I was born in 1987 and have been categorized by people older than I as being part of the "Millennial" generation. This term refers to anyone born between 1980-2000 and subsequently it has been a synonym for any one that drinks too much soda, eats too many processed foods, and spends too much time on their computers. Often my generation has been labeled inept, lazy, self-absorbed, and many more derogatory terms. The elders of our society say we whine to much and do not work hard enough. We move home after college in greater numbers than any others before us, and we contribute less to society that any before us according to some older Americans. In many ways these critics are absolutely correct and absolutely wrong. I often hear their opinions but they frequently fail to remember the country we were introduced to growing up, and how many significant moments fundamentally shaped our perspective.
Below is a chronology of the moments that helped shape my views. I will follow it with a brief summary of why the "Millennials" are not the worst generation, but instead we are just like every other generation. We have fought, we have failed, we have demanded change, and we have been misled. We are not especially good nor bad. We are simply a mirror image of the country in front of us.
1998: Age 11. First time I repeatedly heard the Presidents name, and the reason I did was because he was receiving oral sex in the Oval office.
2000: Age 13. Introduced to terrorism due to the attack on the USS Cole in Yemen. But as many Americans thought at the time, that was only something that happened in the Middle East...wherever that was.
January 2001: Age 14. Second introduction to U.S Presidents. This time they were fighting over who won the election. Democracy did not look so clear cut after this because I thought whoever got more votes won. Oh I guess there is still that pesky electoral college isn't there?
September 2001: Age 14. The largest enemy attack on the mainland of the United States occurred since Pearl Harbor and I was in the eighth grade.
October 2001: Age 14. U.S military invades Afghanistan, and I watch the news coverage as it happens.
March 2003: Age 16 U.S invades Iraq, and I have incomplete memories of having heard that before but when I was much younger. It must have been a dream....(1991 Desert Storm)
June 2006: Age 18. Left for Marine Corps boot camp because my country is fighting two wars in two different countries. I think the last time that officially happened was in World War II, and I thought they were getting on my case?
2008: Age 20. Worst financial crisis hits America since the great depression. This was the first time being a U.S Marine that I truly valued my job security.
2010: Age 22. Deployed to Afghanistan as part of President Obama's surge strategy. Finally saw what we were fighting for. Left Afghanistan believing that as soon as we leave it will go back to the way it was. (Fallujah falls to Al-Qaeda affiliates Jan 2014)
May 2011: Age 23. U.S Navy S.E.A.L's kill Osama Bin Laden. Does that mean the war is over?
September 2011: Age 23. The Occupy Movement begins. I thought social movements were another generation's claim to fame.
Nov 2012: Age 24. We, the Millennials, re-elect President Obama. We are still clinging to hope and change.
December 2012: Age 24. Electoral college actually elects the president:
2013: Age 25. Mass Shootings and growing income inequality. National opinion "evolves" rapidly on same-sex marriage. Why did it take the previous generations so long to figure out everyone deserves marriage equality?
2014: Age 26. We shall see...
This chronology is not meant to be cynical or snide. It is here to illustrate that my generation has not been on "easy street". We, for the most part, were introduced to politics because a women was giving the Commander in Chief fellatio. We were then exposed terrorism on American soil, two wars in far off countries, and the Great Recession in a short period of time. The job market was almost non-existent, college was over priced, and business grads were better off being carpenters than business people in many cases. I am not highlighting these historical moments as excuses but instead to try and help keep the last 15 years in perspective. This is the world myself, and my fellow Millennials grew up in. We all experienced it differently and we all adapted differently. Some stayed at home and became a four star General on Call of Duty, others reinvented themselves and created some of the most forward thinking companies this country or world has ever seen. Hell even a few of us went and fought in a war or two. So with this in mind, I hope that the generation before us can halt their criticism long enough to see that we are doing fine, and we will be OK. Believe it or not every generation has their faults, and they also have their successes. I found it pointless to claim one aging layer of America is better than the other when history has a plethora of examples to illustrate both of our strengths and weakness. The Millennial's did not choose to start multiple wars, nor are we responsible for causing the recession. We are living with the ramifications of decisions and policies put forward by people older than us. Regardless though, it is time we share a like voice and attempt to fix the country we all call home, instead of attempting to lay the blame at someone else's feet.
