Talkin’ Bout Y Generation
Actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt may have made the most prescient quote about our generation. The “Angels In The Outfield” kid turned brooding thespian noted, “This generation is going to blow away every generation ever. Because we’re the first ones with the Internet.” And as Social media and wine expert Gary Vaynerchuk pointed out, “The Internet is 15 years old. It hasn’t even had sex yet.” (Unless it is European.)
In translation, Mom, don’t even think about taking “World of Warcraft” away from us:
Generation Y is closing in on a quarter-century, and we’ve already seen our fair share of drama. Our “there is no Santa Claus” moment happened after Bill Clinton looked us in the eye and denied he had “sexual relations with that woman”. Learning Mark McGwire’s 1998 record homerun chase was fueled not by hard work but steroids was our “there is no Tooth Fairy” epiphany. Columbine was our more fatal Kent State. September 11th, our Pearl Harbor. No WMD’s in Iraq was our generation’s Watergate. The ultimate tragedy is 4,402 (and counting) of America’s bravest didn’t die after Nixon’s cover-up.
We see Barack Obama as one of us. He’s the cool professor. Obama’s rousing rhetoric, not being George W. Bush, and social media prowess awakened Generation Y’s sleepy political activism during the 2008 presidential campaign. We joined his Facebook group, donated money, and showed up at the polls in record numbers.
Once Obama got elected, however, we hit the snooze button again:
We still love Obama but disillusionment is starting to creep in. Change may be coming, but it’s glacially slow. Remember the iconic “Hope” poster that was a clarion call for fresh thinking? It was donated to a museum by a pair of lobbyists.
Deep down, we’re starting to think we missed the peak of the American Empire by 40 years. We quietly fear Afghanistan, “the graveyard of Empires”, is our Vietnam. Domestically, 15 months of filibustering and partisan infighting over health care reform reminded us why we hated politics in the first place. We don’t understand why “don’t ask, don’t tell” is still an issue. And don’t even get us started on Arizona:
Grown-ups I talk to are befuddled as to why we aren’t angrier. My Dad emails me gloomy Wall Street Journal articles enumerating the mountains of debt his Baby Boomers are putting on our tab. My dad laments that unpaid interns are conquering the world. He’s not alone. Economists whisper that, thanks to the protracted Great Recession, we are showing the symptoms of another Lost Generation. My school Dean Glenn Hubbard worries about Generation Y’s perniciously high unemployment rates (over 16% for 24-year-olds). He fears for twenty-somethings two years out of work can become virtually a “life-sentence”.
Despite all of the turmoil, us Generation Y’ers are still a bubbly bunch. Maybe we’re naïve. Maybe YouTube keeps us happy. Or maybe it’s that the world has doubted American generations since our Founding Fathers. And never before has the world seen a generation with our tolerance, creativity, and innovation. It won’t be easy. But I have no doubt we have the vitality and ambition to become the Sweetest Generation. And perhaps one day our grandchildren will marvel at our achievements against tall odds. Even if they never get our love for the “Jersey Shore.”
I lost my virginity when I was 12, and I was a late bloomer.
This is fantastic. I stumbled upon this blog via some old “depressed pug” pictures a friend sent me, and after browsing I have to say, well done. About this post specifically, I think you’re spot on with most points– “everybody wins”, how important the internet is for our generation and that we’ll never fully appreciate how since we know nothing else (and btw, I think it has a lot to do with our apathy, everything is so global and accessible that we feel we don’t need to deal with much because we can always get away from it…can always go teach English somewhere). I’d like to hear more about unpaid interns conquering the world– because they’re doing work that should be paid for, and done by older people? I definitely think it has irrevocably changed our generation’s attitude toward work, careers, and success. Anyway, great job! Thanks especially for the link to the MRS degree video, my friends from school (CC ’08) are going to get a kick out of it.
you are great, greets from austria!
You might want to read up on Vietnam and the connection to Kent State and Nixon. Please don’t compare them to Columbine and the WMDs in Iraq.
Nixon resigned in disgrace largely because of a public outcry (absent with Bush) that had roots in the Vietnam war. As with WWII, the war media you consume is largely controlled. Ours was not. We heard the daily body counts on the news. We knew what war was really about. Death and destruction for both sides. It’s not a game.
The mass murder at Columbine, while horrible, was committed by children against children, not military representatives of the Ohio state government against adult civilians exercising free speech against the Vietnam war. The students at Kent State were part of a genuine grass roots movement, unlike the astro-turfed teabaggers of today.
Some of the “greatest” generation were all too willing to let their sons die by being drafted into a needless and illegal war. Except for the draft part, perhaps some of you do have some commonalities with your grandparents.
“You fools drank the Kool-aid, now get out your check books ! pssst change you can count on….
[…] Talkin’ Bout Y Generation [Prose Before Hos] […]
Great Content…
we like to honor many different internet sites on the web, even if they aren’t linked to us, by linking to them. Under are some webpages worth checking out…
The Birch of the Shadow…
I believe there may well become a few duplicates, but an exceedingly helpful record! I’ve tweeted this. Lots of thanks for sharing!…
Hellow…
I saw this really good post today….
nice…
I have recently started a site, the info you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work….
Healing’s Dragon…
to locate concerns to enhance my site!I suppose its alright for making usage of several within your concepts!!…
Hellow…
I saw this really good showcase….
Hellow…
I saw this really great showcase….
Read was interesting, stay in touch……
[…]please visit the sites we follow, including this one, as it represents our picks from the web[…]……
News info…
I was reading the news and I saw this really interesting info…
to the visitor.make clear what you want…
to say to the reader so they can easily access the key areas that you want them to read. this will link better to your call to action where you will be offering more great free content if they have enjoyed…
Third Flower…
My wife and that i are already now delighted that Albert could execute his reports due to the tips he had by way of your website. It’s on occasion perplexing to only always be giving freely ways which lots of people might have been marketing. So we co…
reception halls Champaign il…
[…]Here is an excellent Blog You may Uncover Fascinating that we Encourage You[…]…
caribbean jobs online…
[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]…
free att upgrade phone…
[…]always a large fan of linking to bloggers that I love but do not get lots of link love from[…]…
Health Insurance…
[…]below you’ll find the link to some sites that we think you should visit[…]…
Asia Travel News…
[…]just below, are some totally unrelated sites to ours, however, they are definitely worth checking out[…]…
online watches…
[…]here are some links to sites that we link to due to the fact we believe they’re really worth visiting[…]…
“IGF DES 1 3” side effects…
[…]Here are several of the web pages we recommend for our visitors[…]…
but do you want to help and…
encourage people? or just have a membership of ‘experts’? that is a decision you need to make, as it’s you, and the moderators you might have to help you, who can influence this by the way in which your members respond…
backup client server…
[…]usually posts some pretty interesting stuff like this. If you?re new to this site[…]…
you will exercise your brain to squeeze…
out more words from it for you to write. get in touch with your inner shakespeare and grab a pen.there is only so much you can do with writing but it also has its limits. for you to get better, you…
website and don’t require any jumping through…
hoops whatsoever.be grammar-hot and spelling-mistake free.good grammar doesn’t necessarily mean “the queen’s english”. grammar in web content can be reasonably relaxed and informal if that’s right for your business, but your text has to flow. your…
centriohost llc….
[…]Here are several of the web sites we advocate for our visitors[…]…
The Silent Shard…
This will likely most likely be fairly useful for some of one’s jobs I want to will not only with my web site but…
vakantiehuisje…
Talkin’ Bout Y Generation – Prose Before Hos…
Check this out…
[…] that is the end of this article. Here you’ll find some sites that we think you’ll appreciate, just click the links over[…]……
Dog vitamins…
[…]Here is an excellent Blog You might Find Fascinating that we Encourage You[…]…
Woman of Alien…
Best operate you’ve carried out, this page is basically cool with fantastic information. Time is God’s method of retaining almost everything from happening without delay….
Thorn of Girl…
Excellent facts could be discovered on this net blog site….
??? ??…
A powerful share, I just given this onto a colleague who was doing a bit analysis on this. And he actually purchased me breakfast because I found it for him.. smile. So let me reword that: Thnx for the treat! However yeah Thnkx for spending the time to…
Susan Donofrio…
Approximatively I don’t read article of merchandise on blogs….
mua nap wcoin…
[…]Sites of interest we have a link to[…]…
Hyperlinks…
Internet websites of desire we’ve got a link to…
Search Online Schools…
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a few unrelated information, nevertheless actually worth taking a look, whoa did a single study about Mid East has got much more problerms also […]…
Top bikes for sale perth…
[…]one of our visitors recently suggested the following website[…]…
About Holy Spirit…
[…]Here is an excellent Blog You might Obtain Interesting that we Encourage You[…]…
Great web-sites…
we came throughout a nice webpage that you just may delight in. Require a glance if you’d like…
sunglasses sale uk…
[…]please take a look at the web-sites we comply with, like this one particular, because it represents our picks through the web[…]…
when i am trying to think of…
new blog ideas and topics to write about.before i get into them, you should know that i am going to be relating to the internet marketing industry because that’s what industry i’m involved in, but the strategies i give you in…
http://www.kalgoorliebusinessdirectory.com...
Talkin’ Bout Y Generation – Prose Before Hos…
Learn was attention-grabbing, keep in contact…
be sure to check out the internet websites we stick to, consisting of this one particular, since it signifies our picks from your web…
Web-sites it’s best to go to…
below you will find the url to some websites that we believe that it is advisable to head over to…
english language teaching…
[…]very few internet sites that transpire to become detailed below, from our point of view are undoubtedly effectively worth checking out[…]…
Web-sites it’s best to go to…
below you will find the url to some websites that we believe that it is advisable to head over to…
Check this out…
[…] that is the end of this article. Here you’ll find some sites that we think you’ll appreciate, just click the links over[…]……
Gems from the internet…
quite couple internet sites that transpire for being precise beneath, from our standpoint are certainly very well value trying out…
Check this out…
[…] that is the end of this article. Here you’ll find some sites that we think you’ll appreciate, just click the links over[…]……
Recommeneded website pages…
Below are a few in the websites we advise for our prospects…
this post…
[…]below you?ll discover the link to some web-sites that we consider you need to visit[…]…
electronic cigarettes…
[…]below you will find the link to some web pages that we consider you should visit[…]…
Spectacular web site…
The facts talked about in the article really are a several with the very ideal available…
Dreary Day…
It absolutely was a dreary day here right now, so I just took to messing round online and noticed…
Dreary Day…
It absolutely was a dreary day below presently, so I just took to messing close to on the web and located…
Magnificent blog…
The information stated within the submit certainly are a couple of belonging to the highly very best readily available…
Gems in the online world…
highly few web sites that happen for being in depth below, from our viewpoint are undoubtedly properly well worth checking out…
Cambridgeshire wedding photographer…
amongst our website visitors a short despite the fact that back advocated the subsequent web-site…
Gems sort cyberspace…
especially few web pages that materialize to become detailed under, from our point of view are unquestionably very well worth trying out…
Santee Water Damage Remediation…
[…]that would be the end of this write-up. Right here you will discover some web pages that we consider you will appreciate, just click the hyperlinks over[…]…
apartamente militari…
[…]The data talked about inside the article are some of the very best available […]…
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day right here now, so I just took to messing roughly online and seen…
premature ejaculation treatment…
[…]Here is a superb Blog You might Discover Exciting that we Encourage You[…]…
World Traffic Device evaluation…
be sure to explore the web pages we adhere to, like this a person certain, while it signifies our picks from your word wide web…
apartamente noi titan…
[…]we came across a cool site that you may possibly love. Take a appear for those who want[…]…
inchirieri excavatoare…
[…]Every after inside a although we pick blogs that we read. Listed below would be the most current web sites that we pick […]…
World Site traffic Machine evaluate…
be sure to go to the net pages we follow, such as this 1 selected, because it signifies our picks from your internet…
Internet websites price visiting…
listed here are a few one-way links to online websites that we url to considering the fact that we think they can be price visiting…
How to Start a Business…
[…]Wonderful story, reckoned we could combine a number of unrelated data, nonetheless genuinely worth taking a look, whoa did one particular discover about Mid East has got much more problerms too […]…
seguros coche…
[…]always a massive fan of linking to bloggers that I adore but do not get quite a bit of link adore from[…]…
You’ll want to verify this out…
Online websites of curiosity now we have a backlink to…
Dreary Day…
It was a dreary day right here now, so I just took to messing roughly online and seen…
Verify this out…
that could be the stop of this post. The following you’ll obtain some sites that we imagine you will appreciate, just click on the one way links around…
Web-sites we Like…
Each and every after within a even though we decide weblogs that we browse. Detailed below are classified as the current web pages that we pick out…