Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

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TopHatFox
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Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by TopHatFox »

I've been thinking - millennials have some tough problems to sort through. Like:

1. High levels of student loans
2. Expectations to have at least a Bachelors for most jobs, if not an outright Masters
3. The majority being told by mentors to major in whatever and hope for the best
4. Easy access to porn since we were small, decreasing generational desire and iterations of sex
5. Multiple accounts of idealized, comparison-centric Social Media streams
6. Multiple online dating apps, creating a volume much like applying for jobs rejection wise
7. Likely to live with the parents, not have a credit score, have transportation, etc.
8. For men, we're expected to be strong, have a career, have fancy stuff, and be commanding;
8a. But, as a whole, we get minimal support and have to work very hard for attention
9. For women, you all are expected to be fit, have career and family, and be independent
9a. But, as a whole, you all get too much attention from men, assaulted, etc.
10. This leads to a dynamic where both women and men as a whole are unhappy

Some of these can be solved on a personal level. For example, it's possible to go through school w/o debt and get a credit card to build credit. But some of the larger phenomenons have generational repercussions that cannot be avoided. For instance, in general, it takes full-time effort to find a job and a partner. It is also easy to be exposed to idealized lifestyles, ads, and streams to make us feel insecure and depressed.

So, what the hell do we do about it all, as millennials? The conditions above mean that only the best of the best get the majority of the dates, money, and power. So, naturally, the only productive thing one can do is to work on becoming more interesting, wealthier, and good-looking. Either that, or settle with no partner, porn, and no job. Or drop out of the system entirely via ERE and then do an interesting thing as a lifestyle.

DutchGirl
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by DutchGirl »

No, you're not screwed. You're just young. There's lots to do for you. And you still have to learn, and prove your worth. But that's all just a part of being young.

And oh, yes, some of the people who are 50+ will say that "youth these days" is no good. But they only say that because they're old. Don't mind them.

Find your own way in life. Good luck!

IlliniDave
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by IlliniDave »

Well, I'm a little over 50 (and not *that* old), and what I'll say is that I do believe Millennials will face some challenges in the future, but I wouldn't include anything on THF's list because either they are things that Millennials created for themselves or are things that all new adults face in some way. I think the biggest challenges are of a demographic nature in that population growth is slowing which means it will become increasingly difficult to maintain gov't social programs. That's one of the reasons I'm pretty set on leaving a legacy to my Millennial children--to help bear the cost of the mess which is likely to be leftover from generations prior to me, and increasingly by my generation as we begin to ascend to the highest political leadership roles.

Stahlmann
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Stahlmann »

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Stahlmann
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Stahlmann »

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Lucky C
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Lucky C »

I am at the high age end of the common Millenial definition and I completely disagree.

1. High levels of student loans
Perhaps this is a sign that fewer should be going to college; more should be going into the trades - IRR is higher in many cases. At any rate, even young adults with high student loans seem to (eventually) be consuming more resources than people consumed 100, 200, etc. years ago.

2. Expectations to have at least a Bachelors for most jobs, if not an outright Masters
Again not for tradespeople, where there is a shortage of skilled workers currently.

3. The majority being told by mentors to major in whatever and hope for the best
Bad mentors have existed for all generations. Millenials are the first to grow up with the ability to connect with a wider variety of mentors and world-class mentors via the Internet. If you were a boomer you'd never have met a "boomer version" of Jacob.

4. Easy access to porn since we were small, decreasing generational desire and iterations of sex
Previous generations were generally sexually repressed. Viewing of porn is not forced upon millenials and many choose not to watch it.

5. Multiple accounts of idealized, comparison-centric Social Media streams
Previous generations presented idealized versions of themselves to others, but IRL instead of on social media. Viewing of social media is not forced upon millenials. Many millenials are reducing time on social media; Facebook user base and time spent on the platform are now in decline.

6. Multiple online dating apps, creating a volume much like applying for jobs rejection wise
Previous generations had limited dating opportunities, married (too) young, and married for love far less often than today. Dating apps allow a higher degree of filtering but also a greater chance of finding lasting love for those who persevere. I found my wife online and though it took years of trial and error, restricting myself to meeting women in person would have been much less efficient/successful.

7. Likely to live with the parents, not have a credit score, have transportation, etc.
Previous generations lived often with 2-3 generations in one house which was smaller than today with less privacy. Older generations also did not have credit scores, cars, and other things that did not exist back then. Note that many millenials are taking several trips to other countries in their 20's, whereas just one such trip would be the trip of a lifetime (or impossible to take) for older generations. Also I would say that most Millenials do "have a credit score" and a means of transportation anyway.

8. For men, we're expected to be strong, have a career, have fancy stuff, and be commanding;
Less so than previous generations. I.e. there are now more unhealthy young men without jobs, without much stuff, and with weak personalities who still manage to get laid, moreso than any other time in history. The expectation that all men deserve love even if weak and poor (= not productive) is an expectation that the human race should get weaker over time.
8a. But, as a whole, we get minimal support and have to work very hard for attention
compared to the past...?

9. For women, you all are expected to be fit, have career and family, and be independent
Would women rather live in the past where they did not have many career options, had little to no independence, had to be able to and want to raise kids, couldn't vote, and still had to be pretty? I think women are doing better these days...
9a. But, as a whole, you all get too much attention from men, assaulted, etc.
compared to the past...?

10. This leads to a dynamic where both women and men as a whole are unhappy
I think there are other reasons for young women and men being unhappy considering they are better off in many ways compared to older generations.

So, what the hell do we do about it all, as millennials?
View your life in the grand scheme of things (think back 200 years, not 20 years). Ignore non-issues (stop complaining). Take control to resolve any of your remaining issues and then serve as a role model to others.

Stop setting Baby Boomers as the gold standard of the good life as their lifestyles have been fueled by running up debt and depleting non-renewable resources. This is the definition of unsustainable. Younger generations should see the baby boomer lifestyle as the polar opposite of the right way to live. That means perhaps seeking multi-generational or multi-family living, cycling instead of driving, living locally rather than bouncing around the world, and avoiding debt rather than running it up. It means doing important productive work rather than putting in the bare minimum in a sterile office and watching TV during all non-working hours. This is harder than the boomer lifestyle, but perhaps difficulty does not lead to unhappiness? Perhaps we can find "happiness" while spending our lives efficiently producing rather than wastefully consuming. For more see "Early Retirement Extreme" by Jacob Fisker :)

7Wannabe5
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

I think human nature is basically the same, but the field has radically changed since 1973. There are twice as many humans on the planet now, so we are increasingly dependent on technology to thrive, or even survive, as individuals. However, technology and biology are fundamentally non-exchangeable or non-equatable. For instance, nature abhors a vacuum, but technology _____s a vacuum???

If you are in a circumstance where you can't sense this difference in the field that has developed over the last half a century, then that likely has to do with some unique boundary conditions.

Farm_or
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Farm_or »

Did Generation X even happen? Maybe it was a dream? The whole world is focused on boomers and millenials. Why? The money in the numbers.

Has this created a narcissist generation? No. Nothing is really new here. All of these problems and denigrating stereotypes were said to generation X. A lot of the problem is that bitch transition from childhood to adulthood.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

Farm_or wrote: A lot of the problem is that bitch transition from childhood to adulthood.
I half agree with you. But, I am 30 years older than THF, different gender, and different personality type, and it is my opinion that both the Job and the Dating market have changed in ways that are rather remarkable over the last several decades. They both require much more active cognition. In a way, it's kind of like nobody knows what in the f*ck they are doing anymore because change is so rapid.

slowtraveler
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by slowtraveler »

Hmm. Interesting how we are just a couple of years apart but have such different perspectives. I think as idealized as we'd like to be or project ourselves to be, our perspective emerges from current circumstances the majority of the time.

I see as as blessed. We have internet-more knowledge than the elite used to have for a fraction of the price. We have solar power- independent energy production enough to meet our own needs if we deem petrol unfit for whatever reason. Geographic arbitrage- do you have any idea how much attention a handsome young multilingual fox gets from stunners in Southeast Asia?

Many generations live in one household in much of Asia. It's actually nice in many ways to depend on grandma to care for the kids while you're working.

There's also cheaper and quicker connection to kick ass mentors. I've met some kick ass experts in many forums or other avenues and been able to personally talk, web chat, forum conversate, even meet in person with some. I think it's one of the biggest game changers there.

What to do- take care of your health and work for just 5 years. You'll be free to see the grand majority of the world with that golden passport of yours. You can roughly communicate with a handheld translator. Book a hostel and quick air travel from your phone. That's not an option 99% of humans who've lived have had a real shot at.

Jason

Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Jason »

I think it might be helpful to look back on past generations and their concerns. I found this in the archives.

MEDIEVALS: We're kind of screwed as a generation, what to do, what to do:

- How am I expected to make a living being a fucking peasant and the guilds aren't hiring;
- I just turned 26 and it looks like I'm going to have spend my last five years working;
- I should have never obeyed my father when he ordered me to marry my syphilitic first cousin when I was 15 and she was 13. Yeah, OK, three of my 15 kids lived and I love them but they are all fucking blind and my crop lines are for shit. Thank God she finally died during childbirth yesterday and I don't have to worry about feeding her big mouth anymore;
- I don't feel well but I'm afraid if I go to the doctor he's going to bleed me out again;
- I really hope that rat that bit my ass while I was taking a shit didn't have the plague;
- Yeah, I love beer like the next guy but being drunk all day makes me tired; Maybe I'll take some time off and join a crusade. I heard they are making a board game out of it;
- Oh man, is that a Viking ship;

OTCW
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by OTCW »

Make a list of advantages as well. Lay it and the disadvantages out, see where they can cancel each other out, make a plan on the remainder, and get busy living.

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C40
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by C40 »

#1-3, 7 - Job stuff.. Yeah, there was a few years where few companies were hiring (late 2008 to early 2013), so some of the kids who finished school then got a bit screwed on the birth year lottery. That period ended 4 years ago. Now unemployment is back down.

#4-6 - Cool new things - These are all good things if used reasonably. They are good and they are free. Don't use them if you don't want to.

#8-10 - Man/woman stuff It's nothing new and overall has gotten significantly better lately on most fronts.


In so many ways, millennials have it better than any generation of mankind to ever exist. You have all the wonders of the industrial revolution, the information age, cheap energy but without the coming environmental impacts, etc. etc...

On an individual level, we have it better than all generations before - we can take all of the good and not the bad. On a societal level, I do believe that in many ways our society is continuing to go down wrong paths - more consumerism, more infinite/unending economic growth, more unnecessary medial invention and prescription drug use, but still low focus on actual well-being.
Last edited by C40 on Sun Mar 11, 2018 11:53 am, edited 1 time in total.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

slowtraveler wrote:I see as as blessed. We have internet-more knowledge than the elite used to have for a fraction of the price. We have solar power- independent energy production enough to meet our own needs if we deem petrol unfit for whatever reason. Geographic arbitrage- do you have any idea how much attention a handsome young multilingual fox gets from stunners in Southeast Asia?

Many generations live in one household in much of Asia. It's actually nice in many ways to depend on grandma to care for the kids while you're working.
Yeah, it's great when grandma is available to work for nothing, because she herself has no plans to upgrade her high tech skills or engage in geo-arbitrage with a handsome young stunner in 3rd world port :roll: Also, it's going to be real, real, real slow travel to take advantage of such opportunities if petrol if deemed unfit.

That said, my BF has an offer to almost double his net income by taking a position in the Middle East and he is encouraging me to come along for the ride, even though he could (and has in the past) attract some TCN stunners while overseas. I'm just a bit grouchy on this topic, because I am confused when somebody says something like "They don't care for sh*t if you are actually certified to teach, and maybe I will marry you if I have to sponsor you and there is an iron-clad pre-nup."

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C40
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by C40 »

What does TCN mean?


slowtraveler
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by slowtraveler »

@Jason
Your best post in a while. Inspired me to do some reading. Many peasants were slaves and didn't even get to have families.

@7w5
Grandma don't work for free. The young generations are expected to take care of the elders. Grandma gets over a g a month from the generations of descendants. Pretty sure she's a great grandma. Maybe a great great grandma but I think that may take a few more years.

You actually don't need to be loaded to date much here. Same as in the west, sugar daddies attract certain kinds of women. Giving a woman money directly is a big no no and unless she's a working girl, she'd likely be offended. But our Fox is exotic to them. And taking better care of them than the local men do isn't hard, nor does it require much money. Enough for groceries and a few truck rides will suffice (can be done under $5 total for a nice date). They're very damn grateful around here.

Jason

Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Jason »

(@) Slowtraveler.

If I'm not mistaken, the millennials, seeing their parents suffer during the great recession, were supposed to recapitulate the children who grew up during the depression, like The Little Rascals. What I find particularly perplexing about this thread is that I do not think it is emblematic of all millennials (such as yourself) and it is taking place on a board that provides the tools to beat both the system (as FFJ noted) and oneself.

7Wannabe5
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Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by 7Wannabe5 »

@C40:

TCN means third country national. The slang usage refers to somebody who is given immigrant work status to perform menial labor in wealthier country, as opposed to, for instance, a professional engineer who is employed by BP. Ergo, on his last Middle East assignment, my BF had a beautiful live-in 22 year old Sri Lankan companion who cooked and ironed his shirts. He did not give her cash. He just paid for all her living expenses, so she could keep all the money she earned at her day job herself. Pretty much the same arrangement he has with me, except I cook less and don't iron at all.

@slowtraveler:

The funny or interesting point that is often missed in conventional conversations on this topic is that, believe it or not, somebody who looks/vibes like a taller version of one of the middle-aged female hosts of America's Test Kitchen, will also often come off as rare/exotic/attractive on the Global Dating Market which includes the likes of many wealthy sub-continental Indian PhD widower grandpa types looking for a last wife. Hooray for Hollywood!

Anyways, I am also almost halfway done with being certified as an information technology support specialist, so I am not really complaining about the current state of affairs, I am just noting that it is indeed very different than 30-50 years ago, and IMO only people who have not experienced the dating or job markets back then AND recently would disagree.

Jason

Re: Millenials - we're kind of screwed as a generation. What to do what to do~

Post by Jason »

Not to digress from thread title, but I recall reading an article addressing a shift in the mail order bride industry where the men were finding it more economical to move to the country from which the bride originated. I think it also might have to do with "the happy mail order wife, happy life" concept as well, as the man takes on the cultural adjustment issues. I knew a guy who had a bride moved here and it was a nightmare, culminating in her sleeping with his brother. And its not like that industry has LL Bean like return policies. Any ways, I think it ties in here somehow, and if it doesn't, at least its a break from whining twenty year olds.

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