it will have thousands of views in minutes. I’m sure there was a lot more that went down during the time of Martin Luther King Jr., and Malcom X, but because we did not have the technology, the people were not as aware as they are now.

Today, people can google and research things on their own without having to rely on what the news outlets and textbooks portray. Countless times people have proved the news media wrong and have pointed out textbooks giving out wrong information for the sake of wanting to teach children certain things. My generation has not only the freedom to express ourselves how we want to express ourselves, but we can form our own opinions about situations and can share those opinions for the world to see.

I’ll use these articles as an example. Back then one would only dream of having something published for the world to see. Now, us here at The Odyssey can voice our opinions about all sorts of topics, and no one can tell us we’re wrong about anything. This is what being a millennial means. Being able to be who we truly are without having to fear of someone shutting us down, and if someone tries to shut us down, then having the courage to stand up for ourselves. If the older generations had the technology we have now, then maybe there would have been a greater chance of the world improving and it not being how it seems to be today.

Older generations make it seem like every young person today is the same. This generation is not filled with only people wanting to be internet famous and have a lot of money while not having to work hard for it, or just sitting at home being dreamers. This generation has people who are studious, have a hard work ethic, and know that to make this world a better place, we have to be better people. Our generations don’t have that many differences when you look at the big picture. In the end, every one is still trying to improve the world we live in and make it better for the generation even younger than us.