Sometimes, it seems that Millennials are locked in a perverse competition with Boomers for the dubious honor of being the generation everyone else loves to hate. And since the Boomers still have so much power and wealth, it seems that Millennials endure the bulk of it.
With that comes aggravating stereotypes that particularly irk older Millennials, who are now in their late 30s and early 40s.
Addicted to Phones
Do we spend too much time on phones? Probably. But take a look around– so does everyone. At least we know how to use them, unlike most Boomers!
Poor Manners in Public
The rap on us is that we’re too loud, too wrapped up in our own worlds, too inconsiderate, etc. Here’s some news, though: these things are pretty widespread.
Lack of Social Skills
Millennials never developed social skills because they spent their childhoods playing video games, or so some say. If we don’t have good social skills, and the emphasis is on if, who failed to teach them to use them?
Not Taking Work Seriously
There’s a pervasive narrative that Millennials are lazy, incompetent, unreliable, and so on at work. Well, management has always complained about its younger underlings.
Entitlement
Another common stereotype is that we were coddled to the point of feeling entitled to having everything handed to us. If that’s true, then why did we go out and get jobs when we finished school?
Ruined by Participation Trophies
Perhaps the most irritating Millennial stereotype of all is the one about participation trophies ruining us. So for starters, a lot of us agree that they were a dumb idea. We have two questions, though. (1) Whose idea was it? (2) Who gave them out? Also, did you know that they really started when Gen X was growing up?
Can’t Perform Simple Tasks
Example: Millennials (supposedly) can’t change a flat tire, but our Boomer and older Gen X parents can. So…who didn’t teach us? Who got soft when roadside assistance became widely available?
Not Ready to Inherit the Country
All the time, Boomers and some Gen Xers bemoan the future the country faces when the Millennials take over. The Millennials are okay, and if the Boomers would finally step aside, they would be ready to clean up the messes their forebears left them.
Millennials Are Kids
Right now, Millennials range from nearly 30 to early 40s. That doesn’t stop Boomers from seeing teens and twenty-somethings doing something annoying and muttering about “Millennials.”
Naive
Millennials apparently don’t understand how the “real world” works and aren’t ready for it. With soaring home prices, unaffordable health care, and limited mobility thanks to older generations clinging to power, Millennials are learning how the world works the hard way.
At War With Boomers
To borrow a cliche– “Much ink has been spilled” about the mutual animosity between Boomers and Millennials. A lot of Millennials have Boomer parents, and generational conflict between parents and children is as old as time (sorry, another cliche).
“Killing” Everything
We killed chain restaurants (which strangely seem to be around still). We killed homeownership (more on that next). We even killed closets in hotels and so much more. The shocking truth is that tastes and trends change all the time, and every generation has “killed” things.
Not Wanting to Settle Down
By not buying homes and not having children, Millennials are allegedly causing societal decline. It’s more complicated than that, though. Millennials are the first generation to graduate college with widespread, crushing student-loan debt. As a result, they are waiting longer to get their finances in order before taking on life-altering responsibilities such as homeownership and parenthood.
Broke Thanks to Being Trendy
There’s a myth that Millennials are always broke because they can’t manage money, and another one is that they waste money on Starbucks, avocado toast, and other trendy things. They’re just that– myths. No Millennial who’s broke got that way because of an addiction to gourmet coffee.
Soft and Emotional
Finally, due to coddling, participation trophies, etc., Millennials are supposedly soft, highly emotional, and easily offended. That largely isn’t true, but for the sake of argument, let’s say it is. Who made them that way, then?
19 Cultural and Behavioral Differences Between Gen Z and Millennials
Each generation brings its unique set of cultural and behavioral differences. Gen Z and millennials, two distinct generations, have grown up in contrasting times, shaping their values, preferences, and attitudes.
Here are 19 key differences between Gen Z and millennials:
19 Cultural and Behavioral Differences Between Gen Z and Millennials
15 Common Boomer Opinions Non-Boomers Actually Agree With
Boomers often get a rap for being old cranks with outdated views and opinions. That doesn’t mean all their opinions are wrong or behind the times, though. Sometimes, they’re spot on, and plenty of younger people see eye-to-eye with them.
Following are some notable examples.
15 Common Boomer Opinions Non-Boomers Actually Agree With
15 Surprising Things Millennials and Boomers Actually Agree On
Boomers get stereotyped for complaining about how bad everything is, but sometimes they have a point. What things are you “I’m with the Boomers” on? Internet users shared their thoughts.
15 Surprising Things Millennials and Boomers Actually Agree On
15 Great Examples of “Just Because It’s Popular Doesn’t Mean It’s Good”
Just because something’s popular doesn’t mean it’s good, fun, or valuable. We often scratch our heads over popular things and wonder what all the fuss is about. Following are several popular things that a lot of people just don’t see that much appeal to.
15 Great Examples of “Just Because It’s Popular Doesn’t Mean It’s Good”
15 of the Worst Pieces of Advice You’ll Ever Receive in Your Life
Most advice we receive is well intended, but it’s astonishing how bad some of it is. Some of it comes from outdated views of the world, and some comes from sheer ignorance.
Whatever the basis, it’s advice you’re better off ignoring and making sure you never pass on. Read on for some examples of stunningly bad advice!
15 of the Worst Pieces of Advice You’ll Ever Receive in Your Life