(This is part 1 of a 2 part series by Joshua Kester – Gen Z-er and son of our Director of Online Marketing, April Kester)
It is common knowledge that the environment in which we exist, in large part, shapes us as individuals. From our upbringing to the events that take place in our day-to-day lives, the impressions that these experiences leave on us are an essential part of developing who each of us are. The same can be true for large demographics. Taking a critical look at these experiences can help reveal valuable insight into why certain groups of people, on a general level, have developed certain tendencies or why they display specific statistical trends. With that in mind, I think that a critical examination of the impact of modern history on both the Millennial Generation and Generation Z, can help us to better understand and more accurately compare the two.
First up, the ever controversial generation: the Millennials
To get a full understanding of where this generation comes from, we’ll have to go back to the year of 1980, when the first members of the generation were born. There are many factors that have impacted the way Millennials think and act, but a big one early on is the condition of the economy they grew up in. In the early 80’s, the economy wasn’t in such great shape (I know, I know – this isn’t news to a lot of the folks reading this but, bear with me, please). High unemployment compounded with elevated inflation rates caused the economy to stagnate in the U.S. Then, in 1980, Americans voted to elect President Reagan. Reagan took on a different approach than his predecessor and opted to cut taxes and corporate regulations. This, over the course of the decade, caused the nation to become economically prosperous again meaning that, from an early age, Millennials were able to grow up with a high standard of living, which is great.
Millennials: The “Me” Generation
In addition to the economic success, generally speaking, of their parents, millennials were also brought up to have a higher sense of self-esteem, which their parents believed they could instill in them. According to an article from Time Magazine, parents, beginning in the 1970’s, believed they could raise more successful children by instilling in them a higher sense of self-esteem. Not one derived from merit, but one that comes from simply being told they are great. Many argue that even today, this trend in parenting works not to better a child’s chances of success, but instead to create narcissistic tendencies in people. In fact, according to a study by psychologist Jean Twenge, Millennials are 16% more narcissistic than their predecessors. They are, after all, often referred to as the “Me Generation”, although mine (Generation Z) isn’t much better, as we’ve been referred to as the “Me Me Me Generation”. It is very likely that these are the main factors behind the glaring sense of entitlement this generation is often perceived as possessing.
Millennials: Internet Integration and Information Overload
Millennials also grew up during the advent of the Internet, the greatest advancement in communications and forming connections ever. It is no secret that the advent of new technologies has caused our world to rapidly evolve and reshape itself. While Boomers and members of Generation X have had to integrate these technologies into their lives, Millennials have essentially grown up with them, making the Internet an integral part of their lives. This explains why Millennials, as well as their successors, are so obsessed with technology, especially social media. Millennials depend highly on these forms of networking, in large part because they provide a constant state of gratification. Just to get an idea for how vital technology is to Millennials, a 2010 study showed that those who opted to quit social media demonstrated similar symptoms to a drug addict suffering from withdrawal. I believe that this has served to increase the aforementioned tendencies towards narcissism and to further the sense of entitlement employers have been complaining about for years.
Millennials: On the Edge of a New Workplace Paradigm?
Statistical trends displayed amongst Millennials show a general sense of entitlement, a poor work ethic, little value placed on loyalty and stability with regard to employment, and extremely low engagement numbers in the workplace. Does this apply to every single individual who falls under the category of “millennial”? No, it doesn’t. But, the stigma exists, and it does so for a relatively good reason. My personal theory is that a narcissistic sense of self, compounded with the constant and rapid state of change brought about by technology has drastically shifted the view of work and is the culprit behind these statistical tendencies. It seems that Millennials are on the edge of a new workplace paradigm. Whether it is for better or worse has yet to be determined, but it certainly appears that many employers aren’t entirely sold on a workforce that looks to be trending toward instability and insufficient levels of engagement while on the clock. Whether it is for better or worse, these happenings are certainly fascinating to observe and should be examined carefully by experts for years to come.
Curious as to where my take on Generation Z might be? Don’t worry, I’m getting there! Be on the lookout for my next blog where we’ll take an in-depth look at that demographic.