Millennials: The Unforgotten Generation
I’m just going to say it; you guys are the scapegoat for everything and everyone, from Boomers to old Gen Xers. What ever it is, I can guarantee you, it’s your fault. All of it. Now, I know, it’s not really your fault, but leave it to literally every article written and every news broadcast, Millennials are at the helm of every major economic catastrophe. Some how you’re lazy and taking jobs. The cancelers and inventors. You guys are some how this strange paradox of two things that shouldn’t exist at the same time, yet somehow you do. Schrodinger’s Millennial.
Most Millennials are in their thirties with serious responsibilities, but you’re currently being blamed for the spread of the pandemic that’s sweeping the globe, when you’re just trying to get your kid to home school without someone going to jail. You’re stressed about paying your rent and student loans while the world is shut down, like every other responsible American. The last time you were out partying for spring break was a solid ten years ago, and yet, you’re still blamed for being an irresponsible teen. Why won’t the world forget you’re existence, or at least move you to the grown up table where you belong?
I wish I knew the answer, and quite frankly it’s infuriating for me, and depending on who you ask, I’m a young Gen Xer or a Xennial. Most of my friends are planted solidly on the older Millennial side or young Gen Xer/Xennial side. You are’t borrowing money from your parents to invade the beaches of Cozumel. You aren’t stealing jobs from old people, you’re helping them navigate the company chat or the move to Google Docs while they tell you about how they did it in the old days. You’re not twisting your hair around your fingers while chewing bubble gum. You guys are adults. Like the adultier adults that Gen Z is looking for when they have a question. You guys are peers.
Generation X is known as the forgotten generation. They’re often left off of lists when the media is comparing generational ages. Gen X were latchkey kids who babysat the neighborhood at 12 years old, and mastered the art of not answering the door no matter how loud someone knocked. It’s a running joke among Gen Xer’s that they’re forgotten, but they remain apathetic about their obscurity because they’ve become accustomed to it. You on the other hand; you’re the opposite. Millenials are the unforgotten generation. The ones who take all the blame for your younger counterparts. The ones who keep yelling that it’s not you doing all of the things, but you take it in stride. You roll your eyes at the headlines and keep pushing through, because you don’t have time to argue. You have to go to work.
One day the world will stop blaming you for it’s problems, or maybe they won’t. I really don’t know, because the trend seems to be that no matter how old you guys get, the media will still portray you as young party goers. I say keep shaking things up. You know, eat your Ramen with chopsticks and kale this week instead of a fork while you pray to all the Gods you know to let school reopen so you can stop being your child’s teacher.
