Over the last 20 years or so, it seems like Millennials have caught beef with every other generation. We long ago got fed up with the “lazy entitled kids” think pieces, and the mismatch of lifestyle expectation and economic reality.
Twitter user @LouisatheLast laid out her working theory on why Millennials have essentially been handed a no-win situation, and it’s got a lot of people talking.
How to infantilize an entire generation:
1) declare all the markers of adulthood to be linked to financial independence (home ownership, big wedding, nuclear family with professional childcare)
2) price them out of those markets/underpay them so those things are unreachable
— Louisa ?? (@LouisatheLast) January 12, 2020
It’s pretty common knowledge at this point that cost of living has continued to rise while wages have more or less stagnated. It’s a very different playing field than the one enjoyed by previous generations.
3) declare that they are “destroying” those industries by not participating
4) make fun of them for adjusting their lives to this new financial reality (living with parents longer, having roommates well into adulthood, etc)
— Louisa ?? (@LouisatheLast) January 12, 2020
The “Millennials are Killing the ________ Industry” became a meme long ago; the sad joke being that we simply can’t afford a lot of the indulgences we’re expected to.
And 5) keep them too overwhelmed with debt and just struggling for those “real adulthood” prizes for them to actually run for office and replace the people who created these no-win conditions in the first place/organize against them
— Louisa ?? (@LouisatheLast) January 12, 2020
Most Millennials have a lot of debt; a huge chunk from student loans. Higher education costs have skyrocketed in recent decades, far beyond the simple rate of inflation.
And bonus 6) for the people in power, they can easily dismiss and demean opponents who aren’t performing adulthood “correctly”
— Louisa ?? (@LouisatheLast) January 12, 2020
Honestly, it rings true. And the few government representatives who actually do come from a typical Millennial experience are degraded as being unqualified by virtue of, I don’t know, not being rich. It’s all pretty hypocritical through the lens of the American ideal of honest work.
Lol the particularly great thing about that is that these are the same people who tout “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps”
— Louisa ?? (@LouisatheLast) January 12, 2020
The thread attracted a lot of supporters who augmented the reasoning with points of their own:
Extra one: perceive attachments to hobbies traditionally associated with children as “wrong” when you hit an arbitrary age number. Even though said hobbies tend to be more affordable than “adult” hobbies
— Ryan Whorton (@RealRyanWhorton) January 12, 2020
Some pointed out the changes in what a “job” even means.
Also: withhold actual benefits like 401k’s, healthcare and parental leave in favor of “”fun”” workplace amenities. As if I need ping pong in the office instead of investing in retirement
— something completely different (@that_pettis) January 13, 2020
There was a time not long ago when a college education was the exception, not the expected rule. That’s changed.
Add a burden of debt from the obligation of attending college for hope of earning an income to achieve any of those things.
— Nurse Nerd (@unicorn_mcsynn) January 13, 2020
All in all, the thread was well received.
The vapors from this tea will clear my acne
— Expecto TheBagum (@mongi_writes) January 13, 2020
And of course, there were the oh-so-clever detractors.
Yeah try having a white collar job without a smartphone, dude. Very original commentary.
— Louisa 🌈👭 (@LouisatheLast) January 13, 2020
What do you think? Fair assessment? Bad perspective?
Are you millennial? Are you feeling this thread in your very soul?
Let us know in the comments.