Scroll through newsfeeds with your phone, and you are no stranger to the contradictory millennial narratives floating around. If you were born between 1981 and 1996, chances are these have been used to judge, nudge, and convince you that you are either unfortunate or in the wrong era. Here are some of the most common ones that make you feel like a lost cause and some antidotes to their influence.
Often, this millennial narrative evokes sympathy for millennials, painting them as victims of circumstance. They are frequently shown as trying, and failing, to adhere to traditional societal and economic structures which were once viewed as infallible paradigms of personal and professional development.
The Self-Absorbed Millennial Narrative
Millennials are self-absorbed and a generation focused on self-improvement and personal growth at the expense of others. This narrative emphasizes millennials’ interest in wellness, mindfulness, self-care, and selfies. It often showcases examples of millennials practicing yoga, meditating, or engaging in activities that promote mental and physical well-being.
The Financially-Doomed Millennial Narrative
This is the most common millennial narrative and centers around the idea that millennials are financially struggling, highlighting their challenges regarding student loan debt, high housing costs, and a competitive job market. It often portrays them as a generation burdened by financial pressures and unable to achieve the same financial stability as previous generations. Because it is a hardship narrative, it evokes sympathy for them, painting them as victims of circumstance. Millennials are also frequently shown as trying (and failing) to adhere to traditional societal and economic structures, once viewed as infallible paradigms of personal and professional development.
It has been argued, with some merit, that these structures are no longer as robust or universally applicable as they once were. The weight of student loan debt is an oft-touted aspect of this narrative, with media reports regularly citing upwards of $30,000 in average individual student loan debt for millennials. This debt is often portrayed as an albatross around their necks, hamstringing efforts to achieve financial independence. It is further compounded by the burdensome housing costs in many urban areas where job opportunities are concentrated, reinforcing this image of millennials as constantly on the financial backfoot. The depiction of millennials as ‘financially unfit’ serves to engender empathy, steer conversations, and potentially influence policy decisions.
The Narcissistic Panderer Millennial Narrative
This narrative suggests that millennials are self-obsessed and overly focused on personal branding. It emphasizes using social media platforms to curate their online personas and project a certain image, portraying millennials as narcissistic and more concerned with personal image than genuine connections. It also often portrays millennials as addicted to technology and unable to disconnect from the virtual world.
The Lazy and Entitled Millennial Narrative
The notion that millennials are lazy and entitled seeped into workplaces in the mid-2000s and seems to have lingered, suggesting that millennials are unwilling to work hard and expect everything to be handed to them on a silver platter. It portrays them as a generation lacking ambition and more interested in instant gratification. Funny, because now millennials are saying the same about Gen Z.
Ignore them if you want any success.
If you want peace of mind, ignore these narratives when you see them. You are the determiner of your success and can call the shots in your own life. There are plenty of outliers who have risen above stated challenges. You can be one of them if you want to be.
Look for the wins they overlook.
An article in The Atlantic by psychology professor Jean Twinge discusses how the millennial generation thrives, including buying homes, having children, and launching companies. Twinge also acknowledges that we don’t hear enough of these inspiring narratives and remain caught in the predictions laid out for the generation as it entered the workforce in the mid-2000s to an economic crisis. Our advice: stay focused on stories about wins for the generation and not doom and gloom.
Want to read more about generations? Check out Jean Twenge’s book here.