millennials
just as misunderstood as our parents generation.
Millennials, this decade’s biggest target. I see both sides of the story. I have been watching a number of documentaries on this peculiar generation. Some of the things I have heard and even thought myself are somewhat true and somewhat exaggerated. Sometimes you need to look into the “why” to find out who the real cause is.
Entitled, lazy, childish and scared to grow up to just name a few views on them. But why? Why are they labeled this? I have seen people say that they don't want to leave home and start their own life. But when home a safe net to fall back on when the job isn't “good enough” or money is tight or they break up with their partner, it's easy to not find your legs and get out there and make life, your life. Parents coddle kids and make it easy to still be a baby well into their late twenties.
I understand that parents want to better their kids and be there for them and that is wonderful but don't make them out to be the enemy when you are the one doing it to them. This generation is nothing like generations before. They are not as tough; they are not as strong-willed, but they are not to be underestimated. These times offer a whole new set of challenges.
Boomers grew post World War two and had Korea and Vietnam, and immense civil unrest and desegregation of the United States, not to mention the whole damn cold war to live in the shadow of. Gen x had terrorism, aids, and war as well. And millennials have come up in the wake of a war. There is still civil unrest. The reasons are great and many. The economy is in an uncertain state. The Covid-19 pandemic and reshaping our world in an unimaginable way. It's scary to go to work or the grocery store.
So, I see where the similarities are. I see where we all come from. There is also such a stigma to be “successful” but a certain age. We now have a term called the quarter life crisis. To be a success before you're 30. The 20s are now horrifying and scary. I caught the tail end of this race to greatness. When I was in my mid-twenties it wasn't this bad, or maybe i was just blind to the goals of others.
How stressful it is to be expected to have your life figured out at such a young age and to have so many opportunities at your disposal but not be able to afford many of them without going into a lifetime of debt and that's not even considering buying a house or a car or starting a family. I know plenty of people who owe so much money they'll never pay it off probably. That is a sad thought.
I too have had the point of view of millennials being entitled and selfish and lazy. Crying over spilled milk and fighting because they didn't get their way. I saw their values and morals as cheap and hollow but in the light of recent events in the world and seeing many documentaries before writing this I have changed my mind. I myself am a millennial but on the older side of the scale but I get it. I get them. I feel for them.
Different things may have shaped them, and they may be different than the other generations, but they are a good one. They are doing things different and shaping the world for them. Let's face it they are the ones who get the earth when everyone else is gone and it'll be their job to help the next generations grow. They, I mean we. could use a little slack.
About the Creator
Dr. Sterling Dover.
. I am from a small town in the middle of nowhere and for several years I have come to realize I live on the edge of existence. This is a way for me to get my thoughts and feeling out there in hopes of making sense of it all.
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In a small town surrounded by dusty roads and silent fields, two boys grew up with the same dream—to become the best runners their country had ever seen. Their names were Ayaan and Rohan, and from the outside, their lives seemed similar. They attended the same school, ran on the same broken track, and dreamed under the same open sky. Yet the paths they took, and the lessons they would teach the world, were very different. From an early age, Rohan was known as “the gifted one.” He ran faster than everyone else without much effort. Teachers praised him, classmates admired him, and coaches spoke about him with pride. His stride was smooth, his breathing calm, and his victories came easily. People said he was born to run. Talent, they believed, lived in his blood. Ayaan, on the other hand, was ordinary. He ran slower, tired faster, and often finished near the back. No one applauded his efforts. No one called him special. But Ayaan had something few noticed—an unbreakable determination. 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Their first major competition came in high school—a regional championship that attracted scouts and professional coaches. Rohan entered with confidence. Ayaan entered with quiet focus. When the race began, Rohan surged ahead effortlessly, while Ayaan stayed behind, steady and controlled. As expected, Rohan won. The crowd cheered his name, and reporters asked about his “natural ability.” Ayaan finished far behind, unnoticed and exhausted. That night, Rohan celebrated. Ayaan trained. Time moved on, and both boys entered a national sports academy. Now the competition was tougher. Everyone was talented. Everyone was fast. For the first time, Rohan met runners who were as gifted as he was—some even more. Suddenly, talent alone was not enough. Training sessions became brutal. Discipline mattered. Consistency mattered. Rohan struggled. He wasn’t used to pushing past comfort. When training became painful, he slowed down. When coaches criticized him, he felt offended. “I’ve always been the best,” he told himself. “Why should I suffer like this?” Ayaan, however, felt at home in struggle. Pain was familiar to him. Discipline was his companion. While others complained, he listened. While others skipped sessions, he showed up. Slowly, almost invisibly, he began to improve. His times dropped. His endurance increased. His confidence grew—not from praise, but from proof. Years later, the two met again at a national championship—the kind that could decide careers. Rohan was still talented, but inconsistent. Ayaan was not the fastest on paper, but he was reliable, focused, and mentally strong. The race was long and demanding. Halfway through, Rohan pushed hard, relying on his natural speed. But as fatigue set in, his form broke. Doubt crept in. He had never learned how to fight exhaustion. Ayaan ran differently. He paced himself. Every step reflected thousands of unseen hours. When his body begged him to stop, his mind answered, “Keep going.” One by one, he passed runners who had relied only on talent. In the final stretch, Ayaan surged ahead—not because he was born faster, but because he had trained his body and mind to endure. He crossed the finish line first. The crowd roared, surprised by the name they barely knew. Rohan finished far behind. For the first time, he understood a painful truth: talent opens doors, but it does not keep them open. After the race, Rohan sat alone, staring at the track that once felt so easy. Ayaan approached him, offering a quiet smile—not of pride, but of understanding. “I always thought talent was everything,” Rohan admitted softly. Ayaan shook his head. “Talent is a spark. Hard work is the fire.” Years later, Ayaan became a respected athlete and mentor. He taught young runners that success is built when no one is watching. Rohan, too, changed. He learned discipline late, but sincerely, discovering that talent grows only when watered by effort. The world often debates hard work versus talent, as if one must defeat the other. But the truth is simpler and deeper. Talent may give you a head start, but hard work decides how far you go. Talent can shine once—but hard work shines every day. In the end, the most powerful force is not what you are given at birth, but what you are willing to build through patience, pain, and persistence. Because talent may impress—but hard work transforms.
By The best writer 3 days ago in Humans
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