The Millennial Generation: An Overview
The word millennial is taken from centuries. As an adjective, millennial refers to or denotes a time period of a thousand years. It may even refer to a thousand-year anniversary. As a noun, the word millennial refers to an individual approaching young adulthood in the early twenty-first century (Helping Millennials Help You., 2013 pp 19).The Two Millennial Populations
The term "millennial" refers to a large and loosely formed group of people. Two millennial populations are often at odds with one another. These are generation Y which comprises persons born between 1981 and 1991, and generation X which consists of persons born between 1991 and 2001. Generation Y individuals usually have traits similar to persons of generation X. For this reason, Generation Z may confuse Generation X with Generation Y and then profess to be the real millennial generation. However, millennial birth years should range between 1981 to 2001.The Impact of Technology on Millennials
Millennials can refer to both Generation Z and Generation Y with the major difference being technology. Generation Y was raised on video game systems, cell-phones, and personal computers while Generation Z was raised on apps, smartphones, and tablets. However, the general ground is that both generations have been altering and transforming identity and communication not only in the US but worldwide.The Boomerang Generation
The millennial generation is also called the Boomerang or Peter Pan Generation due to the propensity of some of them to live with their parents as a result of economic challenges and a rising likelihood to delay certain common adulthood transition phases such as marriage or beginning a career (Burke, et al., 2015 pp 26).Misconceptions about Millennials
The term Millennials is also synonymous with young people who are more politically and civically detached and more interested in materialistic benefits while ignoring the more significant community years (Ender, et al, 2014 pp 17). The pattern is more of a focus on external values like image, fame, and money, and less attention to internal values like community, group affiliation, and self-acceptance.Positive Attributes of Millennials
Millennials are also known for positive attributes. They are confident young people who are upbeat, liberal, self-expressive, and confident. Though seen as highly generous, some of them are opposing the trend. Also, millennials are believed to be the generation that has felt the significant impact of the great recession, since historically, the phenomenon is responsible for increased levels of youth unemployment. Consequently, there has been speculation regarding probable long-term social and economic destruction to this generation.The Self-Centric Nature of Millennials
There is an active if not tiresome debate regarding whether millennials are do-gooders, open-minded or self-entitled narcissists, with the truth lying somewhere in-between. Overall, however, there is more focus on the self unlike the former generations. Hence, the millennials are also known as "Generation me" (Burke, et al., 2015 pp 31). Millennials perceive themselves to be narcissistic although they dislike it. The self-centered way of life may be a result of an increase of independence in society.The Complexities of Defining a Generation
According to psychology, there is a highly reliable and consistent pattern where all pointers of autonomy have continued to rise during the last ten decades. Other scholars have reported that the efforts to provide a general definition of a whole generation is a fruitless effort (Ender, et al., 2014 pp 27). Additionally, some have pointed out that descriptions of millennials seem to concentrate mainly on white young people from urban regions, disregarding the extraordinary experience of minorities and immigrants (Helping Millennials Help You., 2013 pp 27). There is a big deal of differences from one person to another in any generation cohort. However, the specific background for any generation influences those people in angles that can be observed as full tendencies. This extended definition highlights those trends for millennials about culture, technology, work, and social environment.Work Cited
Burke, Ronald J et al. The Multi-Generational And Aging Workforce. Cheltenham, UK, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2015,.
Ender, Morten G et al. The Millennial Generation And National Defense: Attitudes Of Future Military And Civilian Leaders. London, Palgrave Macmillan UK, 2014,.
Helping Millenials Help You. New York, The Conference Board, Inc., 2013,.
