Dan
Millennials get blamed for everything. Well, except Global Warming. That’s probably a Boomer problem. Or their parents’ parents’ fault. Nevertheless, we are blamed for the death of Applebee’s, jeans being too skinny, and somehow “being entitled” even though we’ve experienced 3 recessions in our lifetime.
I’m 34. I know. I also hate that fact. But, here’s something important: I also hate Millennials. Or, at least, I hate the stereotypical “Millennial.” The adult who’s only read Harry Potter. The person who scoffs at chain restaurants like Red Lobster even though their biscuits are unmatched. The fact that none of us can buy a house. These are all things I’m also mad about.
However, none of it is really true. Millennials read. Millennials are buying houses. We’re dining out and doing drugs and dying earlier than our parents. We’re living that life. YOLO. I’m sorry. Thankfully, the good people on r/askreddit cleared up the most heinous Millennial stereotypes.
Here are the responses to the question “Elder millennials, what stereotype aggravates you the most?”:
1.
“I hate that millennials get pinned as being addicted to their phones. Like, always behind a screen and not interacting with the real world.
I for one try really hard to have good phone etiquette and what I’ve noticed is, boomers can be really bad at this. Some of the older people in my office and family are the worst offenders when it comes to texting at the table or just checking out on social media.” –Omega-10
2.
“That we don’t take our jobs seriously. I had to sit my peer (55+) down and tell him that the millennials he was bitching about were the same age as the “very qualified and mission focused” person he’s been working with for the past decade.” –werewolf3five9
3.
“Like many, I am working from home. I’ll get a call from my mom ‘hey, you are not working now, go do something for me”. Thanks, working from home is way shittier than going to “real” work, atleast for me.
I do fit the stereotype of hating talking on the phone :)” –ooo-ooo-oooyea
4.
“The stereotype that a lot of millennials are struggling with money because they’re “lazy and entitled” is ridiculous. Look at the average wage vs. the cost of rent, health care, and higher education now, vs. what it was a few decades ago. Boomers had it far easier than we did but act like our generation’s struggles just boil down to a lack of hard work.
Also, the “participation trophy” meme, aside from being largely bullshit anyway, raises the question: whose generation was giving out the participation trophies? Why would you blame the kids who received them?” –ClvrNickname
5.
“My mom complained back when I was in college because I could not pay for college with my summer jobs saying that she paid for most of her college with her summer jobs. I am also pretty sure she used her dad’s GI bill but that’s beside the point.
I had to explain to her that in a good summer, I could make 5 grand, books alone (if i bought all the ones I needed at the bookstore like she did in college) would cost 2 grand. My college cost considerably more than 2 grand and I enjoy not starving or being homeless.
But hey, almost a decade later I was fortunate enough to finish paying off my loans.” –helloisforhorses
6.
“When we are looked down upon for needing to use YouTube, etc. for learning tasks (e.g. changing a tyre) that our parents were taught by our grandparents but the former never took the time to teach us.” –ScoutyBeagle
7.
“I’m getting really tired of hearing about us lying around expecting handouts and not working. Especially when it’s a situation where the person saying it is standing in a room with a lot of millennials, all of whom have jobs, which is every single time I’ve heard this said in real life. Like, who here is lying around doing nothing? Whose your example? Oh it’s your neighbour’s best friend’s cousins son, he doesn’t have a job and lies on the couch all day. Okay.” –12ed11
8.
“As an american, its basically that we’re inheriting a system that nobody trusts us to run. all the people who represent us are 2-3 times older than us, the older generations are refusing or unable to retire which is preventing us from actually entering the job market.” –ksk3
9.
“The use of the term “millennial” to refer to the general ‘young person.'” –Josh4R3d
10.
“I, for one, am tired of hearing about the things we’ve “killed”. Tastes change all the time, this is not new.” –Aztaris
11.
“Older generations just refuse to accept any work/sleep schedule that doesn’t equal their “up at 6, bed by 10″ standard. Work to fucking 2 a.m.? You are still lazy if you’re not getting up at 6. If you wanted 8 hours of sleep, then you should have gotten a day job. Even if you’re the one getting their food or bagging their groceries late at night and they bitch that there’s no one working, those workers should still be up at 6 a.m. or they’re lazy. Nevermind that being sleep deprived is incredibly bad for your health, according to old people, there’s an entire class of people that’s supposed to suffer sleep deprivation to serve them late in the evening and still meet their standards of ‘not lazy.'” –Kaysmira
12.
“When someone makes mention of some “challenge” teenagers are doing like eating tide pods and people are like “Ugg, millennials.”
Uhm, no. Just because 4-5 people did something stupid and then the news decided to take it and run with it and make it sound way more wide spread than it is, doesn’t mean you get to generalize a whole generation.
Secondly, millennials are practically the age of the parents of the tik tok generation. It’s not a generic term for any young person doing something you don’t like.” –AnotherLolAnon
13.
“We can’t afford houses because apparently we spend too much on avocado toast.
No, in the 80s and 90s houses were about 3 to 4 times the average annual income. Now it’s close to 10 (at least in my part of the world).” –MeltingDog
14.
“That we’re entitled. Having worked with the general public for over a decade, I can assure you the overwhelming majority of entitled and rude behaviour comes from the over 50s crowd.” –beeinbris
15.
“That we don’t work hard. We’re the most overworked and underpaid generation, I have a bachelor’s and master’s and $30k of debt and I worked TWO jobs while in school and couldn’t afford to pay for it. I’ve been busting my ass for a decade making $10-$13 an hour, working over 40 hours a week. No benefits. And the younger generation can suck my dick for claiming we aren’t radical enough, for the love of God we are simply trying to survive.” –thatcondowasmylife
16.
“‘You must go to college and get a degree. You don’t want to be flipping burgers or changing the oil in some rich guy’s car.’
does that, incurs a lot of debt
‘These irresponsible millennials and their elitist liberal educations! If they’d been smart, they’d go to community college and transfer/go to trade school. They won’t just take a job, any job to pay the bills. They could flip burgers. Why should we pay for their mistakes?'” –fishmom5
17.
“The consumerism thing is tricky for them to understand. My in-laws are downsizing, and they keep asking if we want xyz (decorative plates and candy dishes mostly, but also every single toy my husband ever had growing up) They get offended when, no, we don’t want junk to keep in the garage. They also get offended if we except a “decorative” plate with the intent of actually using it as a plate.” –VicariousPet
18.
“‘yOu CaN’t UsE a RoTaRy PhOnE!?!?’
And you can’t use a fuckin telegraph. Technology changes ya quack.” –MeatyOakerGuy
19.
“We got blamed for spring break covid outbreaks. WE AREN’T IN COLLEGE ANY MORE.” –mfsbiwti
h/t Reddit: r/askreddit
Check out another viral version of this thread here.