Deep Currents

Now that we know what the Boomers will be doing in the next 20 years, we can move on to the generation that is now the largest in America: the Millennials, those of us born between 1978 and 2000, who are already taking the reins. The new book Generation We (free online!) has a decidedly positive spin on what kind of attitudes we bring to the table:

A commitment to the common good over individual gain; an ethos that reaches across traditional divisions such as race, ideology, and partisanship. The Millennials are not a “Generation Me” but rather a “Generation We.” They are strongly progressive, socially tolerant, environmentally conscious, peace-loving, and poised to lead the biggest leftward shift in recent American history. They volunteer in record numbers and declare themselves ready to sacrifice their self-interest for the greater good. They do not fit neatly into any classic ideological category and are clearly eager to establish a new paradigm.

A comprehensive rejection of the country’s current leadership and dominant institutions. Whether it is Congress and the federal government, major corporations, or organized religion, these young Americans believe the large institutions that dominate so much of our modern society have comprehensively failed, placing narrow self-interests ahead of the welfare of the country as a whole.

A clear sense of generational identity. By 10:1 (90% to 9%), respondents agreed that their generation shares specific beliefs, attitudes, and experiences that set them apart from generations that have come before them. By 68% to 31%, they feel that their generation has “a great deal” or “a fair amount” in common with young adults of their generation in other countries, rather than “just a little” or “nothing at all.” They even say, by 54%-44%, that they have more in common with young adults of their generation in other countries than they have with Americans of older generations.

When asked about the best way to address the challenges facing the country, the leading choice by far was “through a collective social movement” (60% made this their first or second choice, 38% their first) as opposed to individual action and entrepreneurship (35%), media and popular culture (33%), government action (40%), or international cooperation (30%). Note that the number choosing a collective social movement as their first choice (38%) was more than twice the number choosing any other option as their first choice. 

Small Precautions asks a good question: 

I wonder whether people under 30 don’t always have opinions of this sort. In other words, I wonder whether these values are enduring features of this generation, or rather something that will change as they age. I’m mindful of the cliche that anyone who’s not a liberal at age 20 doesn’t have a heart and anyone who’s not a conservative at 40 doesn’t have a brain.

I wonder. Perhaps it is always true that the youth feel sympathetic and rebellious, but I find it hard to believe that every generation would have shown the same numbers as we see above. Call me sappy, but reading this report inspires me to be part of the change that my cohort will bring to the world. 

Written: November 27th, 2008