I like to think of myself as a hardworking, dedicated person. I am constantly studying, completing projects, going to work, and doing everything I can to prepare myself for the real world after graduation. Many of my friends are the same way. We all love to have fun, but we also know how to get a job done, and get it done well. As a whole, I find that my generation works very hard, and is passionate, just like the many generations that have come before us and will come after us. That is why I become frustrated when older members of society tell me that there is something wrong with the generation I am a part of.
I recently attended an event on my campus where leaders from the community came to talk about their experiences in the professional world. During one portion of this event, each leader gave advice to the audience about the workforce. What I was expecting from them were professional tips that started with “do this,” or “don’t do this.” What it turned out to be was a bashing session on my generation. A few quotes from that night:
“The workforce is worried about your generation.”
“You all use your phones too much.”
“Stop using social media so much.”
“Learn how to communicate face-to-face.”
Basically, from their perspectives, we are a generation of robots who are too infatuated with technology and our smartphones to learn how to write, speak, and succeed in the real world. Although I respect each and every one of the leaders that were at this event, I have to disagree with their view on my generation.
Do we use our smartphones too much? Yeah, probably. But isn’t there something in every generation that the generation before them didn’t approve of? Take teenagers from the 50s for example. They listened to Elvis on a daily basis, and society told them, “Don’t listen to his music, he shakes his hips too provocatively.” Now Elvis is considered to be the king of rock n’ roll.
Teenagers in the 60s? They were told that marijuana would kill them and that folk music was un-American. Today marijuana is being legalized in several states and the debate continues across the country. And the folk music? Bob Dylan is praised for the music he’s created.
We are even critiqued for little things such as taking photos of ourselves. Yet, prominent royal families throughout history have paid a lot of money to sit in a chair for hours and have artists paint them in a good light, the equivalent of our selfies and Instagram filters. Every generation is told that something is wrong with them. What they wear is wrong, what they do is wrong, and what they say is wrong. In reality, it’s not true. I don’t understand other generation’s quickness to tell us that technology will be our generation’s demise. Instead, they should be giving us a chance. A chance to prove that we do work; that technology is not making us lazy. A chance to prove that we can utilize the technology we are blessed with to make the workforce better.
Go into job interviews confidently, knowing that the aspects that some people see as our generation’s cons can be used as positives. They think you use social media too much? Tell them you can use Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram as a marketing and promoting tool for the company. They tell you that texting has made your communication skills decrease? Tell them texting has taught you how to get your point across in a concise format.
More importantly, don’t just tell our generation’s critics that we have skills, show them. Work your butt off on every assignment you are given, especially at your internships or jobs. Respect your bosses and those above you, and respect those under you. Study hard and reach your academic goals. Find your passion and put your soul into it.
No matter what comments or critiques are thrown your way about our generation, take them with a grain of salt. Know that you can improve society’s view of us, the “me generation,” by simply improving yourself. Work hard and always do your best. Don’t let others get you down, but don’t be arrogant either. Our generation may not have as many problems as society thinks we do, but that doesn’t mean we can’t work to improve ourselves and the world around us.