Technically Millennial
It was during a faculty meeting that an educational researcher first delivered me the unfortunate news: I am a millennial. I belong to the same generation as the students I’ve taught, that generation often criticized as all tech, no brains, and less heart.
I assumed I was a Generation X’er because I listened to Nirvana growing up. If the “Facebook thing” didn’t happen in college, the X’ers may have retained my membership.
The news sunk in my chest like a heavy stone in water.
I am quick to judge this phone-glued youth, and quick to praise writers like Meg Wolitzer, whose novel The Uncoupling describes the generation as “the generation that had information, but no context. Butter, but no bread. Craving, but no longing.”
I went without social media for my first 8 years sober, cynical of those virtual worlds and the emotions they simulate. My disconnect was evident to my students.
Four years ago, when I spoke to the student body—nearly 800 teenage boys—about joining the yearbook, I asked, “If you enjoy tagging people on facebook, raise your hand.”
Snicker—giggle—laugh.
Later, a merciful student informed me. “We don’t facebook Mr. Goodson. We tweet.”
So the next year at the same assembly I said, “If you enjoy tweeting photos, you will enjoy the yearbook.”
The cold amusement of the student body descended on me from the bleachers.
A different merciful student informed me. “Tweeting’s not for photos Mr. Goodson. That’s instagram.”
I delivered the next year’s pitch with confidence. “How many of you enjoy editing photos on instagram?”
Tumbleweeds.
Apparently all kids do nowadays is snapchat.
There are mounting statistics and sociological studies stacked against millennials:
- NPR’s This is why millennials will never grow up
- The Atlantic’s Yes, 20-Somethings Are Taking Longer To Grow Up—But Why?
- Or, most cutting, NY Post’s Millennials need to put away the juice boxes and grow up
My personal take on millennial counterparts changed when I started blogging in January of this year. I jumped on twitter, begrudgingly signed up for facebook, and later created an instagram account. My millennial status upped from technical to participatory. Although, I don’t snap, yet.
Like all endeavors I haven’t tried before, social media is nothing like I thought it was. As an active social medialite, I’ve developed a few defenses for my fellow millennials.
So, before you jump on the millennials will sink our ship bandwagon, consider this:
1) Society will always be over-critical of what it does not understand.
No one among us—readers of my blog—know what it is like to court young romance through social media, or be bullied on a phone rather than a playground. These experiences are unique to this generation yet courtship and bullying are woven into adolescence universally. Because it is different for them, we can’t say it is wrong. To quote Nobel Prize winner Bob Dylan (God it feels good to write that) “Don’t criticize what you can’t understand.” What unites the beats and the hippies, the lost generation and the greatest generation? Each generation has been different and therefore misunderstood by the generation that spawned it.
So my first point is, to echo Dylan once more, if the road to adolescence looks different from the one you travelled, “Please get out of the new one if you can’t lend your hand.”
2) If the world sees millennials as unemployed, unmotivated losers who live in their parents’ basements through their 20s—as the NY Post article suggests—then Generation X’ers need to take a hard look at their parenting.
Why is the focus not on the parents who continue to coddle their children? The parents who show up to their children’s job interviews? Or the legislation passed that allows Children Protective Services to haul away a 10 and a 6 year old for walking alone two blocks to their home? Or the software developers who advance child-friendly technology ahead of child-educational technology?
3) Young people will always find the easy way out if an easy way out is provided.
I see the trait in my children long before technology enters their life. I remember the desire for the easy way out in myself. I work with it in the teenage boys I teach. But I also know this. Role models are more instructive than any textbook or application. Children learn who to be by watching the adults around them. I think it is far more productive to model independence, patience, inspiration, motivation, and work-ethic, than to criticize the youth for having none.
4) The information superhighway—as I remember the internet was first called—is a powerful tool.
Like all powerful tools, it can be used for good or evil. The beauty of the free world is that we have the choice to do some good with powerful tools. The internet has connected me with folks in recovery. I’ve even sponsored someone across the globe who didn’t have sponsorship available in his home country. It has also done harm to my household—distracting me from what matters most, my family. (see here)
What does this have to do with millennials? It is not responsible to give a generation the most powerful global tool ever wielded and then take no responsibility for their mastery of it. Mastering fire, I assume, took the cooperation of many generations. Why would the internet be any different?
5) Fact: I teach brilliant teenage minds every day.
They may have horrible grammar, worse punctuation. They may only have one or two phone number stored in their memory, but their minds are alive in new and unique ways. Understanding they have a world of information at their fingertips, I care more for the characters they become than the content they keep (a phrase I stole from a colleague).
6) Educational systems fail when success is determined by standardized tests.
There is no universal bar for what intelligence is because intelligence is fluid, not fixed. Students are not “dumb” or “smart”. Young people are walking vessels of potential. They always have the ability to become smarter, better human beings. We could use more emphasis on shaping who our young people become, rather than measuring, defining, and criticizing who they are now.
I hope these views—my opinions—might spark a good dialog on millennials.
Perhaps you are one; perhaps you are raising one; perhaps one just made you wait an extra minute to take your coffee order because she was updating her facebook status. I am, as always, eager to hear your thoughts.
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Use of Facebook and the internet in general does reflect to mundane and prurient but the diamonds of connection shine bright. Humanity evolves. Yuval Noah Harari writes eloquently on the subject and the futures possibilities and certainties. Great piece.
I will have to pick up Yuval Noah Harari ! Thanks for the recommendation. And thanks for reading.
Currently reading his ‘Sapiens, A Brief History of Humankind. A wonderful read.
Ooops… apostophe!!! (future’s)
Good for you Mark. Great blog!/DC
I was dumbfounded a while back to realise that I’m also classed as a millennial is some eyes, I was born in the 70s, grew up with Sinclair spectrums and Walkmen, and now I’m being bundled together with people who were in nappies whilst I was enjoying the fruits of adulthood?
The problem is that generations come around about as often as new gadgets, maybe we should refer to them as the Walkman or discman generation. We could comment in passing that people of the iPod generation were, in retrospect, spoilt for choice and never appreciated a good 90 minute home mixed rave cassette, or that the coming iWatch (iKnow it’s not called that) generation will probably develop oversized left shoulders…
Again, categorisation removes the people and tries to put us in tidy boxes, it is wrong and dangerous and is ultimately used against us.
What a great reply. Made the writing all worth it! Did you used to make mix tapes with a double recorder? Playing one tape and recording the other? I remember when mix tapes were an act of labor and love!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Mark! Any time we try to label a large group of people we miss the nuances of the individual. And I wonder how many baby boomers heard terrible things from the older generation about how they appeared as young people. Perhaps the criticism from our elders is part of what molds us as youth. Only time will tell!
Cyndi! How great to hear from you and see you have a blog! I’m thrilled to follow and stay in better touch.
I love this Mark. My life is filled with millennials. The quote from Dylan about lending a hand…. Yes! Our kids today face unique challenges, that are often not recognized as valid due to all of the “progress” they are also the recipients of. Challenges that are difficult to fathom if you aren’t from that generation. I could go on and on… But will spare you. You are a great voice!
EXCELLENT post!! This one was quite different than your others. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t enjoy it—quite the opposite. Very stimulating ideas. The generations pass and new ones take their place. The hope for humanity lies in its ability to pass on wisdom. You are one of the quarterbacks passing to a younger receiver heading for a touchdown of wisdom, success, and excellence. Nicely done, Mark! – DDM
I wonder what will replace Snapchat. I joined to follow my daughter, but never got the hang of it. Her and her friends are also into VSCO, a photo sharing site where you don’t comment or even ‘like’ things. For all the distractions and pressure, I see a creative, disciplined and self-possessed group of individuals that I’m proud to know.
Wow. I’m so glad you share my viewpoint on young people today. You don’t hear that often. No doubt the thing that will replace snap chat is already thought of! How crazy.
Love this, Mark. I am surprised you are a millennial too. But I agree with a lot of what you said, and what the commenters here are saying too – that every generation (with the generations) all have their challenges and their tie-in to technology. I am sure the older folks thought that we teens were zoning out with our arcade games and walkmans and VIC-20’s. We will certainly demonize what we don’t understand. I don’t get snapchat or some of those other things, but I am not going to impune a whole generation for that (although that doesn’t stop me from making jokes…ha ha)
The millennials will, at some point, bemoan the following generation and so on. Technology will speed on, and the response to it will vary. Just listen to my generation prattle on about how things were without the internet, and having to look things up in encyclopedias etc like it was a great thing. My wife and I were just saying the other day how awesome it is to have GPS and Google maps and internet, etc. We love what it brings. So I look forward to some of what tech will bring.
Great post!
Paul
Got to appreciate what technology gives us. Right on Paul! We’re it not for technology, I wouldn’t have the price ledge of knowing you.
You bring up a great question. What will millennials be upset about when they have their cane, rocking chair, and lemonade? I wonder …
Beautiful article. I truly think our generation is passionately misunderstood.