As a millennial, I get to bear witness to the overwhelming stigma against my generation every day. We are seen by older generations as lazy whiners who do not actually accomplish much, and unfortunately, I feel there is a lot of truth to that.
Of course, not every individual millennial falls into this category, but many of us waste our potential, and behave in ways that do not actually get anything done.
The millenial reaction to the recent election of Donald Trump shows wealth of college-aged individuals have decided to stay true to their stereotypes and essentially hide from the result.
College campuses across the United States have provided “safe spaces” that students can utilize to weather the storm that is the post-election hysteria.
Reason states, “…the University of Pennsylvania has created a ‘breathing’ space for them to do some coloring, hug a puppy, and recuperate.” This has made national news and given our critics ample ammunition to blast our entire generation and with good reason.
Of course not all of us see things this way, and many of us are perfectly capable of accepting an election result without the aid of therapy. However, allowing those of us who cannot speak for us as a generation is a fallacy that we simply cannot commit.
It is our collective duty to take advantage of our youth and apply it to the greater good of the country. Instead of complaining about politics, we should take this election as a lesson learned and begin studying the intricacies of government.
If we hope to truly make change, we should take an interest in government beyond the presidential election. We have the power to drastically alter our government, and yet we do not.
A second major issue is millennial insistence on following a strict code of “political correctness.”
Regardless of actual political ties, it has become almost taboo to speak one’s mind if it goes against the status quo. We refuse to acknowledge opposition when it comes to sensitive issues, especially ones concerning the LGBT community and racial tension.
It seems as if criticism of those associated with LGBT rights and groups like Black Lives Matter is a massive no-no within our generation, even if criticism is warranted.
Associating oneself with sensitive topics acts as a sort of armor against those who might challenge their actions. It is as if the fact that they fight for a noble cause apparently absolves them of any transgressions they might commit while doing so.
This mentality can only cripple our generation. Not being able to discuss things that make us uncomfortable or angry plants the seeds of a society that stamps out opposition, and that is not the world I want to live in.
Debate and discussion is healthy, and it ensures that we, as people, are open-minded and truly accepting.
A Forbes article by Neil Howe states, “Critics warn of a resurgent political correctness that threatens to suffocate free expression and leaves young people unprepared for the real world. We see it as a sign of something else: a demographic changing-of-the-guard that has been approaching ever since the first Millennials came of age—one that will set the tone in any public arena for years to come.”
These are only two issues that our generation needs to fix, but they are definitely some of the most pressing. Most millenial issues center around our need to use our brains more than our mouths, and put practicality above idealism.
We so desperately search for a cause to fight for in a country that has improved tremendously from the one our parents and grandparents lived in. Maybe we should look at the one group we never think to judge: ourselves.
