We, the millennials, were born between 1981 and 1995. We are products of the baby boomer generation and the earliest born “generation xers”. If you don’t know the terminology a baby boomer, it is someone who was born between the years 1945 and 1964. For example, President Barack Obama, his wife Michelle Obama, CEO of OWN Oprah Winfrey and Pop recording artist, Madonna, are all baby boomers. People such as R&B recording artist, Mariah Carey, Hip Hop recording artist Jay-z, R&B recording artist Usher and 19-time NBA All-star, Kobe Bryant, are “generation xers”. Our generation, the millennials, seem to have a big problem. Most of us think we are “go getters” but compared to earlier generations we are not. Most of us seem to walk around in a haze or dream state and in that dream state we all are really prominent, which even most of us are aware that it seems overly self-involved. Sociologist use certain characteristics to describe each generation and most of the descriptive words used for our generation are not flattering: “trophy kids,” narcissistic and entitled. For some of us, the word narcissism which is used to describe many serial killers, is something that we do not want to take lightly or be called. One of the few good things our generation has going for us is that we are considered the nicest, most accepting and civic minded individuals of all the other generations. The millennials lack the most important trait that the baby boomers had sample, which was the amount of drive and standing up for what was right no matter the outcome. The freedom rides, sit-ins, Black Panther movement, anti-Vietnam protest, and the Women Rights Movement all came from this generation and we cannot forget they made this world a better place for us by actually caring, and most of them did not get rewards at the end of the day. “Generation X” developed most of the modern culture that we live in today. I know we are tired of being judged because not all millennials suffer from apathy. Many of us are making big moves and we just have no outlet to express it. In many cases, the previous generations never taught us how to be original or stand alone. The generation that judges us the most are the baby boomers. They are not as praise-worthy as they seem and their generation gave birth to some of the most horrible things to plague mankind such as sexual promiscuity, the war on drugs, the national debt, gang violence and worst of all, Donald Trump along with the last remnants of racism, homophobia and sexist attitudes. So despite their finger pointing, no generation is perfect. “Generation x” has no room to point a finger at anyone. One of the few good things to come out of the generation was Google because a baby boomer invented Apple. We, the millennials, “generation x”, or whatever they want to call us, need to learn to care more about the legalization of marijuana as a political crisis and pay more attention to the world around us. There is more to the world then just our surroundings. I believe we need to learn to protest more and voice our discontent, instead of waiting for someone else to fix everything. We have to fix things for ourselves and we have to make a better world for our children to brought into. Who wants to live in a world where no one cares or tries? Let’s not be like that sad relative who had to move back home at the age of 40 and his elderly parents supports them. We have been given everything so let’s not waste it and do more then what we are doing. Let’s prove the baby boomers wrong, whom for some reason believe that they are the greatest generation. Sorry baby boomers get off your high horse.
