Stop The Millennial Shaming

I know what you are thinking. Here we go again with another whining essay about millennials and how sad it is that everyone is picking on generation Y. I wish I could say that isn’t the case here…but it is. Millennial shaming has become a sport, (mostly thanks to gen X) and it is beginning to get old fast!

Now I have to admit, for a while I was blissfully unaware of just how much hate and shaming was being spewed about millennials. However, since this act has become somewhat what of a trend it has been difficult to ignore the social media feeds constantly promoting the stupidity of this race to prove a point.

The stigma attached to being a part of Gen Y are clear. We are lazy, self-involved “kids” that think we are too cool for everything and want the best of the best served to us on a platter of self-loathing and doubt. Those statements could not be more overdramatic and thankfully, wrong.

There are so many great things about the millennial generation that through all the bashing seem to get lost in translation. For example, gen Y should be known for being far more accepting than the generations before them when it comes to diversity and equality. We helped encourage and pave the way for sexuality, race and social ideas to be accepted with grace and oftentimes with hope for future generations. Can the people before us really say the same? Did we not use their actions as the perfect example of how we DO NOT want to act like in today’s society?

It is a common misconception that those born roughly from 1980 to 2000 have this constant mentality of “don’t you know how awesome I am?” I am not here to defend this entirely or even begin to say that we don’t think that way. However, what I will offer up to the table is the idea that it was our very own parents that encouraged us to be who want to be, never take no for an answer, and to be as true to ourselves as possible.

Can we not toss the blame onto our parents for their excellent encouragement and nurturing instead of throwing stones at glass houses?

Yes we may emotionally hold on to our 20s in a way that is borderline pathetic. And, yes we still hold a lot of angst and sometimes act like we know more than you, but we are scared and young and as a result are still trying desperately to make our mark and get noticed. We use the internet and social media as a way to curate ourselves and communicate on levels that surpasses the tool’s generations before us had. So why are we being forced to apologize for that or even have to explain it to someone else? It is all getting a little ridiculous.

Are the people of generation X jealous, or are they correct in all their lowball remarks about us?

The workplace is the number one hotspot for millennial bashing. People degrade our generation right in front of us as if we cannot hear them. If you point-blank ask someone if they are aware of how offensive they are being, they may be quick to claim that they are not talking about you specifically.

Right, because I am the one acceptation? Sorry, it doesn’t work like that.

Let me make it abundantly clear for those of you that do not suffer from being shamed upon for your generation, yes we are different from you, but did you really think it would work out otherwise?

Instead of rolling your eyes at us and building inside your head a completely false pretense of who we are, why don’t you stop, collaborate, and listen!

Millennials are people too, we have feelings and ideas and hopes and dreams and the ability to learn and think outside the box just the same as you. Generation shaming is a precious waste of time that could be better spent on well…ANYTHING else. It is ignorant and mean and should be looked at as a really terrible personality trait of yours, not ours!