Millennials are possibly the most commonly talked about generation at the time. The exact age range to qualify as a millennial has not been 100% agreed upon, but it is generally anyone who was born between 1980 and 2003. With that being said, I would be considered a millennial, and I’m sure many of you would be too. It seems as though millennials are the generation to talk about lately, and the majority of the talk is not very positive at all. In fact, it is pretty much all negative. We have recently seen a lot of negative stereotypes come up regarding millennials, I’m sure you’ve heard at least some of them. Millennials are self-centered, millennials are lazy, millennials are addicted to technology. This generation has had more access to technology than any of the generations before, so it makes sense that it would see as though millennials are addicted to technology. However, I think that this stereotype was only created because older generations are not used to seeing people using so much technology simply because it wasn’t available to them. This also goes along with the whole lazy stereotype. I think that a lot of people consider millennials lazy because of the technology use. We don’t have to look as much information up in books as older generations, for example, because we can use google and other websites. We don’t have to write letters or really even call people because we can just simply text them. I think that part of the idea that millennials are self-centered is tied to technology as well. We are living in a world now where social media is so commonly used and with social media comes selfies. I think that selfies are one of the big reasons that people love to call millennials self-centered, because they tend to take pictures of themselves (who cares?). Anyway, my point to this conversation is that the majority of the stereotypes about millennials are not true. In fact, iadb.org debunks this myth by stating the fact that data shows that 41% of millennials study, 21% of millennials work and 17% study and work. This means that only 17% do not work or study (Millennials: the stereotyped generation, n.d.). The majority of stereotypes, regardless of who they are about, are created based off of false ideas. Think about it, how many stereotypes are actually factual? Not many. And these stereotypes can have serious effects on the population that they are about, and even those who they aren’t about. For millennials, for example, these stereotypes could make employers hesitant when it comes to hiring them. This could be bad for both parties, the millennial because they aren’t getting a job and the employer because they could be missing out on a great employee. It’s the same thing for women, stereotypes hold women back all the time because in many cases men are preferred. But stereotypes can be even worse. Think about stereotypes about certain races and ethnicities, negative ones. This affects huge populations and can turn other entire populations against them simply because of their genes and where they are from. When you are treated negatively by so many people that can really have an affect on you, both mentally and physically. And often times, when you hear things about yourself, or a group that you belong to, over and over again you start to question if it might be true. This can impact your self worth. So, regardless of who a stereotype is about, it is important to fight against them and prove them wrong. All that it does is limit us and our beliefs.
Source
Millennials: the stereotyped generation. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.iadb.org/en/improvinglives/millennials-stereotyped-generation.