An eye-opening millennial exposition
Jon recently had me watch this clip, and ever since it’s been consuming our thoughts! I’ve been sharing it with everyone, wanting to hear what they think about it. I couldn’t help but feel like this guy was spot-on in his analysis of millennials, and I loved how he articulates it honestly, factually, and completely, while also not being as value or blame-laden as these things tend to be. Interestingly, after talking with my mom about it, she asked me if I related to the qualities described in it - if I felt like they hit home with me. And I have to say, while some I felt more described friends of mine or younger people in my life, some of the things hit directly home for me, like reading a dead-on horoscope that isn’t exactly telling of a bright future (i.e. grabbing for my phone while waiting for a meeting to start instead of striking up conversation with the people around me, as well as the entire bit about impatience - whoa). As someone who doesn’t think they’re overwhelmingly dependent on their phone (when I’m with others and busy doing other things, I am pretty present and good at forgetting about my phone, as I much prefer the live company of others), I was shocked at the realization that very rarely am I experiencing boredom or waiting without the assistance of my phone for entertainment or mind-numbing stimulation. I was horrified!
What do you think about this video and its description of millennials? Does it describe you, your upbringing, your outlook to a T? Do parts of it? Or does it better describe a younger generation, one that feels disparate from how you see yourself?
While there’s enough millennial jibber jabber to fill your newsfeed on a daily basis, this was the first bit that made me see the entire thing as more a movement and shift in culture and anthropology than ever before. It left me looking way inward, and it’s been affecting me ever since. And as a result, it made me think about my own millennial qualities, my role in the whole thing, and what it will mean for our population as we age and become parents ourselves.
In all this talk of New Year’s resolutions, this video has infiltrated my thoughts and desires for myself going forward in ways of which I wasn’t so frighteningly aware before. My relationship with my phone and my extreme impatience with a world that gives me everything within moments of desiring it are ideas that I’d like to grapple with this year. I’m very determined to regain a relationship with boredom and solitude this year, as strange as that sounds. I’m very determined to spend more time simply looking around than looking at my phone. And I’m very determined to spend my mornings and nights, some of the most precious times of the day for reflection and quiet, influenced by anything other than a small backlit screen.
In case you missed the link, here's the clip worth watching. I want to know what you think.