Posted on 08/15/2016 11:06:57 AM PDT by Lorianne
Millennials are not some vast unsolvable mystery. According to a report from the U.S. Census Bureau (PDF), they earn $2,000 less than their parents did at a comparable age, they are more likely to live in poverty, and they are more likely to live at home.
But Baby Boomers and Gen Xers still seem to find it hard to believe that basic economic math can explain much of the younger generation’s behavior.
After several news outlets, including The Daily Beast, reported that rates of millennial sexual inactivity in early adulthood are surprisingly high, armchair social theorists came out in force to blame it on everything but the fact that nearly one-third of young adults are still living at home.
One right-wing college news website found a way to attribute the finding to millennials’ desire for “safe spaces.”
Conservative New York Times columnist Ross Douthat speculated on Twitter that it was an example of the “porn paradox,” whatever that means. Others attributed it, predictably, to the effects of technology or increased anxiety. A Rutgers biological anthropologist even suggested that millennials might be too “motivated” and “ambitious” to even bother with sex.
The most likely explanation—which was mentioned in the study itself—is that parents’ basements do not make great boom boom rooms. But who needs Occam’s razor when you’re publicly opining about the behavior of an entire generation? Lower wages sending 22-year-olds back home after college isn’t nearly as sexy as complaining about porn or political correctness.
The truth is that lower wages and poverty can account for so many of the things that older generations find so mystifying about millennials.
For example, millennials drive less than their parent’s generation—and until recently, at least—were relatively uninterested in buying cars. As The Atlantic reported in 2012, this crisis prompted automakers to appoint “youth emissaries” and come up with new car colors like “techno pink” and “denim.”
But trying to make cars cooler doesn’t change the fact that, as CityLab found, there’s a significant gap in vehicle miles traveled between millenials who make over $30,000 a year and those who make less. Simply put: Cars cost money and millennials have less of it.
Millennials have also been shamed for how much they spend eating out instead of say, saving for retirement. “Millennials Are Spending an Embarrassing Amount on Brunch and Takeaway Pizza,” Vice recently declared.
It’s easy to chalk that generational difference up to some sort of narcissistic short-sightedness but the truth is probably a lot closer to fatalism: When millennials can’t save for retirement anyway, why not spring for some bottomless mimosas instead of enrolling in a 401(k)?
SNIP
I am told that on certain web forums frequented by Indians, big money is being offered for those willing to take “proxy” interviews.
Not long ago I was talking with the CEO of a San Francisco based Solar Power firm.
Somehow the topic of the attitude of his newly hired millennials came up.
These are All American, supposedly highly educated young idealist that are almost impossible to deal with.
Petulant, was the single word that defined them.
Snowflakes with an Attitude.
Now that is something I did not know. Have you ever heard the theory that Obama paid someone to take the bar for him?
“Companies prefer native born developers. “
I’ve been in the biz for over 30 years and know very well that is not true. They even go out of their way to layoff Americans to hire cheaper foreigners
Our generation coddled them. Their expectations for their standard of living is greater than ours. For example- when our generation bought our first homes, they were fixer uppers. Now, this generation wants the big house with granite countertops.
Yeah, it’s not good.
But I’d bet those raised by Freeper type parents are less petulant on average.
I know my kids don’t fit the millennial stereotype, and don’t associate with those who do.
But there are plenty out there, and “petulant” is exactly accurate.
You may want to switch companies.
We prefer native US coders and are very good at keeping them on staff.
Foreigners are not any cheaper for us, are generally less productive, more likely to complain, and not a fit for the company culture.
I wonder how many so called “conservatives” on this board lecturing millennials took “draft deferments” 45 years ago
don’t know...but a shitload of them got inducted upon graduation...
Then you work for one of the very few companies that do that. I have had contact with over 200 companies in the past 30 years and all but maybe 5 preferred to hire the cheaper foreigners.
Yep. All of our kids and their friends are working, doing well and out on their own (25-30 cohort). Not one got a “grievance studies” degree. There’s no reason for being a lazy, layabout, neer-do-well other than laziness and lack of ambition.
My generation had ‘a longer chance’ to do something about it, therefore we are responsible? I don’t think so. I understand your frustration, believe me I do, but your argument to me seems akin to a child saying, ‘I didn’t ask to be born’. Guess what, neither did I!
My neices and nephews:
1. One dropped out of school, works aa a valet parking driver. Not doing well
2. One is a bartender, dropped out of school. Not doing well
3. One dropped out of school. living with boyfriend. Not doing well
4. One works in a marijuana store. Not doing well.
5. One got her RN degree, has a job working in an ICU, owns her own home. Doing well
What you put into advancing yourself will spell future success.
I’m delighted to see any “millennial” entertaining “conservative” ideas. I don’t resent you if you resent the idea of paying social security to take care of me. Many of my fellow boomers are fools and are getting away with it because they still have money. They’re going to get their throats slit by the islamists they love to bring in to our dear country.
Mr. Millennial: there are two things I recommend to you. 1. BE SELFISH. 2. Stand behind “the West” with all you have.
To the extent that you poured money in that you will never see, I feel sorry for you. Just as I would for any victim of a Ponzi scheme.
The problem is that you only paid in enough to support the smaller population of retirees at the time and not enough to support the retiring of the Baby Boomers.
The ratio of supporters to retirees has changed from something like 15 to 1 down to 3 or 2 to 1.
The program has always been a transfer of wealth from youngsters to oldsters. With changing demographics and intentional`underfunding, there just isn't going to be enough money. I have read estimates of the unfunded liability of the U.S. at 175 TRILLION dollars. That simply cannot and will not be paid.
I have lived my whole life assuming that I would be responsible for my own well-being. Most of the people my age did not. They spent every dime they made and then some.
Congress has the power to make legislative changes to the Social Security law. Congress has no power to legislate the laws of economics.
Never dealt with a union in any way, shape or form.
In my 50’s, still working, did NOT ask for or vote for socialism, we’ll likely lose a % of SS and have to work longer to get it, worked since 14 to get stuff I wanted, paid for my own two year degree, got OJT thereafter and am doing nicely, had a doper millenial wahdontwawannahaftaworklikeyouguys child I had to boot to get their attention.
You millenials have a voice in November, and D or I will NOT be your friend, or help you succeed, of fix our national indebtedness and your coming BIG payments on that. Do you actually know, have you actually studied what’s at stake for you? The historical differences between capitalism and socialism? Between conservative and progressive/liberal? Between truth and propaganda?
Sorry to hear that. My nephew left the Marines last Friday and is in Chicago today for interviews with ten companies. They are dying to hire vet officers with engineering degrees. You get out of life what you put in.
That’s no good. Hopefully we can get some changes made to have companies like mine become more of the norm.
I stand by the point that graduating with a useful degree is the cure to most millennials’ woes. Short of that, developing a useful vocational skillset.
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