Every generation throughout the history of the United States has in some way, shape, or form, a stereotype that describes the overall disposition of its members. This continues to be true today, as the up and coming generation has been labeled the “Millennials.”
The Millennials were born between 1977 and 1998 and are estimated at 75 million in numbers. According to The Learning Café and American Demographics enterprisingmuseum 2003, Millennials celebrate diversity, are optimistic and realistic, self-inventive and individualistic, rewrite the rules, lead a killer lifestyle, hold a feeling of irrelevance of institutions, utilize the internet, assume technology, multitask quickly, are nurtured, and consider their friends as synonymous with family.
As a member of this generation, I identify in particular with three characteristics of the stereotype. I feel that I celebrate the diversity of others, am optimistic and realistic, and tend to rewrite the rules. Contrary to the disposition of the preceding generation, Generation X, which accepts diversity, I embrace the differences of others as an opportunity to bring myself to a more open acceptance of others and a better rounding of myself. Being different makes you a special member of a group, complete with your own ideas, styles, and appearances. I feel that the more mixed a group is, the better the dynamic and the greater the range of discussion and opinions. This opens people's minds to alternative perspectives of the world they currently perceive and provides a more holistic approach to one's world view and understanding.
The disposition to be optimistic and realistic in goals and situations is an additional characteristic that I connect with. I feel that in some ways it has stemmed from experiences with various world events, such as the attack on the World Trade Center and from the popular culture that developed around the new influx of ideas and philosophies that were embraced by a generation that looks to sources of guidance and ideologies apart from institutions. Through times of struggle and hardship, people are forced to understand their time of difficulty and to develop the best way to deal with these prevalent issues. In this generation, the optimistic disposition and the ability to evaluate circumstances realistically is viewed as the least stressful method to assimilate situations and to continue moving forward despite the hardship presented.
Rewriting the rules is a theme that rings true with many of the Millennial Generation, as rules are viewed as statements that are rigid and not tailored to individual circumstance. I personally rewrite the rules in a way that continues to serve the purpose of the original rule but at the same time addresses my personal disposition and intent. Millennials realize that each person carries their own set of personal struggles and foibles and that most rules overlook these differences as if all people were the same.
As with all group stereotypes and characteristics, there is one characteristic that I don't connect to, that Millennials are self-inventive and individualistic. While most Millennials have the capability to work on their own and do things in their own way, a great majority choose to associate with a group when given the opportunity. To be a part of a group and to work and create collectively is a major element that can be attributed to the Millennial Generation.
The Millennial Generation has yet to see its place in the higher institutions of government and politics and to implement its ideals to transform the functions of these institutions, but is solid in its foundations and holds the promise of a bright future for the United States and the world. As previous generations have done, the Millennials continue to push society to new ways of understanding and promote what is innovative and genial to improve the state of the nation and the world as a whole.
