In the last year, several important pieces of research have contributed to the idea that the Millennial Generation (that’s us) is full of contradictions and laden with confusion.
First and foremost, is a report from the Pew Research Center titled Millennials in Adulthood. The opening descriptions of the Millennial Generation are appropriately conflicting: “unattached…distrustful…but optimistic about the future.” The survey explains that while a record low 26% of people 18-32 are getting married, almost 42% of children born to this generation are born out of wedlock, and 58% of us believe that being a single parent is, “a bad thing for American society!” We are statistically more likely to engage in activities like hook-ups on Craigslist, couch surfing across Europe, and starting relationships at bars – yet only 19% of Millennials think that most people can be trusted (the lowest of any generation). More than half of this generation identifies as politically independent though upwards of 65% vote blue. In addition to all of this, almost 30% of Millennials consider themselves free from religious fetters, clinging instead to some form of agnosticism, atheism, loosely defined spirituality, or nothing at all. For a generation repeatedly praised for its activist mindset, we lead the field in supporting gay marriage (68%), while appearing to care little for the environment (32%). How can there be so much confusion in a generation that is the most highly educated?
After the report’s release, journalists and scholars had a field day predicting the impact of the “Confused Generation” upon the great American future. For the most part, these are highly negative – from prophecies regarding the downfall of the American political system to discussions of how mainstream religions might soon face their doom. Some, however, spouted positivity, rejoicing over the Democratic Party leanings of what will soon be the largest voting demographic or praising the “open-mindedness” of this intellectual generation. Christian magazines drafted entire issues discussing how to bring young adults back into the Church or start ministries targeted at the “lost.” We have inspired, in a word: chaos.
So where do Houghton students fit into this picture? Are we chaotic individuals filled with contradictions? For example, as Christian-liberal-arts students do we each have our own version of faith, highlighted by individualized heresies, just to make us more comfortable when we leave and go off into the world? Well – yes.
In the face of this conclusion I would present two responses: first, many of the Millennials’ contradictions stem from a fear of being wrong – a fear inspired by the idea that there is no objective truth. We are afraid of committing to a major because we “might be wrong.” We are afraid of committing to a relationship (much less a marriage) because “they might be wrong.” Graduating seniors are afraid to look for or commit to jobs – their career choice “might be wrong.” The examples are endless and the what-ifs are paralyzing. Secondly, this fear is coupled to a generation who, more than ever before, is more easily polarized by and controlled through informal peer pressure, or rather, the fear of being judged by our peers.
The leading cultural trends of the United States – which are determined in large part by a few powerful individuals and social media – are embraced by a generation hungry for someone else to define them.