I always love a good perspective on the Millennial generation, especially when it’s written from a Millennial perspective. There are a number of studies, articles and other points of view from people like me who take an active interest in the culture and sociology of this generation that currently represents everyone from teenagers to those in their early thirties. This piece comments on a number of them. I’m particularly excited about the Millennial Geography project they mention and will likely use it as a data set in my ongoing research on Millennials from a consumer culture perspective.
I will say that this author is a big more contrary than most in that she presumes those of us who are actively seeking to understand this generation are misguided or still hanging on to stereotypes. . But on a positive note, it brings up a lot of points that at least affirm my perspective on cultural themes I have observed and used to educate my clients on how to engage and empower this generation poised to change the world! :)Related articles
- Young Millennials still think the world owes them a living (thenarcissisticanthropologist.com)
- The Millennial Generation, and the “Fast” Illusion (youthmanifesto.wordpress.com)
- If Your Company Targets Millennials, Read This Now (fastcompany.com)
- There is no spoon: millennial mindset and older generations (thenarcissisticanthropologist.com)
- Why the Bad Economy May Be Good News for Millennials (careeravoidance.com)
- Civic generations + Pressure (thenarcissisticanthropologist.com)
- Carmen Berkley: Will Millennials Come Back to Labor? (huffingtonpost.com)
- The Millennial Generation: Pro-Social and Empowered to Change the World (millenialambitions.com)
- 15 Stats Brands Should Know About Millennials (digiday.com)
- 3 Ways to Work like a Millennial – and Why You Should! (csrtransblog.wordpress.com)
About a year ago, during a cross-faded conversation that felt profound but probably sounded more like this, a friend told me about Strauss-Howe generational theory, a scholarly take on the somewhat narcissistic assumption that each generation has a signature personality that leaves a unique mark on world culture and history. Strauss and Howe identify four archetypes — prophets, nomads, heroes, or artists — that can define an entire generation based on the societal conditions they grew up in.
Humblebrag alert: Millennials comprise a Hero Generation. This means we were born “during a time of individual pragmatism, self-reliance, and laissez faire” (in other words, the Reagan/Bush Sr./Clinton years) and are coming of age “as team-oriented young optimists during a Crisis.” If that all sounds too conveniently perfect, remember that Strauss and Howe came up with this back in 1991, when Barack Obama was still fresh out of law school…
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