What next?
Have you noticed that your VCR needs tracking? Or that the finale of Seinfeld was lame? Well, you did. Many years ago. The 90s are gone, the 2000s were a blip on the radar and now we are in a large discussion about “Millennials” and what is going to happen next? Will Millennials — the lazy generation — ruin the world? Well, I don’t think Donald Trump falls under the millennial generation — The Baby Boomers win that award. In a recent interview with Martha Stewart about “Us Millennials” this is the money quote:
“I think every business is trying to target Millennials. But who are Millennials? Now we are finding out that they are living with their parents. They don’t have the initiative to go out and find a little apartment and grow a tomato plant on the terrace. I understand the plight of younger people… The economic circumstances out there are very grim. But you have to work for it. You have to strive for it. You have to go after it.”
Are there lazy Millennials? Obviously. They are a product of their surroundings. Guess what else: So are Baby Boomers. They can be lazy, too. And guess what? If we went back in time with Marty McFly to the early 1800s and ran into Wyatt Earp, he would probably say there were lazy people then, too. Anyone can be lazy no matter when they were born or what “era” they belong too. Branding all of us “Millennials” (which I feel those born in the 80s just after Pong was a thought don’t REALLY qualify as “Millennials,” but I digress…) as lazy is absurd.
Apparently, if you were born in the early 80s, we are slowly ruining the world because we live in our parents’ basements. I do? Thought I moved out on my own at 20. Guess, I am still in Rob’s basement, sitting in a bean bag chair, in my boxers watching Roseanne.
The line between Generation X and the Millennial Generation is blurred. Some say the Millennials were born after 2000. Some say it is anyone born on or after 1981. I have also heard of us (Born in the late 1970s early 80s as Generation Y. I suppose, we could be called “The Lost Kids.” Born in the early 80s and raised in the 90s.
We grew up with ALF, Ghostbusters, My Little Pony, Hulk Hogan and the beginning of the WWE (Then WWF) Rise to popularity, NWA (We all Know what NWA means) and the Gulf War which Mom and Dad had on the news disrupting our episode of Saved By The Bell. The rule of thumb when you were out with your friends riding bikes: Your butt better be home and INSIDE before those street lights went on. Nintendo existed, but it was not as relevant to us as it is today. It was fun, but we were tired of it a lot easier and wanted to go ride bikes. We had to unravel a cord from our parents land line because of heavy use the cord curled up like a Pugs tail. Our first cell phone was in 2000… maybe. We answered it when it rang, and called when we needed to get a hold of someone. We had a deep love & respect for our grandparents and we are the last generation to be touched by WW2 in some small capacity because Grandpa fought overseas. We understand November 11, what it meant and what that day truly represents. We will pass this onto our kids.
We went to college, university, moved into crumby apartments with our friends and paid rent while eating No Name brand because it was cheaper. We grew with the times, including our self-worth and our plans for the future. We fell in love, broke hearts, were broken hearted until we found our true loves. We now raise families and teach our children the legacy our parents and grandparents leave behind and still believe in the street light system. We plan for our retirement and shake our heads at Pokémon Go or the idea of watching YouTube videos of someone eating KFC… and that’s all they do. We party less and drink less statistically than the previous generation.
We Have tomato gardens… we work through the economic downturns, we go after what we want, we strive for our families happiness & future. Generalizing 3.5 decades of generations ( 80s, 90s 2000s till now) and calling us lazy is pretty bold considering we are the generation that will end up having care of the very generation that is now aging and calling us lazy.
… Gotta go. Someone just paged me.
Shaun Aquiline is is the on-air personality at Revelstoke EZ Rock station
